BOSTON — Terry Rozier had a career-high 31 points and seven rebounds in his second NBA start, Jayson Tatum added a career-high 27 points and the short-handed Boston Celtics beat the Atlanta Hawks 119-110 on Friday night.
Rozier started in place of the injured Kyrie Irving. The third-year guard became the second player in league history with a triple-double in his first start, totaling 17 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in Wednesday’s blowout of the Knicks.
Irving missed his second straight game with a right quad contusion that he suffered in Monday’s win at Denver and was one of four Boston players who sat with injuries on Friday.
Jaylen Brown scored 19 points and Al Horford had 17 with seven assists to help lead Boston to its fourth win in five tries.
Taruean Prince had a career-high 31 points and eight rebounds to lead the Hawks, who have lost 5 of 6. Dennis Schroder added 25 points and Marco Belinelli had 15.
Trailing 55-53 at halftime, Boston opened a 19-point lead heading into the fourth quarter after outscoring Atlanta 41-20 in the third.
Rozier passed his previous career best of 23 points on a pair of free throws with 1:10 remaining in the third. He eclipsed 30 points with a 3-pointer at 6:10 of the final period. Irving is the only other Celtics player with a 30-point game this season.
Schroder’s jumper with 7:19 left brought the Hawks within 10 at 103-93, but Atlanta wouldn’t come any closer until the final minute with the game out of reach.
Atlanta led 32-26 after one quarter.
Only 10 players suited up for Boston as Irving, F Marcus Morris (bruised left hip), Gs Shane Larkin (right knee soreness) and Marcus Smart (right hand laceration) were sidelined with injuries.
NOTES: The Celtics have not announced their reported signing of recently bought-out C Greg Monroe, but that didn’t stop Morris from weighing in on the potential addition.
“I think that’s a great pickup for us,” Morris said. “Veteran player, knows how to play the game, been around the league for a while, so I think he’d be an add to our size down low, (our) scoring ability.”
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