Celtics at Atlanta Hawks Game 1: Game thread
- Zaza Pachulia (foot) is out. Doc Rivers said Ray Allen (ankle) is out for the Celtics.
- Zaza says his recovery has been “slow motion” and he’s uncertain if or when he will be able to play during the series: “I don’t have an answer about that. I really don’t. It would make it easier for you guys, me, the coaching staff and the team but I don’t have an answer.”
- More Zaza: “It doesn’t matter if me and Al [Horford] are going to be out for the series, we are still a good team. We are going to confident. We are going to fight.”
- Larry Drew is sticking with Jason Collins at center: “The lineup has been good for us, first of all. It hasn’t been a situation where it hasn’t worked out for us. Even with those first two losses against Boston, lineup-wise, it has been good for us. At this stage [I] don’t really want to rock the boat with that. It’s been good for us. I want to stay with it through the course of the series. If things call for change, we certainly will evaluate that and make a decision on that. But for right now that’s what we will go with.”
- The Hawks were +9 in 34-plus minutes with this lineup during the regular season, according to BasketballValue. They were pretty much worse across the board statistically with Collins on the floor vs. Boston.
- Drew: “Playing against a guy that’s more mobile whether we match him up against [Brandon] Bass or [Kevin] Garnett, that will be a challenge for him. But Jason is a very smart basketball player, particularly defensively. He knows how to play people, from a big guy who is more stationary in the post to a guy who moves around a little bit. He has shown he has the ability to adapt either way. We are counting on his his smarts and his know-how to defend people.”
- Joe Johnson on the Hawks frontline without Horford and Pachulia: “We are down a few bigs so that means us guards and forwards, our play has to get a little nastier.”
- Ivan Johnson on the Celtics: “I am pretty sure they are going to try me but we played them already so I know what to expect.”
- Ivan on the previous meetings with the Celtics: “KG tried me. [Keyon] Dooling, he tried me.” What did KG have to say? “Just regular KG. Talking [bleep].”
- Ivan: “I know what to expect from them so I’m just going to keep a level head and play my game.”
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
799 comments Add your comment
DawgNole
April 29th, 2012
7:54 pm
Rev in Tampa
April 29th, 2012
7:52 pm
Lol at TNT announcers blaming the celtics slow start on the condensed season. Atl is suffering with injuries TOO.
______________________
Yeah, they’ll do anything to cover the azzes of their “experts” who expected the Hawks not to show up.
yodaddybrother
April 29th, 2012
7:54 pm
Boston thought it was sweet down here….it aint sweet down here. People dying
drmaryb.(*_*).
April 29th, 2012
7:54 pm
TMac
TMac even makes Twin look good. Play Maker!!!!!!!!!
I like this line up with TMac an Twin. We are super big at every spot now and KG on the bench. Yes!!!
DawgNole
April 29th, 2012
7:54 pm
There you go, Jason. I knew you had that 1-ft layup in you!
Blast
April 29th, 2012
7:55 pm
Starters crank it back up again.
Buddy Grizzard
April 29th, 2012
7:55 pm
That was impressive… Collins scored a basket.
Runner-
April 29th, 2012
7:55 pm
Jason Collins doing a nice job defensively, both on KG and on the glass. Good game by him so far.
TMACfan
April 29th, 2012
7:55 pm
Jason Collins the STOPPER!!
WHERE IS SHAMROCK???
Ree Roe
April 29th, 2012
7:55 pm
All I fear is the 3rd quarter collapse, thus will be a single point game in the 4th unless we put BOS away now
-REEcently Roe!!!
Rev in Tampa
April 29th, 2012
7:55 pm
I thought collins was going to get a 3 second call on him while he decided what to do with the ball while standing one foot away from the basket.
bigdave
April 29th, 2012
7:55 pm
Northcyde.. we bound to go away from it… it look too good
KevinA
April 29th, 2012
7:55 pm
The cheeseburger added some grilled onion.
vava74
April 29th, 2012
7:56 pm
calm down people, these guys are battle tested vets.
we need to keep a blue collar mentality across the board. fans included.
100% concentration all game long and all series long. relaxation and patting on the backs only after a series win.
O'Brien
April 29th, 2012
7:56 pm
Collins is garbage
terrell
April 29th, 2012
7:56 pm
Put in Ivan for Collins. Fool.
northcyde
April 29th, 2012
7:56 pm
Oh @ drmaryb
I don’t necessarily have a problem with Collins starting. With Zaza down, he probably does have to play at least Royal Ivey type minutes ( 5 – 6 minutes a game at the start of each half ).
