They may be right.
This may not be a rivalry.
With the Atlanta Hawks 100-91 home win over the Boston Celtics, the Hawks have swept the C's for the first time in a four game series since 1995-1996, yet another one of the many "sinces" the Hawks have picked off this season.
The Hawks did this on a Friday night where they started each half slow and failed to the move the ball in the fourth quarter--well, unless you count dribbling.
Still, for the fourth time this season, the Hawks came out victorious over Boston. They didn't need miracles (though Jamal Crawford's half court shot may apply---though we were thinking "money" when he launched---admit it, you were too.) or some kind of officiatorial gift (they were handing those out to both teams all night). No, the Hawks did as they have done in all four games this season; taken advantage of the Celtics voluminous turnovers and turned them into points while using their length and athleticism to frustrate Boston on offense.
In the second quarter, it was the energy of Jamal Crawford that took the Hawks' stagnant offense and stuck a streak shooting roman candle in its rear end. Crawford had (18) first half points, including that humdinger of a half court shot after getting the ball with a little over three seconds left. In a similar situation, running the same play against San Antonio, Josh Smith didn't get the ball to Crawford, electing instead to try and whip the ball further down the court to Marvin Williams, which didn't work. Jamal gently gestured to Smith as if to say "no, no, get me the ball." Friday, against the Celtics, the Hawks did, and Jamal delivered to help give the Hawks a (12) point lead at the half.
In the fourth quarter, the Hawks found themselves clinging to their lead, having given all but a single point back to Boston with a seriously malodorous third quarter shooting effort, multiple technical fouls, turnovers, and (20) Celtic free throws (of which 19 were made).
And though we don't approve, the fourth quarter was turned over to the "Joe on Five" offensive playbook. Fortunately for the Hawks, it was a night that Joe Johnson was "on". For sure.
Johnson shot 7-9 in the fourth quarter as he famously dribbled, dribbled, crossed over, pulled back, and then dropped jumpers in Celtic faces. The only shot Johnson was way off on in the fourth was one that THHB swears they saw every Celtic swarming Joe while he shot back across his body. But other than that? String music, daddy-o.
This wasn't a night where Joe and Jamal would try to one-up each other on hero duty. This was Joe's night and Jamal wasn't intruding on his all-star teammate, though he was effective and important on his end as well.
Jamal attempted a mere (3) shots in the quarter and made two of them. One was a running 20-footer that he banked of the glass while drawing contact from Rajon Rondo. The other was a gut punch to Celtic fans who were watching their team attempt a final run. Boston had just retained possession after an offensive rebound when Rondo committed his fourth turnover. Crawford slapped away Rajon's pass and headed to the other end for the easy dunk. After a Joe three answered a Pierce triple, the game and this series, was over.
Sweeping Away the C's Like Confetti
Sure we know it doesn't mean as much as a playoff series, but we would like to know how the Celtics care to spin how much more athletic and effective the Hawks are against them. Sure the playoffs take it up another notch but these games have sure seemed playoff-y to us. Chippiness, physical play, and lots of minutes played by the key players. We're guessing that Boston has seen enough of Atlanta and would wish not to have to face the Hawks in any round of the playoffs this year.
We are not going to forget the (8) point second quarter of Zaza Pachulia--the big fella was fantastic. In games like this, and especially this opponent, Pachulia wakes up like Dickie V when the camera lights go on. In one sequence in his quarter, Zaza set a screen, then graciously accepted a Jamal pass and hit the jumper. Then, just as quick as he was backpedalling down the floor, he reversed direction to steal the inbounds pass at midcourt. Then, with no Celtic offering resistance, Pachulia casually laid the ball in the basket. Simply marvelous.
Mike Bibby had another rough night, this time largely due to the abuse the Celtics were giving him on the defensive end, where he picked up quick fouls and never could get into a flow of the game. Bibby logged only (9) minutes and was the only Hawk in the minus column of +/- with a gruesome (-11).
As good as Pachulia's play and a later pass/dunk from Al Horford to Josh Smith was, the play of the night was a trail block by Jeff Teague who after the block, got the ball back, went the length of the floor, and hit Jamal Crawford for a three point basket, the first of Crawford's game high (28) points. That basket officially erased the early lead Boston got out to and the Hawks would soon take control of the game.
It wasn't how we'd like to see the Hawks attack the game, especially late, but as Coach Woodson likes to say, it's sweet when the shots are falling, and Friday night, in the fourth quarter, off the hands of Joe Johnson, they certainly were.
Showing posts with label Celtics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Celtics. Show all posts
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
ATL-BOS Game Recap: Fighting Like Lions
No, we will not die like dogs! We will fight like lions!
--Dusty Bottoms, Three Amigos
We will admit, we thought we had a different recap coming as the Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks headed into the locker rooms at halftime in Monday night's game in Boston.
The Celtics led 55-46---and the Hawks were fortunate to have the margin down to single digits when they left the floor after the second quarter.
Boston, without Kevin Garnett and Rasheed Wallace, was taking it to all the Hawks weak spots on defense. They used Rajon Rondo to obliterate Mike Bibby from the game by going around the veteran time and again on his way to (16) first half points. The times that ATL moved to help on Rondo, the young PG shifted the ball to an open man---usually under the basket, where they found little resistance from the Hawks frontcourt and capitalized to the tune of 17-21 around the rim. The Hawks simply couldn't keep Bibby on the floor as The Rondo Effect was making it impossible for the Hawks to keep the Celtics under (60) percent from the floor.
That Bibby had to be removed was unfortunate because it was clear early on that it was going to be one of the nights Jamal Crawford simply didn't have it. Prior to midway through the third quarter, Crawford was 0-6.
While the Hawks struggled defensively, they were grinding offensively. On a night where it seemed the Hawks were actually committed to getting into the paint, they found things awfully difficult there despite the absence of Garnett and Wallace. The Hawks were OK around the rim @ 72 percent on 13-18 shooting, but were an incredible 3-13 within 10 feet.
Symbolic of this frustration was the inability of Josh Smith to beat Brian Scalabrine off the dribble and get to the hoop, going 1-5 in the first half. Even Al Horford struggled to get anything to go into the hoop. Al went 2-6 inside 10 feet, including at the rim and was no better beyond that, shooting an unsettling 3-11 for the night.
Still, despite the defensive woes and the trouble the frontcourt had getting the ball to go down, the Hawks didn't start settling for bad shots (though the ball movement was weak early on)---they continued to try and get into the lane and to the free throw line.
Marvin Williams typified this approach by taking it to the basket and while he also faced the same issues as his forward brethren getting the ball to drop through the hoop, his aggressive approach led him to the free throw line for a team high (11) free throws. His (12) points and Joe Johnson's steady-as-she-goes (16) in the first half were keeping the Hawks in the water.
Then, in the third quarter, things changed.
