Celtics Struggle in Loss to Hawks as Jaylen Brown Has Rough Night

Jaylen Brown's off-night and turnovers hurt Boston in third-quarter collapse against Atlanta

Mar. 31, 2026 at 9:30am

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The Boston Celtics fell to the Atlanta Hawks 112-102 in a game they led at halftime, but collapsed in the third quarter as Jaylen Brown struggled and the team turned the ball over 15 times, leading to 14 Hawks points. The Celtics were missing key players like Jayson Tatum, Neemias Queta, and Nikola Vucevic, and Brown had one of his worst games of the season, which all contributed to the loss.

Why it matters

This loss is a setback for the Celtics, who are jockeying for playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference. Brown is a crucial part of their offense, so his struggles had a ripple effect on the team's performance. The Celtics will need to regroup and get healthier if they want to make a deep playoff run.

The details

The Celtics led by one after the first quarter, but the Hawks opened the second on a run to take the lead. Boston was able to hang around and tie it at halftime, thanks in part to strong rebounding and second-chance points. However, the Hawks pulled away in the third quarter, outscoring the Celtics 36-22. Jaylen Brown had a tough night, struggling to find his rhythm and turning the ball over. The Celtics couldn't overcome the Hawks' balanced scoring attack, with six players reaching double figures.

  • The game was played on March 31, 2026.

The players

Jaylen Brown

A star player for the Boston Celtics who had one of his worst games of the season, struggling with his shooting and turnovers.

Jayson Tatum

A key player for the Celtics who missed the game due to injury.

Neemias Queta

A Celtics player who also missed the game due to injury.

Nikola Vucevic

Another Celtics player who was out for this game.

Onyeka Okongwu

A Hawks player who had a strong game, scoring 20 points and hitting 4 three-pointers.

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What they’re saying

“I didn't think he looked limited physically. I think he just didn't read the game well enough to get off the ball early and then work to get it back. He had to shed Hawks defenders instead of go at them the way he did.”

— Analyst

What’s next

The Celtics will look to bounce back in their next game as they continue their push for playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference.

The takeaway

This loss highlights the Celtics' need to get healthy and have their star players performing at a high level if they want to make a deep playoff run. Jaylen Brown's struggles had a significant impact on the team's performance, and they'll need to find ways to get more production from their supporting cast when key players are out.