NBA roundup: Hawks hold off Celtics in overtime thriller

In a thrilling overtime match, Dejounte Murray secured the Atlanta Hawks' victory with a clutch jump shot in the closing seconds, leading them to a 123-122 win over the Boston Celtics on Thursday. This marked the Hawks' second triumph over the top-ranked Celtics within a span of four days.

Murray's exceptional performance in overtime, where he scored all 11 of the Hawks' points, helped them secure a crucial win in their pursuit of a play-in berth in the Eastern Conference.

Despite the Celtics having the best record in the league, the Hawks managed to overcome a 30-point deficit in their previous matchup and continued to challenge them in a closely contested game with 41 lead changes.

Although Boston's Jaylen Brown briefly put the Celtics ahead with a clutch shot,

Murray responded with a basket of his own to seal the victory. Bogdan Bogdanovic and De'Andre Hunter also made significant contributions to the Hawks' win, while Jayson Tatum led the Celtics in scoring.

The Hawks' determination and effort were evident as they out-rebounded the Celtics and capitalized on second-chance opportunities. This win further solidifies the Hawks' position in the playoff race.

In another game, Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum led the Pelicans to a 107-100 victory over Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, with Jonas Valanciunas recording a double-double for New Orleans.

Milwaukee's Antetokounmpo scored 35 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, but the Bucks lost their second consecutive game after an overtime defeat to the Lakers.

The Pelicans initially led by 18 points, but the Bucks managed to reduce the deficit to five with just over three minutes remaining.

Despite a poor shooting night, New Orleans secured the win with Williamson's clutch free throws, earning praise from coach Willie Green for carrying the team and their strong defensive effort throughout the game.