It started harmless enough, with Scalabrine fouling Marvin and picking up his fourth foul. With his surprising nemesis out of the game, Josh Smith took a pass from a double teamed Joe Johnson and slammed it home, cutting the Celtic lead to (10).
On the next play, Ray Allen lost the ball to Marvin Williams. As Marvin broke away, Glen Davis collared him while Marvin was going up on the break. Davis clearly didn't play the ball and while he was not intending any harm to Williams, it was a careless play that will always be labeled a Flagrant Foul.
Much like longtime Celtic player/coach/broadcaster Tommy Heinsohn, Celtics coach Doc Rivers---ummmm---disagreed vociferously. His ensuing outburst cost his team (2) points and Rivers his courtside seat for the rest of the game. Toss in Armond Hill's "Me, too!" and the Hawks were suddenly back to within (6) points.
The (3) free throws that Jamal Crawford cashed in as a result of the Celtic coaches acting like Tommy on his telecasts were Jamal's first points of the game--and it may have re-aligned Crawford with the hoop as he cashed in two 3-pointers and two more free throws before the end of the third quarter. Suddenly Crawford had (11) points and the Hawks even managed to tie the game at 75 with less than a minute left in the quarter.
The Celtics, meanwhile, had gotten away from The Rondo Effect and lost their considerable offensive momentum, but they managed to start to pull away again early the fourth quarter when the Hawks starters took their last pit stops. With little less than (11) minutes left in the game, Davis knocked down a pair of jumpers to make it a seven point Boston lead again.
And then Joe Johnson happened.
Johnson got back in the game and immediately hit back to back shots, scoring (5) points in (30) seconds to get the game back to two points. Then, after Horford muffed a couple of chances to deadlock the game, Johnson took care of that by scoring his 30th and 31st points on a tough fadeaway jumper.
Atlanta's defense was now revitalized and energetic--and this combined with Boston's reticence to go back to what was working---attacking Jamal Crawford and getting Rondo into the lane---allowed the Hawks to clamp down on their hosts. The Celtics struggled (or just forgot) to get the ball to noted Hawk Hater Paul Pierce--leaving Glen Davis to get the ball in the critical minutes of the quarter.
Suddenly a game that just a quarter ago seemed like cash in hand for the Celtics was seeing the lead change hands on every possession.
Crawford drove the lane and then passed to an open man on the baseline for a jumper. Hawks fans could be heard collectively gasping as Josh Smith was the man shooting, but Smith's jumper landed in the hoop. On the next trip down, Ray Allen answered with a smooth three and the C's were up by (2) with (5) minutes to go.
Johnson answered with a second chance three pointer, giving him (34) points and the Hawks the lead again by one. Rondo then found himself switched off with Horford guarding him---Al had to goal tend to stop the speedy guard and Boston had the lead again with less than (4) minutes to play.
It's in these games that you expect the worst as Hawks fans---you expect that Pierce is going to hit big shots or that Ray Allen will slip off a pick and stick a three in your heart. So with the Celtics holding the lead, and the stretch run is on, you can only hope it's your team that hit the shots and the other team misses.
After a Josh Smith block on Rondo, the Hawks down one with almost three minutes left to play got the ball to Johnson, who took two Celtics to the right side and then shot an fadeaway that seemed to barely clear the outstretched hand of Pierce. They would be Johnson's 35th and 36th points of the night and the Hawks had the lead again.
Crawford then stole the ball from Pierce and got it to Smith and the Hawks were up three. Smith would hand the points right back to Boston when he would foul Davis on a made basket and tied the game with 2 1/2 minutes left to go.
On the next possession, with the shot clock winding down, Crawford got the ball and launched a three. Rondo jumped and hit Jamal on his shooting hand, granting Crawford three free throws, of which he hit two.
Suddenly, the Celtics went cold. Ray Allen missed a good look at a three. Then Crawford went around a Horford screen and got to the basket as neither Celtic big closed on him. Jamal's layup gently caressed the rim before softly dropping in and the Hawks were up (4).
The Official Viewing Center of THHB were allowing themselves to consider that the Hawks might pull this off--this game that had none of the markings of a typical Hawks win, but one that would clearly satisfy and pay off the hard work done in the game.
Allen got another good look---and missed again. Marvin fought for the rebound and got a timeout. Mike Woodson took the entirety of the timeout and then some, still sketching out the play for his closing backcourt of Johnson and Crawford as play was about to resume. As the two walked onto the court, you could almost hear them saying to each other that they didn't understand what Woodson was writing up and called an audible---whichever one of them got the ball would dribble out up top and take it in the paint for the shot--as always.
The ball ended up in Jamal's hands and he dribbled the shot clock down. Horford came to the top to set the screen and once again Jamal went around Al's pick and found himself wide open for the jumper. A second later the ball ripped through the net and the Hawks had a (6) point lead with a minute left to play.
The ending was anticlimactic---well, ok, not so much--but it lacked the drama we'd come to expect in Boston. Pierce, Allen, and Rondo all missed their shot in the last minute and failed to make Atlanta score any more to win and the Hawks walked off the court with the 102-96 victory.
The Hawks could have gotten down when the Celtics were dominating them on both ends, but they stayed aggressive, got to the free throw line and kept themselves in the game. This team will ultimately be judged on what they do in the playoffs---all the truly good teams are---so while this game wouldn't have meant much in the final opinion authored in April and May either way---it's encouraging to see them battle in this game where they didn't in Orlando.
Is This The End? No!
Horford struggled mightily in this game, but he kept working on defense, being a key reason Kendrick Perkins turned the ball over (6) times. Horford's fundamentally sound defense caused Perkins to show some poor footwork, though Horford can't take credit on one play where Perkins couldn't contain his excitement in having faked out the Hawks front line and having a clear look at the hoop. Unfortunately he was too excited and once again travelled.
Jamal Crawford hit 4 of his last 6 shots and had all (17) of his points and (5) of his (6) assists in the second half as the Hawks had to hide Mike Bibby on the bench. Crawford was getting abused too, but the lineup of Smith, Marvin, Al, Joe, and Jamal were very positive on the night, including a +24 for Al.
The Glen Davis Flagrant Foul and the fallout for the Celtics was a significant, if even statistically spurious, occurrence. Rondo, who had tormented the Hawks to that point, would score (6) more points and get (Zero) assists the rest of the way. Also from that point, Paul Pierce had (4) points in the last (18) minutes of game action.
For as much as he provided them in his (21) minutes of play, we were surprised that we didn't see Brian Scalabrine for any of the last (19) minutes of the game. It's probably a good play for the C's, as they already had received a season's high from Brian and didn't want to risk getting diminishing returns by bringing him back late in the game, but we thought he played tough defense on Smith and certainly provided energy and spark (along with three 3-pointers) that Boston might have been able to use in the fourth quarter in some way.
