If the Hawks are going to have any chance of defeating the Celtics, it’s going to come down to their work on the glass. Atlanta is a poor defensive team, and against an offense like Boston’s, the Hawks will need any extra possessions they can get.
Atlanta was a top-10 rebounding team in the NBA this season, and their efforts on the glass is a big reason they were able to sneak into the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference.
“Rebounding is the key to this series,” Jaylen Brown said. “That’s been a point of emphasis for us. Try to keep those guys off the glass.”
Boston passed the test in Game 1. Led by Brown (12) and Jayson Tatum (11), Boston out-rebounded the Hawks 58-45. The C’s are now 34-6 when they control the rebounding battle this season.
With rebounding being such an emphasis in this series, it was interesting that Joe Mazzulla turned to Derrick White in the starting lineup instead of the double-big lineup of Robert Williams and Al Horford.
Regardless of who’s been in the starting five, rebounding has been a team effort for Boston this season. Twelve different players led the team in rebounding throughout 2022-23, and seven of the eight Celtics to see the court on Saturday afternoon recorded at least five boards.
Boston’s work down low, offensively and defensively, was the key to their success in Game 1. As long as they continue to win in that department, they are going to be tough to beat.