Keys to a Boston Celtics road win in Game 6 vs. the Hawks

When Jaylen Brown drained a 3-pointer with 6:10 left in the fourth quarter of Game 5, the Boston Celtics led the Atlanta Hawks 109-96.

Many Cs fans had already shifted their focus to a looming second-round showdown with the Philadelphia 76ers. Apparently, the Boston Celtics had done the same.

As famous baseball legend, Yogi Berra, once said, “It ain’t over till it’s over.”

With the finish line in sight, Boston allowed a mind-boggling 23-8 Atlanta run through a combination of careless turnovers and sloppy defense. All-NBA point guard Trae Young delivered a dagger three from nearly 30 feet out to cap off a chaotic finish to a chaotic ballgame.

In the 119-117 loss, the Celtics made history for all the wrong reasons. By blowing their lead, Boston became the first team since 2003 to lose a home game with a double-digit lead at the start of the fourth quarter while up 3-1 in the series. The defeat also marks the first time the Celtics have ever lost a playoff game in Boston when leading by double-digit points entering the fourth quarter.

In his postgame presser, Jaylen Brown addressed the team’s lost opportunity and how the Celtics can only move forward in preparation for the next game.

"“We had a tremendous opportunity. We had control of the game for the most part. Then Trae Young just put on a hell of a performance in the fourth quarter, made some big threes. The last one, of course, was a stinger. The only thing you can say now is ‘get ready for the next one.’”"

To call the loss catastrophic would be putting it lightly. However, the Celtics will have a chance at redemption when they visit Atlanta in Game 6.

In order to send the Hawks packing, Boston will need to shore up some issues they have dealt with all series long.

A more aggressive Jayson Tatum

In a game where Jayson Tatum shot 7-for-11 on two-point field goal attempts, the superstar put together his worst performance of the series. The culprit? An abysmal 1-for-10 shooting night from beyond the arc.

When Tatum’s jumper is falling, the All-NBA forward has every reason to dial up his long-range attempts. In fact, the Celtics went 30-6 this season when Tatum took 10 or more 3-pointers.

However, Tatum struggled to find his shooting rhythm early on and responded by settling for 3-pointer after 3-pointer all night long. In 38 minutes of action, he only attempted eight drives to the basket while shooting a perfect 3-for-3 on those drives.

Through Games 1 and 2, Tatum led the Celtics with 22 drives across two comfortable victories. In Game 5, he trailed four other Celtics in drives to the hoop and shot just two free throws.

This season, Tatum averaged a career-best 8.4 free throw attempts on an 85.4% clip. Through five playoff games, the All-Star has averaged a measly five shots at the charity stripe.

The formula for Tatum is quite simple: be more aggressive.

Boston will need the best version of Jayson Tatum to show up in Game 6. The version of Tatum that presents a nightmare matchup for opposing defenses with supreme physicality and inside-outside prowess. The version of Tatum that remembers he is 6-foot-8 with a seven-foot wingspan. The version of Tatum that led his team to the NBA Finals last year.

All in all, the Celtics only go as far as Jayson Tatum goes.

Defend more 3-pointers and shoot fewer 3-pointers

The Boston Celtics have played stout interior defense so far in these playoffs. They only trail the Lakers in blocks per game this postseason with 6.6 rejections per contest.

However, the No. 2 seed has played porous perimeter defense in both of its losses this series.

The Hawks rank fifth leaguewide in both 3-point makes and 3-point attempts this postseason. In their two losses, the Celtics have allowed the Hawks to shoot 34/75 (45%) from three.

In contrast, Boston began the series defending the arc at an elite level. The Celtics built a 2-0 series lead by holding Atlanta to 21/77 shooting (27.3%) from the 3-point line through two double-digit wins at TD Garden.

Since then, the Celtics have significantly dropped their intensity when guarding the perimeter. To make matters worse, they have become overly reliant on perimeter shooting for their offense.

Boston dominated the paint in Games 1 and 2 while attempting 33 long-distance shots in each contest. In Game 3, the Celtics launched 48 3-pointers and attempted more threes than twos.

Over their last three contests, the Celtics have averaged 42 3-point attempts on an impressive 38.9% clip. However, they shot an even better 42.4% from downtown in their first two outings.

Out of 16 teams in the playoffs, the Cs currently rank dead-last in free throws made per game, and they rank 14th in free throw attempts per game. If they truly want to compete for a championship, the Celtics will need to get to the line more often.

When Boston adopted a more well-rounded shot diet at the beginning of the series, they looked unbeatable. While head coach Joe Mazzulla runs a perimeter-centric offense, the Celtics must recognize their world-class ability to attack the rack.

On 44 total drives to the hoop in Game 5, the Celtics shot an incredible 71.4% from the field on 20/28 shooting. The recipe for success should be crystal clear for Boston as they head into Atlanta with a second chance to advance in the postseason.

Crash the boards

While Boston is not known for its rebounding prowess, the team has done an especially poor job boxing out this postseason.

The Hawks have dominated the offensive glass for the majority of the series, and the Celtics will need to show more collective urgency on the glass in Game 6.

Up to this point, Atlanta has piled up 12.2 offensive rebounds per game, good for fifth in the NBA this postseason. Meanwhile, the Celtics have pulled down 8.2 per game, good for third-worst in the league.

From the regular season to the postseason, Boston’s offensive rebound percentage has dipped from 25.5% to 22.7%, per NBA Advanced Stats. Meanwhile, Atlanta’s has risen from 28.9% to 29.9%.

The fine margins of postseason play require extra effort on the glass, and the Celtics need to ensure that they keep Atlanta at bay on the boards in Game 6.

Al Horford needs to join the party on offense

Al Horford has never made his mark in the playoffs through high-volume shooting. During his time in Boston, the sharpshooting veteran has impacted the game with elite efficiency, defensive dexterity, and long-range marksmanship.

In this series, Big Al has played his least aggressive playoff basketball ever.

While he is playing typically strong defense with per-game averages of one steal and two blocks, his offensive production has left a lot to be desired.

The 36-year-old finished the 2022-23 regular season with the second-best 3-point percentage in basketball, shooting 44.6% on 5.2 outside attempts per game. Against the Hawks, he has attempted just 3.8 threes per game while hitting 36.8% of them.

Horford gifted Boston fans with some memorable performances last spring, thanks to his willingness to step up and take on a bigger offensive load in crunch time.

Boston’s beloved big man averaged 12 points per game during the team’s 2022 playoff run. Through five games against Atlanta, he is yet to crack double-digit points.

Horford makes a legitimate case for the best 3-point shooting center in NBA history, particularly in the postseason. Among all active players at any position, he holds the biggest jump in true shooting percentage from the regular season to the playoffs. With that being said, his recent lack of involvement in Boston’s playoff offense has proven puzzling.

After Game 3, Hawks big man Clint Capela discussed the challenges of guarding a player like Horford.

"“He’s a different type of big. He is always forcing me to be aware of where he is because if he gets it and is open, he’s gonna shoot it and can make it. He forces me to play outside of the paint and to be even more aware defensively. He forces me to be more connected with my teammates. He definitely brings the best out of me in those situations.”"

Needless to say, Celtics fans can expect more out of Horford moving forward. Playing against his former team in Atlanta, Big Al just might come out of his shell in Game 6.