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2022/23 National Basketball Association (NBA) season
Playoffs - First Round - Game 1
Boston Celtics v Atlanta Hawks
TD Garden
Boston, USA
Saturday, 15 April 2023
19h30
Boston Celtics will go head to head with the Atlanta Hawks in the
National Basketball Association (NBA) match on April 15.
Head-to-Head
This will be the 72nd meeting between the two teams in the playoffs since their first meeting in this round in 1957.
The Celtics have the upper hand in this rivalry having recorded 42 victories compared to the Hawks' 29 victories from 71 matches.
Last Meeting
The Celtics defeated the Hawks 120-114 as Mike Muscala recorded a career-high 27 points, along with 8 rebounds for the winning side on 9 April 2023.
As a result, the Celtics finished the regular season at 57-25, while the Hawks finished at 41-41.
What Is At Stake
The winner of the series between the Celtics and Hawks will lock horns with either the Phildephia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.
The Celtics have won a joint record 17 NBA championships, but they are eager to end a 15-year wait for the title, while the Hawks are hoping to clinch their second trophy this term.
Key Players
Payton Pritchard recorded his first career triple-double for the Celtics when they defeated the Hawks earlier this month and he will be keen to replicate the same performance.
Meanwhile, Garrison Mathews will carry the Hawks' hopes of defeating the Celtics having tallied 19 points and three rebounds the last time the Atlanta side faced the Boston giants.
Quotes
“They’re really connected offensively. And, I think it’s more than them just having like a lot of weapons. I think they really have a feel for one another and how they play together," Hawks coach Quin Snyder said about facing the Celtics.
"And you can see that in the way they play. I mean, their reads are terrific. And they’ve got a lot of guys that can make plays, and they want to do that for one another, which makes them really, really hard to guard.
"I think their versatility defensively is unique also, you know, some of the different lineups they can put on. I don’t know who the Defensive Player of the Year will be this year, but I know Marcus Smart," he continued.
"I have tonnes and tonnes of respect for him. I just think he’s one of those guys and is the heartbeat, and they’re just really good. And Joe’s done a terrific job.”
NBA playoffs fixtures
Saturday, April 15
17:00 - Philadelphia 76ers v Brooklyn Nets
19:30 - Boston Celtics v Atlanta Hawks
Sunday, April 16
22:00 - Cleveland Cavaliers v New York Knicks
00:30 - Sacramento Kings v Golden State Warriors
19:00 - Memphis Grizzlies v Los Angeles Lakers
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