The discrepancy in free throw attempts will no doubt be noted (33 for the Hawks to 18 for the Celtics), but the difference was in the way that the Celtics defended compared to Atlanta that explains some of the gap. While the Celtics definitely attacked the paint, they usually found their shots uncontested by Horford or Smith in there. This was in large part due to The Rondo Effect that permeated much of the game, where Atlanta had to step over to cover the driving Rondo, leaving a Boston big open to score with relative ease. Contrast this with the wall of Celtics the Hawks had to contend with every time they were in the lane and you begin to see how the Celtics weren't fouled as much as Hawks were. They didn't allow the easy hoops the Hawks were and made their guests earn their points from the line whereas the Hawks simply chalked up two to their hosts, also explaining the 48-34 Boston advantage in points in the paint.
Finally, A Huge THHB 'Grats to Joe Johnson for having his biggest scoring night in Boston with his (36) points and for notching his 1000th three pointer of his career. We loved the (36) he scored tonight---as he rarely did it by forcing shots and trusted that his teammates would get him the ball in the right places, which they did. (8) of his (14) field goals made were assisted, a season high.
(all stats provided by Hoopdata.com)
--Dusty Bottoms, Three Amigos
We will admit, we thought we had a different recap coming as the Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks headed into the locker rooms at halftime in Monday night's game in Boston.
The Celtics led 55-46---and the Hawks were fortunate to have the margin down to single digits when they left the floor after the second quarter.
Boston, without Kevin Garnett and Rasheed Wallace, was taking it to all the Hawks weak spots on defense. They used Rajon Rondo to obliterate Mike Bibby from the game by going around the veteran time and again on his way to (16) first half points. The times that ATL moved to help on Rondo, the young PG shifted the ball to an open man---usually under the basket, where they found little resistance from the Hawks frontcourt and capitalized to the tune of 17-21 around the rim. The Hawks simply couldn't keep Bibby on the floor as The Rondo Effect was making it impossible for the Hawks to keep the Celtics under (60) percent from the floor.
That Bibby had to be removed was unfortunate because it was clear early on that it was going to be one of the nights Jamal Crawford simply didn't have it. Prior to midway through the third quarter, Crawford was 0-6.
While the Hawks struggled defensively, they were grinding offensively. On a night where it seemed the Hawks were actually committed to getting into the paint, they found things awfully difficult there despite the absence of Garnett and Wallace. The Hawks were OK around the rim @ 72 percent on 13-18 shooting, but were an incredible 3-13 within 10 feet.
Symbolic of this frustration was the inability of Josh Smith to beat Brian Scalabrine off the dribble and get to the hoop, going 1-5 in the first half. Even Al Horford struggled to get anything to go into the hoop. Al went 2-6 inside 10 feet, including at the rim and was no better beyond that, shooting an unsettling 3-11 for the night.
Still, despite the defensive woes and the trouble the frontcourt had getting the ball to go down, the Hawks didn't start settling for bad shots (though the ball movement was weak early on)---they continued to try and get into the lane and to the free throw line.
Marvin Williams typified this approach by taking it to the basket and while he also faced the same issues as his forward brethren getting the ball to drop through the hoop, his aggressive approach led him to the free throw line for a team high (11) free throws. His (12) points and Joe Johnson's steady-as-she-goes (16) in the first half were keeping the Hawks in the water.
Then, in the third quarter, things changed.
It started harmless enough, with Scalabrine fouling Marvin and picking up his fourth foul. With his surprising nemesis out of the game, Josh Smith took a pass from a double teamed Joe Johnson and slammed it home, cutting the Celtic lead to (10).
On the next play, Ray Allen lost the ball to Marvin Williams. As Marvin broke away, Glen Davis collared him while Marvin was going up on the break. Davis clearly didn't play the ball and while he was not intending any harm to Williams, it was a careless play that will always be labeled a Flagrant Foul.
Much like longtime Celtic player/coach/broadcaster Tommy Heinsohn, Celtics coach Doc Rivers---ummmm---disagreed vociferously. His ensuing outburst cost his team (2) points and Rivers his courtside seat for the rest of the game. Toss in Armond Hill's "Me, too!" and the Hawks were suddenly back to within (6) points.
The (3) free throws that Jamal Crawford cashed in as a result of the Celtic coaches acting like Tommy on his telecasts were Jamal's first points of the game--and it may have re-aligned Crawford with the hoop as he cashed in two 3-pointers and two more free throws before the end of the third quarter. Suddenly Crawford had (11) points and the Hawks even managed to tie the game at 75 with less than a minute left in the quarter.
The Celtics, meanwhile, had gotten away from The Rondo Effect and lost their considerable offensive momentum, but they managed to start to pull away again early the fourth quarter when the Hawks starters took their last pit stops. With little less than (11) minutes left in the game, Davis knocked down a pair of jumpers to make it a seven point Boston lead again.
And then Joe Johnson happened.
Johnson got back in the game and immediately hit back to back shots, scoring (5) points in (30) seconds to get the game back to two points. Then, after Horford muffed a couple of chances to deadlock the game, Johnson took care of that by scoring his 30th and 31st points on a tough fadeaway jumper.
Atlanta's defense was now revitalized and energetic--and this combined with Boston's reticence to go back to what was working---attacking Jamal Crawford and getting Rondo into the lane---allowed the Hawks to clamp down on their hosts. The Celtics struggled (or just forgot) to get the ball to noted Hawk Hater Paul Pierce--leaving Glen Davis to get the ball in the critical minutes of the quarter.
Suddenly a game that just a quarter ago seemed like cash in hand for the Celtics was seeing the lead change hands on every possession.
Crawford drove the lane and then passed to an open man on the baseline for a jumper. Hawks fans could be heard collectively gasping as Josh Smith was the man shooting, but Smith's jumper landed in the hoop. On the next trip down, Ray Allen answered with a smooth three and the C's were up by (2) with (5) minutes to go.
Johnson answered with a second chance three pointer, giving him (34) points and the Hawks the lead again by one. Rondo then found himself switched off with Horford guarding him---Al had to goal tend to stop the speedy guard and Boston had the lead again with less than (4) minutes to play.
It's in these games that you expect the worst as Hawks fans---you expect that Pierce is going to hit big shots or that Ray Allen will slip off a pick and stick a three in your heart. So with the Celtics holding the lead, and the stretch run is on, you can only hope it's your team that hit the shots and the other team misses.
After a Josh Smith block on Rondo, the Hawks down one with almost three minutes left to play got the ball to Johnson, who took two Celtics to the right side and then shot an fadeaway that seemed to barely clear the outstretched hand of Pierce. They would be Johnson's 35th and 36th points of the night and the Hawks had the lead again.
Crawford then stole the ball from Pierce and got it to Smith and the Hawks were up three. Smith would hand the points right back to Boston when he would foul Davis on a made basket and tied the game with 2 1/2 minutes left to go.
On the next possession, with the shot clock winding down, Crawford got the ball and launched a three. Rondo jumped and hit Jamal on his shooting hand, granting Crawford three free throws, of which he hit two.
