The Boston Celtics delivered one of their most dominant performances of the season Saturday night, rolling past the Atlanta Hawks 132-106 at State Farm Arena.
Jaylen Brown poured in 41 points as Boston used a massive second quarter to turn a competitive opening period into a runaway by halftime.
The Celtics exploded for 52 points in the second quarter, outscoring Atlanta 52-22 to take an 82-51 lead into the break.
Boston was nearly flawless during the stretch, shooting 19-of-25 from the field and 11-of-15 from three-point range.
Sam Hauser anchored the shooting barrage, drilling all six of his three-point attempts in the quarter while spacing the floor consistently.
Brown controlled the game at every level, attacking the rim in transition and finishing through contact while also knocking down timely jumpers.
The All-Star wing had 29 points by halftime, combining with Hauser to nearly match Atlanta’s entire scoring output through two quarters.
Boston reached 100 points less than four minutes into the third quarter, removing any doubt about the outcome well before the final period.
The lead eventually ballooned to 43 points, prompting both teams to clear their benches for extended minutes.
Hauser finished with 30 points, tying his career high with 10 made three-pointers and setting a season best in scoring.
Anfernee Simons added 14 points off the bench, connecting on four shots from beyond the arc to maintain the Celtics’ perimeter pressure.
Boston shot 51 percent from the field and 42 percent from three-point range while recording 27 assists on 46 made baskets.
Atlanta struggled to generate consistent offense, shooting just 37 percent overall and never recovering from the second-quarter avalanche.
Onyeka Okongwu led the Hawks with 21 points, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 18 and Corey Kispert added 16 off the bench.
The loss marked Atlanta’s third straight defeat following a West Coast road trip and the recent trade that sent Trae Young to Washington.
Boston improved to 26-15 and remained second in the Eastern Conference, continuing to close ground on conference-leading Detroit.
The Celtics travel to face the Pistons on Monday in a matchup between the East’s top two teams.
Atlanta, now 20-24, returns home Monday to host the Milwaukee Bucks in its annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day game.
