30 points. The Boston Celtics led by 30 points midway through the second quarter. Then, for no good reason, they self-deflated. There wasn’t a momentum-swinging play. The Atlanta Hawks didn’t magically become a better team. The Celtics saw they were up big, took their foot off the gas, and their rhythm vanished.
In the second half, the Celtics struggled to control the tempo, limit drives, and knock down their shots — regardless of how high of a quality look they generated. The performance went from picturesque to “no photos” in a matter of minutes.