Suddenly, the Celtics went cold. Ray Allen missed a good look at a three. Then Crawford went around a Horford screen and got to the basket as neither Celtic big closed on him. Jamal's layup gently caressed the rim before softly dropping in and the Hawks were up (4).
The Official Viewing Center of THHB were allowing themselves to consider that the Hawks might pull this off--this game that had none of the markings of a typical Hawks win, but one that would clearly satisfy and pay off the hard work done in the game.
Allen got another good look---and missed again. Marvin fought for the rebound and got a timeout. Mike Woodson took the entirety of the timeout and then some, still sketching out the play for his closing backcourt of Johnson and Crawford as play was about to resume. As the two walked onto the court, you could almost hear them saying to each other that they didn't understand what Woodson was writing up and called an audible---whichever one of them got the ball would dribble out up top and take it in the paint for the shot--as always.
The ball ended up in Jamal's hands and he dribbled the shot clock down. Horford came to the top to set the screen and once again Jamal went around Al's pick and found himself wide open for the jumper. A second later the ball ripped through the net and the Hawks had a (6) point lead with a minute left to play.
The ending was anticlimactic---well, ok, not so much--but it lacked the drama we'd come to expect in Boston. Pierce, Allen, and Rondo all missed their shot in the last minute and failed to make Atlanta score any more to win and the Hawks walked off the court with the 102-96 victory.
The Hawks could have gotten down when the Celtics were dominating them on both ends, but they stayed aggressive, got to the free throw line and kept themselves in the game. This team will ultimately be judged on what they do in the playoffs---all the truly good teams are---so while this game wouldn't have meant much in the final opinion authored in April and May either way---it's encouraging to see them battle in this game where they didn't in Orlando.
Is This The End? No!
Horford struggled mightily in this game, but he kept working on defense, being a key reason Kendrick Perkins turned the ball over (6) times. Horford's fundamentally sound defense caused Perkins to show some poor footwork, though Horford can't take credit on one play where Perkins couldn't contain his excitement in having faked out the Hawks front line and having a clear look at the hoop. Unfortunately he was too excited and once again travelled.
Jamal Crawford hit 4 of his last 6 shots and had all (17) of his points and (5) of his (6) assists in the second half as the Hawks had to hide Mike Bibby on the bench. Crawford was getting abused too, but the lineup of Smith, Marvin, Al, Joe, and Jamal were very positive on the night, including a +24 for Al.
The Glen Davis Flagrant Foul and the fallout for the Celtics was a significant, if even statistically spurious, occurrence. Rondo, who had tormented the Hawks to that point, would score (6) more points and get (Zero) assists the rest of the way. Also from that point, Paul Pierce had (4) points in the last (18) minutes of game action.
For as much as he provided them in his (21) minutes of play, we were surprised that we didn't see Brian Scalabrine for any of the last (19) minutes of the game. It's probably a good play for the C's, as they already had received a season's high from Brian and didn't want to risk getting diminishing returns by bringing him back late in the game, but we thought he played tough defense on Smith and certainly provided energy and spark (along with three 3-pointers) that Boston might have been able to use in the fourth quarter in some way.
The discrepancy in free throw attempts will no doubt be noted (33 for the Hawks to 18 for the Celtics), but the difference was in the way that the Celtics defended compared to Atlanta that explains some of the gap. While the Celtics definitely attacked the paint, they usually found their shots uncontested by Horford or Smith in there. This was in large part due to The Rondo Effect that permeated much of the game, where Atlanta had to step over to cover the driving Rondo, leaving a Boston big open to score with relative ease. Contrast this with the wall of Celtics the Hawks had to contend with every time they were in the lane and you begin to see how the Celtics weren't fouled as much as Hawks were. They didn't allow the easy hoops the Hawks were and made their guests earn their points from the line whereas the Hawks simply chalked up two to their hosts, also explaining the 48-34 Boston advantage in points in the paint.
Finally, A Huge THHB 'Grats to Joe Johnson for having his biggest scoring night in Boston with his (36) points and for notching his 1000th three pointer of his career. We loved the (36) he scored tonight---as he rarely did it by forcing shots and trusted that his teammates would get him the ball in the right places, which they did. (8) of his (14) field goals made were assisted, a season high.
(all stats provided by Hoopdata.com)
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Second Chances
After losing what seemed like (20) games in a row to the Celtics and especially in Boston, there were no expectations that the Hawks could swoop into the C's back yard and take a Friday night, ESPN-televised win back out of there.
Apparently, the Celtics didn't expect that either.
Using a truckload of offensive rebounds that turned into precious second-chance points, the Birds got ahead early, gave it back, and then traded punches with what some have labeled the best team in the league--on their way to a surprising 97-86 win.
Al Horford, Josh Smith, Zaza Pachulia (or as Hubie Brown says--Pachoola), and Joe Smith all had at least (3) offensive rebounds apiece as the Hawks embarrassed and frustrated the Celtic frontline. It was the first such impact for the elder Smith, and he showed some nice versatility scoring inside as well as knocking down from the elbow. Adding in (2) blocks and (6) total rebounds gives the Hawks some versatility to the front line.
Together, the Hawks out-rebounded the C's 47-29--an unthinkable result last spring--and it was that performance, along with timely shooting from The Backcourt (55 points), that showed--for at least this night--that Atlanta's best five players were better than Boston's.
When the Hawks were cooking, they were active inside--challenging everything the Celtics shot and limiting their talented team to only (6) offensive boards. On the other end, the Hawks went to the hoop and found every loose ball. The times the offense struggled were when Joe Johnson would hold the ball too long or the offense limited themselves to forced shots instead of moving the ball. But, in what might be growth, those time-spans weren't lasting too long. Late in the game, after a few possessions that the Hawks held the ball way too long to get a good shot, Johnson reversed the floor and the Hawks started to loosen up again. Soon Joe would be slipping the ball to Josh, who put the Hawks ahead by double digits and the hosts never really challenged again.
When the Celtics would hit, the Hawks would hit right back---be it a Bibby three or a Johnson/Crawford runner inside--Boston couldn't get too far ahead without the Hawks making their way back out in front. It was a surprising effort not because this team can't put forth this kind of performance on the road against a good team--just because they hadn't.
Can't wait for the next one.
Worst of Both Worlds
Not only did the Celtics get their clocks cleaned on the boards, but they couldn't make an outside shot either. The Hawks did make sure they had a hand in face on every shot, but even the biggest hands in the game couldn't have predicted a miserable 1-15 from 3-pt range.
Boston looked anxious and puzzled by the Hawks well-known habit of switching---and just like when a team that doesn't zip up and down the court falls into the trap of doing so against a team who does, the Celtics disrupted their regular offense to take advantage of certain switches--and while they got inside enough to shoot almost (50) percent, there was never any flow to their show.