My problem is like right now. Collins is in the game and not Ivan. Hawks are +18 with Collins in the game, so it’s kind of hard to gripe on that. Still, I just wonder if we could’ve been in complete control of this game
bigdave
April 29th, 2012
7:57 pm
doc counters by puting in sasha.. immediately Mac goes by him
doggoneit
April 29th, 2012
7:57 pm
Rise Up!! Its’ time Atlanta Hawks! Its time to smack these non believers pee in the dirt!!!!
Slimjr
April 29th, 2012
7:57 pm
Allen was a huge loss for the Celts! They are going home early….
steven
April 29th, 2012
7:57 pm
payback call
Blast
April 29th, 2012
7:58 pm
Bring Ivan in for Collins. Ivan will finish those passes from Tracy in the lane. Collins too slow.
Slimjr
April 29th, 2012
7:58 pm
With Collins in the game the lead is expanding! Good stuff!
Runner-
April 29th, 2012
7:59 pm
Shamrock you should not take up any profession in future seeing anytime soon.
Sweep by the Celtics and quiet by halftime. What’s next, that Celtics fans are actually going to show up next year?
Slimjr
April 29th, 2012
7:59 pm
Josh dunk it man!
northcyde
April 29th, 2012
7:59 pm
Josh Smith
13 points
8 rebounds
2 assists
All-Star type performance by Josh so far. This is what he has to do in this series.
yodaddybrother
April 29th, 2012
7:59 pm
no fouls being called. But that’s how we like it. Physical
DawgNole
April 29th, 2012
7:59 pm
Good hands by Teague. A shame Josh couldn’t finish.
KevinA
April 29th, 2012
8:00 pm
That floater was floatsome.
City Of Atlanta Still Recovering From William Tecumseh Sherman
April 29th, 2012
8:00 pm
I agree dunk the ball josh
steven
April 29th, 2012
8:00 pm
We have this huge lead with Joseph sucking it up
Slimjr
April 29th, 2012
8:00 pm
Josh is killing the CELTICS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Blast
April 29th, 2012
8:00 pm
Celts should be over the limit now.
DawgNole
April 29th, 2012
8:00 pm
Nice by Teague. Real nice!
yodaddybrother
April 29th, 2012
8:00 pm
“Still, I just wonder if we could’ve been in complete control of this game”
we up by 20 bruh!
Rev in Tampa
April 29th, 2012
8:01 pm
Looking forward to hearing the TNT brain trust at halftime. Nineteen point lead
northcyde
April 29th, 2012
8:01 pm
Can’t wait to hear the TNT halftime report. The excuses will be coming by the boatloads by the TNT crew . . . with Ernie smiling at how the Hawks are playing.
Runner-
April 29th, 2012
8:01 pm
Finally Jeff takes it to the rim, we need more of that and less jumpers, because pretty soon, they will stop falling. Nice job by Collins on the glass so far, even if he is simply awful in other aspects offensively.
Slimjr
April 29th, 2012
8:02 pm
The Celts are stuck in the Mud!
Magic City and playoff basketball, the two shall never mix……
Runner-
April 29th, 2012
8:02 pm
Once again, we can’t get over carried away. We are still 16 wins away from the grand goal, and one blowout will sure help fuel these players, but it can also make them complacent.
rob
April 29th, 2012
8:03 pm
The TNT crew will only mention the Celtics and will not say anything about the HAWKS
yodaddybrother
April 29th, 2012
8:03 pm
“Ernie…let me tell you something….trust me KG will not mess with that guy!” CHarles Barkley on Ivan Johnson
Slimjr
April 29th, 2012
8:03 pm
Collins is playing smart. What college did he attend? Hmmmmmmmmmmm
northcyde
April 29th, 2012
8:03 pm
Celtics have only scored 9 points in this quarter. Great defense by the Hawks so far this half.
terrell
April 29th, 2012
8:03 pm
Josh Smith is a BAD MUTHA ……!
vava74
April 29th, 2012
8:04 pm
good grief. we were up by 20 on utah and lost the lead on the third quarter.
stop talking trash. that’s the wrong mentality. we need to buckle up and sustain the momentum.
if the guys think the same we could be looking at a collapse.
Melvin
April 29th, 2012
8:04 pm
Collins is playing well… He’s been a presence in the paint on both ends of the court…
steven
April 29th, 2012
8:04 pm
Why do we need to watch them interview all. We can listen to him without cutting half the screen off
CaptCaveman
April 29th, 2012
8:04 pm
TNT says the CELTICS are losing by 17 , not that the Hawks are Whoopin that CANDY A$$ ~~~~ !!!!! LOLOL
City Of Atlanta Still Recovering From William Tecumseh Sherman
April 29th, 2012
8:04 pm
come on collins grab the reb from bradley
terrell
April 29th, 2012
8:05 pm
Wtf Collins??