(Field Level Media) Kyrie Irving scored 12 of his 24 points in a 42-point first quarter to spark the Boston Celtics to their eighth straight win, a 129-108 victory over the visiting Atlanta Hawks yesterday.
Irving was 8-for-15 from the floor and 4-for-5 on 3s, with five rebounds, five assists and four steals.
The Celtics had two other starters in double figures: Jayson Tatum scored 22 points and Marcus Morris, who was 6-for-8 on 3-pointers and scored 20 points. Gordon Hayward added 19 points and five assists and Daniel Theis scored 18, which included two alley-oop dunks.
Irving has shown no lingering effects for the right shoulder soreness that caused him to miss the Dec. 10 game against New Orleans. He scored Boston’s final 12 points on Wednesday when the game was on the line in Boston’s overtime win at Washington. In his last two games, Irving has scored 62 points.
The Hawks got a career-high-matching 19 points from Kevin Huerter for his second straight outing. The rookie from Maryland was 7-for-10 from the floor and 5-for-8 on 3-pointers, with three assists and three steals.
Forward John Collins posted his sixth consecutive double-double, scoring 11 points and pulling down 14 rebounds. Kent Bazemore added 13 points and seven assists.
Boston had a 42-19 lead after the first period, but saw its lead trimmed to 49-45, before recovering to take a 67-46 halftime lead. The Celtics put the game away with a 41-point effort in the third quarter.
Atlanta has dropped two straight and lost six of its last seven.
The Celtics played without ex-Atlanta standout Al Horford (left knee pain), Guerschon Yabusele (right ankle) and Jabari Bird (personal reasons). Atlanta native Jaylen Brown was able to play after being listed as questionable with an illness. The Hawks were without Taurean Prince (left ankle), Omari Spellman (right hip) and Alex Poythress (left ankle).
It was the second time Boston has beaten Atlanta this season. The two teams meet again on Jan. 19 in Atlanta.
The Celtics complete a back-to-back on Saturday at Detroit. The Hawks play again on Sunday to complete a three-game road trip in Brooklyn.