A known sniper such as Eddie House wasn't immune either, as he hit one shot out of five and was covered tight in the first half by Jeff Teague in a bit of inspired matchmaking by the Coach.
Upon Further Review, the Ruling on the Court Stands
Some has been said about Shelden Williams' revival in Boston--and that he has found a place to "fit". We at THHB say that a winning team is always a good fit, given that they already have enough talent in place so the expectations for what a player has to do are pretty low.
Williams is the same player he was in Atlanta--and we're guessing Sacramento and Minneapolis as well---a below the rim player with suspect hands and a good personality. We're glad we got Bibby back for him and, while we here wish him well, we're not seeing anything other than replacement level skills out of him.
How Bizarre, How Bizarre
We have to admit--it's weird and we like it. It being the fact that it's the Hawks that have more weapons, more athleticism, and more and more wins. Atlanta is the team that leads the league in points in the paint. The Hawks are near the top in (gasp!) free throw percentage. The games where (13) turnovers occurs renders furrowed brows and is called "out of character" for the good guys.
Heh?
The Hawks, for at least this first stretch of games, have not abandoned the outside-inside game and the isolots, but they are getting things done inside on both ends--and the results have been obvious.
In a good way.
THHB continues to run the energy bill higher early Saturday morning in appreciation of a fine win. Smiles and High-Fives are more than welcome in the Comments Area.
Apparently, the Celtics didn't expect that either.
Using a truckload of offensive rebounds that turned into precious second-chance points, the Birds got ahead early, gave it back, and then traded punches with what some have labeled the best team in the league--on their way to a surprising 97-86 win.
Al Horford, Josh Smith, Zaza Pachulia (or as Hubie Brown says--Pachoola), and Joe Smith all had at least (3) offensive rebounds apiece as the Hawks embarrassed and frustrated the Celtic frontline. It was the first such impact for the elder Smith, and he showed some nice versatility scoring inside as well as knocking down from the elbow. Adding in (2) blocks and (6) total rebounds gives the Hawks some versatility to the front line.
Together, the Hawks out-rebounded the C's 47-29--an unthinkable result last spring--and it was that performance, along with timely shooting from The Backcourt (55 points), that showed--for at least this night--that Atlanta's best five players were better than Boston's.
When the Hawks were cooking, they were active inside--challenging everything the Celtics shot and limiting their talented team to only (6) offensive boards. On the other end, the Hawks went to the hoop and found every loose ball. The times the offense struggled were when Joe Johnson would hold the ball too long or the offense limited themselves to forced shots instead of moving the ball. But, in what might be growth, those time-spans weren't lasting too long. Late in the game, after a few possessions that the Hawks held the ball way too long to get a good shot, Johnson reversed the floor and the Hawks started to loosen up again. Soon Joe would be slipping the ball to Josh, who put the Hawks ahead by double digits and the hosts never really challenged again.
When the Celtics would hit, the Hawks would hit right back---be it a Bibby three or a Johnson/Crawford runner inside--Boston couldn't get too far ahead without the Hawks making their way back out in front. It was a surprising effort not because this team can't put forth this kind of performance on the road against a good team--just because they hadn't.
Can't wait for the next one.
Worst of Both Worlds
Not only did the Celtics get their clocks cleaned on the boards, but they couldn't make an outside shot either. The Hawks did make sure they had a hand in face on every shot, but even the biggest hands in the game couldn't have predicted a miserable 1-15 from 3-pt range.
Boston looked anxious and puzzled by the Hawks well-known habit of switching---and just like when a team that doesn't zip up and down the court falls into the trap of doing so against a team who does, the Celtics disrupted their regular offense to take advantage of certain switches--and while they got inside enough to shoot almost (50) percent, there was never any flow to their show.
A known sniper such as Eddie House wasn't immune either, as he hit one shot out of five and was covered tight in the first half by Jeff Teague in a bit of inspired matchmaking by the Coach.
Upon Further Review, the Ruling on the Court Stands
Some has been said about Shelden Williams' revival in Boston--and that he has found a place to "fit". We at THHB say that a winning team is always a good fit, given that they already have enough talent in place so the expectations for what a player has to do are pretty low.
Williams is the same player he was in Atlanta--and we're guessing Sacramento and Minneapolis as well---a below the rim player with suspect hands and a good personality. We're glad we got Bibby back for him and, while we here wish him well, we're not seeing anything other than replacement level skills out of him.
How Bizarre, How Bizarre
We have to admit--it's weird and we like it. It being the fact that it's the Hawks that have more weapons, more athleticism, and more and more wins. Atlanta is the team that leads the league in points in the paint. The Hawks are near the top in (gasp!) free throw percentage. The games where (13) turnovers occurs renders furrowed brows and is called "out of character" for the good guys.
Heh?
The Hawks, for at least this first stretch of games, have not abandoned the outside-inside game and the isolots, but they are getting things done inside on both ends--and the results have been obvious.
In a good way.
THHB continues to run the energy bill higher early Saturday morning in appreciation of a fine win. Smiles and High-Fives are more than welcome in the Comments Area.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Fatally Flawed
That the Hawks lost in Boston 104-92 isn't a surprise. That the Hawks will now fall short of the 50-win mark and thus ending our blind optimism also fails to register on the shock-o-meter.
The sad part of the Birds losing again is that they lost the same way and due to the same issues that have plagued the team recently, in some cases all season and the team doesn't seem to be interested at all, from top to bottom, to fix them.
We can start with the way the offense dribbles and let's every single defense get settled--failing to move the ball around with any sort of meaning, unless the meaning is to make sure we stop the ball long enough for our opponents to catch up.
We can move to the defensive end, where as a team it has been noted that there is no communication happening. Add to that Josh Smith's constant gambling and Mike Bibby's fast decline this season and you have a formula for extreme offensive effectiveness for the team's opponents.
We can go to coaching, where the staff has seen fit to rely too long on pet projects, not set enough boundaries with some of their biggest culprits, and generally has watched the team get no better from Game One to Game Seventy-Six.
Bottom line is this team is extremely talented--it's the only way that, even with all their flaws, that they can compete in any game, any night, any place. This was a (4) point game until really late---Boston was outshooting, outhustling, and outexecuting the Hawks---yet everytime you looked at the scoreboard, it was a two possession game. This was even despite an unofficial (3) times fouling a 3-point shooter, including the groan-inducing mid-court foul with Rajon Rondo launching a prayer.
However---talent alone will not win important games---and the Hawks lack of practice and apparent lack of interest in resolving their fatal flaws to date indicate that they will take their chances with how they do things today---and hope that post game words and shoulder shrugs will overcome the very problems that are causing losses today.
Power Failures
Al Horford, Maurice Evans, Zaza Pachulia, Josh Smith, and Solomon Jones combined for a throat gagging 12-43 from the field. (28) percent shooting from your frontcourt players isn't a statistical winning indicator in our books. Combine that with the Celtics big guys shooting 25-39 (64 percent for you Florida grads) and you wonder how in the world this game was still in doubt into the fourth quarter.
