The Boston Celtics kicked off their playoff journey with a resounding 112-99 victory over the Atlanta Hawks in Game 1 of the first-round series. Boston held the Hawks to a poor shooting performance and quickly jumped to a 32-point lead. Atlanta attempted a comeback in the fourth quarter, but the Celtics kept their lead safe to earn the first win of the series. Jaylen Brown led the way with 29 points and 12 rebounds, followed by Jayson Tatum and Derrick White with 25 points each.

Now, the question is, can the Celtics keep up this dominance in Game 2 and beyond? The Snyder effect could come into play as Atlanta's offensive rating has significantly improved under coach Quin Snyder. However, the Celtics did a good job neutralizing Atlanta's top scorers, Trae Young and Dejounte Murray, in Game 1.

Boston's Jaylen Brown suffered a slight finger injury before the series, but it did not seem to cause him any problems in the opener. The Hawks will need to find a way to limit his scoring in Game 2 to avoid falling behind 2-0. Overall, the Celtics seem to be firing on all cylinders, and the Hawks will need to make significant adjustments to level the series.