The Celtics, led by Tatum, beat Atlanta 105-95 and found the eighth consecutive victory. The Timberwolves take Indiana 129-120
I Celtics confirm themselves as an unstoppable battleship. Boston surpasses Atlanta 105-95 in the early Nba evening to make way for the Super Bowl, finding in Jason Tatum your own offensive beacon (38 points). Tough match for Gallinari, with 2/8 to the shot. THE Minnesota Timberwolves impose themselves on the field of Indiana Pacers 129-120, driven by an amazing Anthony Edwards from 37 points and a discovery D’Angelo Russell (23 con 6 assist).
BOSTON CELTICS – ATLANTA HAWKS 105-95
Jason Tatum confirms himself as the Boston franchise man and leads the Celtics to a nice home victory against Danilo Gallinari’s Atlanta Hawks, a distant relative of the team able to reach the East Conference final last season. Coach Udoka’s men struggle at the start and even go down by 15, crushed by Trae Young in the first quarter (13 points before the first siren) and Bogdanovic in the second (12 personal points). When Tatum is activated, however, the music changes and Boston breaks a 42-21 break to start the last quarter ahead 87-78. Young dirty the percentages (he will close with 5/14 from two and 4/12 from three), even if he reached 30 personal, Capela’s 17 rebounds are not enough to push the Hawks attack. The Celtics, always led by Tatum (38 points and 10 rebounds) and with an excellent Williams rebound (14 with 10 points), do not allow room for a comeback and put the final 105-95 on ice. For Gallinari, 5 points with 2/8 shooting, it is not the best evening. For Boston it is the eighth consecutive victory, which seems to launch towards the sixth place (last good for the direct playoffs), Atlanta floats in tenth with a record of 26-30.
INDIANA PACERS – MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES 120-129
The Pacers sink, Minnesota gets up and tries the run-up to the direct playoffs. The Timberwolves win 129-120, reversing the trend after two consecutive knockouts, and show up for the all-star game break in seventh position in the West Conference. Thanks above all to an amazing Anthony Edwards, who is already a star of the team in his second year. The sophomore scores 37 points (with 7/13 from three) and, accompanied by a D’Angelo Russell with 23 points and 6 assists, takes his team by the hand to drag them towards a success built with the 41-25 partial in the second quarter, after a start in favor of Indiana. The hosts try to return to the third, thanks to the double doubles of Brissett (22 points and 13 rebounds), Jalen Smith (17 points and 12 rebounds) and above all the new signing Haliburton (22 points and 16 assists), who has just arrived from the Kings and immediately the pivot of the attack. The Pacers believe it by returning 94-96 in the last quarter, but the T’Wolves stretch again and put an end to 129-120. For Indiana, with the third worst record in the East, it is the sixth knockout in a row.