Horford continues to rush shots, fadeaway, make himself small inside, and generally becoming the antithesis of the player he actually needs to be for the Hawks. We understand that he is not getting many plays called for him night after night, but now we have to admit that he isn't giving any reason for them to do it---though we do argue that it doesn't stop other player from being allowed to commit the same mistakes over and over without taking away their plays.
It wasn't just Horford---Boston's aggressiveness made the Hawks take a lot of uncomfortable shots. This is a trend that almost all playoff teams have; to play energetic team defense which lowers the potential chance for the opposition to make their shots.
The Hawks have yet to adopt this principle for their own team. In fact, the Celtics had plenty of high percentage open shots to choose from. Rajon Rondo was treated like he was Flubber West out there---now he has had issues shooting, but Josh Smith not challenging him on (2) mid range jump shots was just lazy--and Rondo made him and the Hawks pay.
Something has to change---or the result will be an early playoff death.
The HHB is going outside to practice team free throws--we are a team dedicated to fixing our fatal flaws---other areas of improvement can be noted in the Comments Area.
The sad part of the Birds losing again is that they lost the same way and due to the same issues that have plagued the team recently, in some cases all season and the team doesn't seem to be interested at all, from top to bottom, to fix them.
We can start with the way the offense dribbles and let's every single defense get settled--failing to move the ball around with any sort of meaning, unless the meaning is to make sure we stop the ball long enough for our opponents to catch up.
We can move to the defensive end, where as a team it has been noted that there is no communication happening. Add to that Josh Smith's constant gambling and Mike Bibby's fast decline this season and you have a formula for extreme offensive effectiveness for the team's opponents.
We can go to coaching, where the staff has seen fit to rely too long on pet projects, not set enough boundaries with some of their biggest culprits, and generally has watched the team get no better from Game One to Game Seventy-Six.
Bottom line is this team is extremely talented--it's the only way that, even with all their flaws, that they can compete in any game, any night, any place. This was a (4) point game until really late---Boston was outshooting, outhustling, and outexecuting the Hawks---yet everytime you looked at the scoreboard, it was a two possession game. This was even despite an unofficial (3) times fouling a 3-point shooter, including the groan-inducing mid-court foul with Rajon Rondo launching a prayer.
However---talent alone will not win important games---and the Hawks lack of practice and apparent lack of interest in resolving their fatal flaws to date indicate that they will take their chances with how they do things today---and hope that post game words and shoulder shrugs will overcome the very problems that are causing losses today.
Power Failures
Al Horford, Maurice Evans, Zaza Pachulia, Josh Smith, and Solomon Jones combined for a throat gagging 12-43 from the field. (28) percent shooting from your frontcourt players isn't a statistical winning indicator in our books. Combine that with the Celtics big guys shooting 25-39 (64 percent for you Florida grads) and you wonder how in the world this game was still in doubt into the fourth quarter.
Horford continues to rush shots, fadeaway, make himself small inside, and generally becoming the antithesis of the player he actually needs to be for the Hawks. We understand that he is not getting many plays called for him night after night, but now we have to admit that he isn't giving any reason for them to do it---though we do argue that it doesn't stop other player from being allowed to commit the same mistakes over and over without taking away their plays.
It wasn't just Horford---Boston's aggressiveness made the Hawks take a lot of uncomfortable shots. This is a trend that almost all playoff teams have; to play energetic team defense which lowers the potential chance for the opposition to make their shots.
The Hawks have yet to adopt this principle for their own team. In fact, the Celtics had plenty of high percentage open shots to choose from. Rajon Rondo was treated like he was Flubber West out there---now he has had issues shooting, but Josh Smith not challenging him on (2) mid range jump shots was just lazy--and Rondo made him and the Hawks pay.
Something has to change---or the result will be an early playoff death.
The HHB is going outside to practice team free throws--we are a team dedicated to fixing our fatal flaws---other areas of improvement can be noted in the Comments Area.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
...And Knowledge is Power!
Now You Know--Swept by the Celtics Edition:
- That the perimeter, hand-off and dribble offense won't be too effective (just like last year) against teams that actually are interested in defending.
- The Hawks attempt to out-athletic everybody instead of focusing more on team offense and defense---they beat most of the teams thanks to their abilities, but struggle against the truly good teams.
- The Hawks simply don't go to the post with any regularity or authority.
- Al Horford, rushing his shots and committing his move inside too soon offensively, isn't giving them a reason to go inside more often.
- The intensity with which the team can play simply isn't seen as consistently as you see it on the truly excellent teams.
- This team, despite it's warts, can make any game close with only a sorry bucket of team play.
- The top teams do not waste possessions on either end of the floor as much as the Hawks do. The Hawks may be in the top (5) in turnovers, but that stat doesn't measure poor decision making.
- Joe Johnson is great and can create many shots for himself, but that doesn't mean he is at his best or even close to his most effective when he is doing so.
- Josh Smith's shot blocking presence inside simply isn't felt in the same way as in previous seasons. He got (3) blocks, but rarely did it feel like the Celtics were intimidated or moved in any way by the threat.
- When the ball stops for the Hawks, so does the offense.
- Mo Evans and RFM have indeed been excellent pickups off the bench, but in top games, the bench can only be an accessory, not the primary point of attach or production.
- The Zaza Pachulia in the starting lineup maneuver, endorsed by the HHB, didn't seem effective or great in any impact.
- It's not right that Stephon Marbury can have his best game this season by knocking down 4-5 for his (11) points or that the Hawks never can get that key addition to give themselves some depth. It will be a clear indicator that the team/franchise has turned when they can.
- Statistically, the game looks a lot closer than it felt--in large part to the Hawks playing one quarter with the urgency that should be used in all four.
- Some teams/staffs can take a second round player like Glen Davis or Eddie House and develop him to the point where he can darn near dominate a game here and there. Other organizations seem to squander talent, misuse and misappropriate their skills, and let another draft pick go unproductive.
- Doc Rivers took it as an offense when the Hawks would get hot at all. He used his timeouts to defuse the crowd any time the Hawks were making a run.
- If the idea is to see if the Hawks would play any differently against the Celtics than they did against the Spurs, we have to say we didn't see it. The Hawks always seemed to be at arms length.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
All in All it's Just A--Another Brick in the Wall
The Hawks played great basketball all night long, played conference champion basketball, but in the end couldn't grab the "w".
Again we say, so what?
As we discussed earlier, this neither made us champs or chumps, but the way the team played, the way the team battled, they way the played like one of the toughest teams in the league proved that the outcome is a secondary story, simply another outcome of which there are 82 in a season.
This was no step back and it was no step forward. It's another brick in the wall that is the NBA schedule and there is another game on Friday against the Warriors.
What will show the mettle of the team is how they respond and how they play against Oakland.
