Analyst sends strong message on Boston Celtics’ Game 2 domination: ‘Looked like a layup line’

The Boston Celtics were down by double-digits in the first quarter of their 119-106 Game 2 win over the Hawks, but once they tied things up and eventually took over, it was smooth sailing for the Cs — who never led by less than nine for the entirety of the second half.

Things were so easy for the Celtics that Inside The Celtics’ Bobby Krivitsky compared the defensive resistance Atlanta offered Boston — who shot over 55% from the field overall in the one-sided matchup — to a layup line.

“The Hawks knew they needed to play more physically to avoid going down 0-2,” Krivitsky prefaced before saying, “Instead, it looked like a layup line as the Celtics, met with minimal resistance, produced 64 points in the paint. Boston’s suffocating defense also had a lot to do with that, as the hosts forced ten first-half turnovers and 16 giveaways total. They did a terrific job staying in front of drives, then had help defenders swarming, repeatedly leading to errant passes, steals, and the Celtics blocking 12 shots.”

Boston Celtics sliced through Hawks defense ‘like hot knife through butter’

The primary takeaway for Krivitsky following the Game 2 Boston Celtics victory that now puts the Cs in a 2-0 series advantage was the ease with which Atlanta’s defense was disposed of by Joe Mazzulla’s offense.

Krivitsky came up with another descriptive way to describe Boston’s domination of the Hawks’ defense: comparing the Celtics to a knife and the Hawks to some Kerrygold butter.

“The Celtics also deserve praise for staying aggressive in the halfcourt, slicing through the Hawks’ defense like a hot knife through butter,” Krivitsky wrote. “The visitors have been suspect at that end of the floor all season, and if it doesn’t improve, this series ending in an upset becomes that much more unlikely.”

Game 3 takes place Friday from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta.