The defending NBA champion Boston Celtics have faced little challenge from their Eastern Conference opponents through their first seven games.
They’ve won six of seven to start the season, with their only loss being a close three-point overtime defeat to the Indiana Pacers.
After back-to-back wins against the Charlotte Hornets, the Celtics aim to continue their winning ways on the road against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday.
Following a 124-109 victory over Charlotte on Friday, the Celtics maintained their momentum with a 113-103 win on Saturday.
However, Boston forward Jaylen Brown will miss his second straight game on Monday due to a hip injury. In six starts this season, Brown is averaging 25.7 points and 7.2 rebounds.
With Brown sidelined, the Celtics will rely on their other offensive weapons. Jayson Tatum is averaging 30.3 points, Derrick White is contributing 18.7 points, and Payton Pritchard is adding 15.7 points.
On Saturday, Tatum scored 29 points, while Pritchard added 22 off the bench to help secure the win.
This is Boston’s only trip to Atlanta this season. The Celtics, who conclude their four-game road trip on Monday, lost both road games against the Hawks last season.
Atlanta enters Monday on the second night of a back-to-back. The Hawks snapped a four-game losing streak with a 126-111 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday.
Atlanta is currently without Bogdan Bogdanovic (hamstring) and Kobe Bufkin (shoulder), both sidelined indefinitely. De’Andre Hunter (knee) and Onyeka Okongwu (toe) also missed Sunday’s game.
On Sunday, Jalen Johnson led the Hawks with 29 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists, while Trae Young added 23 points and 12 assists. The Hawks trailed by a point at halftime but started the second half with a 7-0 run and never looked back.
The Hawks struggled defensively during their four-game losing streak, allowing 126.3 points per game, but showed improvement on Sunday.