No, there is no moral victory, they lost the game. They didn't break the Celtics streak. But, the more important outcome of the game was that despite a shooting start that might have dumped any other team playing the Celtics, despite some questionable officiating in the second half (hey, these are the champs and it's not like the L has a lot of experience showing the Birds the love), the Hawks outplayed the Celtics, outworked the Celtics, and proved that the growth--the record--the Hawk--are no fluke.
See you in April (well, March 27th), C's---Josh Smith will be waiting----
Again we say, so what?
As we discussed earlier, this neither made us champs or chumps, but the way the team played, the way the team battled, they way the played like one of the toughest teams in the league proved that the outcome is a secondary story, simply another outcome of which there are 82 in a season.
This was no step back and it was no step forward. It's another brick in the wall that is the NBA schedule and there is another game on Friday against the Warriors.
What will show the mettle of the team is how they respond and how they play against Oakland.
No, there is no moral victory, they lost the game. They didn't break the Celtics streak. But, the more important outcome of the game was that despite a shooting start that might have dumped any other team playing the Celtics, despite some questionable officiating in the second half (hey, these are the champs and it's not like the L has a lot of experience showing the Birds the love), the Hawks outplayed the Celtics, outworked the Celtics, and proved that the growth--the record--the Hawk--are no fluke.
See you in April (well, March 27th), C's---Josh Smith will be waiting----
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Everybody, Everybody!
OK, the intense hype for this regular season game (ummm--Boston is in the ATL if you haven't heard) is off the charts.
If the HHB can channel it's inner Wilbon, we can say that this is a little too jacked up to get for a December game.
Yes, this is a chance for the Hawks to end Boston's 378 game winning streak or whatever it is tonight.
Yes, the Hawks can puff their collective chests out should they end that streak and take out the champs.
And yes, it would be nice to watch Paul Pierce and Company pout their way off the court should the good guys (Good guys wear Black, btw--and blue---and red---anyway) come away victorious.
But, big picture, what does it all mean?
Not much.
It's another nice win in an early season of nice wins, but allow us, if you will, to play the Official Wet Blanket:
1. Too much stock in a win could cause massive complacency, especially among the younger players who have yet to learn that every game and every possession is important.
Yes, we are looking at you, Josh Smith.
Already, the Hawks have been dangerously close to losing games at home against teams that are below them. And yes while it's good to win some games without your fastball, it's not good to get into a habit of doing so. Or so we're told.
2. Too much stock in a loss could send irrational Bird Watchers over the cliff.
Yes, we are looking at you, Hawk Nation.
Already, we are dangerously close to being irrational with our expectations. This game is not a referndum of the Hawks season. Losing does not mean we can't compete come April (should we get there---looking furiously for some wood to knock on) nor does winning mean we can print tickets to the Conference Finals and beyond.
Yes, we know that the HHB is the place where we said that Mediocrity is an Improvement, not a Destination, but we're willing to take our baby steps and accept that whatever outcome tonight can be used to build, not settle on.
Still, it's great to have the NBA world watching little ole Philips Arena tonight when the curtain rises on this game.
As we have said many times, many ways---Relevance is nice, and makes you not want to ever go back to the dark underworld of Lottery Land.
To have the home team on the WWL and have all eyes watching the Good Guys tonight is a good feeling---a proud feeling---and we can understand that folks want to prove to the world that the team we watch, the team we live/die with is worth the passion and emotion we put into it.
So, screw it---forget the Wet Blanket---Get on your feet tonight in the Arena, scream at the TV at home---Let's go out there and get the W so that we can announce our presence with authority and send the C's a message that Zaza started all those games ago.
This is our house. And you are not welcome.
If the HHB can channel it's inner Wilbon, we can say that this is a little too jacked up to get for a December game.
Yes, this is a chance for the Hawks to end Boston's 378 game winning streak or whatever it is tonight.
Yes, the Hawks can puff their collective chests out should they end that streak and take out the champs.
And yes, it would be nice to watch Paul Pierce and Company pout their way off the court should the good guys (Good guys wear Black, btw--and blue---and red---anyway) come away victorious.
But, big picture, what does it all mean?
Not much.
It's another nice win in an early season of nice wins, but allow us, if you will, to play the Official Wet Blanket:
1. Too much stock in a win could cause massive complacency, especially among the younger players who have yet to learn that every game and every possession is important.
Yes, we are looking at you, Josh Smith.
Already, the Hawks have been dangerously close to losing games at home against teams that are below them. And yes while it's good to win some games without your fastball, it's not good to get into a habit of doing so. Or so we're told.
2. Too much stock in a loss could send irrational Bird Watchers over the cliff.
Yes, we are looking at you, Hawk Nation.
Already, we are dangerously close to being irrational with our expectations. This game is not a referndum of the Hawks season. Losing does not mean we can't compete come April (should we get there---looking furiously for some wood to knock on) nor does winning mean we can print tickets to the Conference Finals and beyond.
Yes, we know that the HHB is the place where we said that Mediocrity is an Improvement, not a Destination, but we're willing to take our baby steps and accept that whatever outcome tonight can be used to build, not settle on.
Still, it's great to have the NBA world watching little ole Philips Arena tonight when the curtain rises on this game.
As we have said many times, many ways---Relevance is nice, and makes you not want to ever go back to the dark underworld of Lottery Land.
To have the home team on the WWL and have all eyes watching the Good Guys tonight is a good feeling---a proud feeling---and we can understand that folks want to prove to the world that the team we watch, the team we live/die with is worth the passion and emotion we put into it.
So, screw it---forget the Wet Blanket---Get on your feet tonight in the Arena, scream at the TV at home---Let's go out there and get the W so that we can announce our presence with authority and send the C's a message that Zaza started all those games ago.
This is our house. And you are not welcome.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
End of the Road
If all the losses are going to be like the 103-102 last second loss to the Celtics in Boston, then the Official HHB High Definition Viewing Center is going to need more Tums in the candy dish.
If the 6 game winning streak was going to end, it was fitting that it be the way it went down Wednesday night, with the Hawks swinging away at the Celtics, like a tired fighter who has grunted out a 15 rounder, knowing that he has to keep dealing the licks while taking them as well.
It was clear early that the Hawks were going to have their work cut out for them on this night.
1. They were coming off a tough victory in Chicago the night before, arriving in Boston @ 3am.
2. They were still without Josh Smith.
3. The Celtics were rested and ready for the team that not only gave them the biggest fight in the playoffs, but were also atop the Eastern Conference leaderboard going into the evening.
After the tip, it was clear that another obstacle was going to be placed on the Hawks, and that would be that they wouldn't be able to play the physical defensive game that they had established over the first six games. Calls were tight on both sides, which would seem to favor the more perimeter, finesse game Celtics, whose best three players would prefer to face the basket while scoring.
Even still, the Hawks emerged with energy, even taking a 16 point lead in the second quarter. But it became clear as the game wore on that the Hawks were on their heels, hanging on as our tired pugilist, taking the Celtics best punches while sticking a few of their own.
The Hawks were dealt another blow when it was known that Zaza Pachulia would not return after injuring his shoulder in a collision with Glen Davis. That, combined with Al Horford's foul trouble in the game left the Hawks even more shorthanded and without the energy that the pair can provide inside.
In the end though, the shooting of Joe Johnson, Maurice Evans, and Marvin Williams gave the home team more than they bargained for, as the mounted a valiant charge at the end, with Marvin tagging a bold 3 pointer to take a 1 point lead with 7 seconds to go.
Alas, as has been done many times before, the Celtics found a way to get the ball into the hands of Paul Pierce one more time, and yet again he made a team pay, hitting the game winner with .5 seconds to go.
The Hawks were flatfooted, shorthanded, and playing the Celtics game---and yet, unlike the spanking this team took last season in the playoffs in Boston, this time the Hawks were bringing the spank themselves---and a last second, 1 point loss against all odds is a fitting way for this gutsy team to take their first "L".
Flying High:
Marvin Williams---Every year we hear about some guy adding something to his game, how it's going to benefit the team, blah, blah, blah---well, there is nothing blah about the way that Marvin Williams is shooting the three this year. Coming into this season Marvin was 25-108--so far this season, he is 8-11 and looks good doing it. And to hit the potential game winner without hesitation and with such precision, Marvin deserves some kudos for the effort.
Joe Johnson---He came out hot early and kept the Hawks in it late. In a game where in the second half, and especially in the fourth quarter the Hawks were not moving the ball well and clearly tired, Johnson kept the team going, creating for himself and others. 28 points, 7 assists, and 1 turnover was a good night, even if he pulled a -8 for his 42 minutes of work.
Maurice Evans---Mo was big down the stretch, hitting a pair of threes and scoring 13 points on 4-7 shooting, despite being one of many Hawks with 5 fouls.
Dead Birds:
Al Horford---Oh Al, did you need a rest from the night before so bad that you had to commit silly foul after silly foul? Reverting back to last year's mistakes, Horford took himself out of a contest that sorely needed some life in the second half by reaching in, leaving his feet on defense, and being out of position enough to stay in foul trouble all night. This, even when Woody pulled his famous "2 fouls in the First Q= No more first half play" on Horford. For shame.
Home Cooking---Ok, Celtic fans---we know that the other team always gets the calls in your building (mmhmmm)---The game being called tight helped the older, not as athletic Celtics maintain their own tempo, get to the foul line, and get the Hawks into some serious foul trouble across the board. Hey, they are the champs, and they deserve the breaks there---and the Hawks almost had them anyway.
View from the Nest:
The Hawks get a needed day off before starting another back to back/home and home with the New Jersey Nets. The team was clearly stagnant in a way that they haven't been this season. The day off will help.
We shall see about the disposition of Pachulia, but suffice to say, the Hawks cannot withstand any more losses on the frontline.
If the 6 game winning streak was going to end, it was fitting that it be the way it went down Wednesday night, with the Hawks swinging away at the Celtics, like a tired fighter who has grunted out a 15 rounder, knowing that he has to keep dealing the licks while taking them as well.
It was clear early that the Hawks were going to have their work cut out for them on this night.
1. They were coming off a tough victory in Chicago the night before, arriving in Boston @ 3am.
2. They were still without Josh Smith.
3. The Celtics were rested and ready for the team that not only gave them the biggest fight in the playoffs, but were also atop the Eastern Conference leaderboard going into the evening.
After the tip, it was clear that another obstacle was going to be placed on the Hawks, and that would be that they wouldn't be able to play the physical defensive game that they had established over the first six games. Calls were tight on both sides, which would seem to favor the more perimeter, finesse game Celtics, whose best three players would prefer to face the basket while scoring.
Even still, the Hawks emerged with energy, even taking a 16 point lead in the second quarter. But it became clear as the game wore on that the Hawks were on their heels, hanging on as our tired pugilist, taking the Celtics best punches while sticking a few of their own.
The Hawks were dealt another blow when it was known that Zaza Pachulia would not return after injuring his shoulder in a collision with Glen Davis. That, combined with Al Horford's foul trouble in the game left the Hawks even more shorthanded and without the energy that the pair can provide inside.
In the end though, the shooting of Joe Johnson, Maurice Evans, and Marvin Williams gave the home team more than they bargained for, as the mounted a valiant charge at the end, with Marvin tagging a bold 3 pointer to take a 1 point lead with 7 seconds to go.
Alas, as has been done many times before, the Celtics found a way to get the ball into the hands of Paul Pierce one more time, and yet again he made a team pay, hitting the game winner with .5 seconds to go.
The Hawks were flatfooted, shorthanded, and playing the Celtics game---and yet, unlike the spanking this team took last season in the playoffs in Boston, this time the Hawks were bringing the spank themselves---and a last second, 1 point loss against all odds is a fitting way for this gutsy team to take their first "L".
Flying High:
Marvin Williams---Every year we hear about some guy adding something to his game, how it's going to benefit the team, blah, blah, blah---well, there is nothing blah about the way that Marvin Williams is shooting the three this year. Coming into this season Marvin was 25-108--so far this season, he is 8-11 and looks good doing it. And to hit the potential game winner without hesitation and with such precision, Marvin deserves some kudos for the effort.
Joe Johnson---He came out hot early and kept the Hawks in it late. In a game where in the second half, and especially in the fourth quarter the Hawks were not moving the ball well and clearly tired, Johnson kept the team going, creating for himself and others. 28 points, 7 assists, and 1 turnover was a good night, even if he pulled a -8 for his 42 minutes of work.
Maurice Evans---Mo was big down the stretch, hitting a pair of threes and scoring 13 points on 4-7 shooting, despite being one of many Hawks with 5 fouls.
Dead Birds:
Al Horford---Oh Al, did you need a rest from the night before so bad that you had to commit silly foul after silly foul? Reverting back to last year's mistakes, Horford took himself out of a contest that sorely needed some life in the second half by reaching in, leaving his feet on defense, and being out of position enough to stay in foul trouble all night. This, even when Woody pulled his famous "2 fouls in the First Q= No more first half play" on Horford. For shame.
Home Cooking---Ok, Celtic fans---we know that the other team always gets the calls in your building (mmhmmm)---The game being called tight helped the older, not as athletic Celtics maintain their own tempo, get to the foul line, and get the Hawks into some serious foul trouble across the board. Hey, they are the champs, and they deserve the breaks there---and the Hawks almost had them anyway.
View from the Nest:
The Hawks get a needed day off before starting another back to back/home and home with the New Jersey Nets. The team was clearly stagnant in a way that they haven't been this season. The day off will help.
We shall see about the disposition of Pachulia, but suffice to say, the Hawks cannot withstand any more losses on the frontline.
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