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
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799 comments Add your comment
City Of Atlanta Still Recovering From William Tecumseh Sherman
April 29th, 2012
8:49 pm
guess ill miss game of thrones tonight
Slimjr
April 29th, 2012
8:50 pm
Coach Collins?
DawgNole
April 29th, 2012
8:51 pm
Those missed FTs are gonna hurt us–again.
yodaddybrother
April 29th, 2012
8:51 pm
call that b!tch @$$ foul
bigdave
April 29th, 2012
8:51 pm
Bs call… everybody else they let play
DawgNole
April 29th, 2012
8:51 pm
Rondo’s keeping ‘em in it.
City Of Atlanta Still Recovering From William Tecumseh Sherman
April 29th, 2012
8:52 pm
knock down the free throws
DawgNole
April 29th, 2012
8:52 pm
Take him to the hole, Josh.
Blast
April 29th, 2012
8:52 pm
Josh gotta make his free throws, man, otherwise, it is for naught.
DawgNole
April 29th, 2012
8:53 pm
Another missed FT. KG’s starting to feel it.
City Of Atlanta Still Recovering From William Tecumseh Sherman
April 29th, 2012
8:53 pm
drive the ball teague…
northcyde
April 29th, 2012
8:54 pm
That shot sounded like a rock from Marvin on that 3.
Melvin
April 29th, 2012
8:54 pm
Why is Marvin and Willie playing before TMac?
yodaddybrother
April 29th, 2012
8:55 pm
survived the “run” in the 3rd….now it’s time to close em out!
northcyde
April 29th, 2012
8:55 pm
12 point lead going into the 4th. First team to 80 wins.
DawgNole
April 29th, 2012
8:55 pm
Brick by Marvin.
They’re still hangin’ around. This is when ATL teams normally wilt. And they’re beating us on the glass right now.
But we managed to maintain a double-digit lead through the dreaded 3Q.
coacht
April 29th, 2012
8:56 pm
Nice ball movement throughout game bodes well for series….let’s get this one and then look forward!
Shamrock
April 29th, 2012
8:56 pm
Celtics couldn’t hit water if they fell out of a boat.
City Of Atlanta Still Recovering From William Tecumseh Sherman
April 29th, 2012
8:56 pm
I would love to see tmac and pargo get something going…josh needs some rest and joe can just stay on the bench
vava74
April 29th, 2012
8:56 pm
crappy closure for the quarter. stupid shots.
gotta play smart. share the ball. rotate.
McDawg
April 29th, 2012
8:56 pm
garbage NBA blows
Slimjr
April 29th, 2012
8:56 pm
Stick a fork in the Celts and Bulls..Da Hawks are coming!
Hawkfan
April 29th, 2012
8:57 pm
Celtics are tied. Dawg Tied
Sautee
April 29th, 2012
8:57 pm
“Celtics couldn’t hit water if they fell out of a boat.”
I’m sure it has NOTHING to do with the Hawks defense.
Blast
April 29th, 2012
8:57 pm
Hawks in good shape. Just stick with what you are doing. Great defence, rebound, run the break, share the ball, post up Josh, cut down on turnovers, and please make free throws! And they win this game.
Let’s Go Hawks! Shock the World! Again!!!!!!!
City Of Atlanta Still Recovering From William Tecumseh Sherman
April 29th, 2012
8:57 pm
hawks better be careful though celtics could start hitting them open 3s anytime
Slimjr
April 29th, 2012
8:57 pm
KG looks like Garbage tonight on TNT!!!!!!!Gotta love it?
northcyde
April 29th, 2012
8:59 pm
Drew needs to be careful here. Pierce and Rondo are probably not coming out of this game. So you have to watch the minutes and production of Pargo and Marvin. If they’re not producing, and those other guys are starting to feel it, get them out of the game.
City Of Atlanta Still Recovering From William Tecumseh Sherman
April 29th, 2012
8:59 pm
wow rondo has not had any rest
DawgNole
April 29th, 2012
8:59 pm
Alright, TMac!!
northcyde
April 29th, 2012
9:00 pm
Drew has the entire bench in.
bigdave
April 29th, 2012
9:00 pm
So those aren’t fouls?
City Of Atlanta Still Recovering From William Tecumseh Sherman
April 29th, 2012
9:00 pm
celtics are nothing without rondo..
Loserville USA
April 29th, 2012
9:01 pm
Anyone seen this script before?
Slimjr
April 29th, 2012
9:01 pm
Two head fakes Ivan then u own the shot blocker…
northcyde
April 29th, 2012
9:01 pm
Drew . . do not ride this bench if they’re not producing. Get guys out of the game if they’re not mentally ready.
LOL . . and he takes out IVAN for COLLINS?
Really?
Sautee
April 29th, 2012
9:02 pm
Good timeout by LD
City Of Atlanta Still Recovering From William Tecumseh Sherman
April 29th, 2012
9:02 pm
hawks will not go far in the playoffs if the bench is playing this damn bad
DawgNole
April 29th, 2012
9:02 pm
Here they come, guys.
yodaddybrother
April 29th, 2012
9:02 pm
get the scrubs out the game coach Drew
Melvin
April 29th, 2012
9:02 pm
Marvin Williams is not doing anything. Put him on the bench along with Willie..
Slimjr
April 29th, 2012
9:02 pm
Uh Oh…..
Blast
April 29th, 2012
9:02 pm
Drew cannot afford to rest his starters. They have to finish the game. Bench sucks tonite.
High-sider
April 29th, 2012
9:03 pm
Marvin Williams has no confidence, no game [tonight].
northcyde
April 29th, 2012
9:03 pm
Marvin is giving us nothing. This is the time where I have no problem with his minutes being limited. Boston has 3 starters in the game. Our key people can’t be rotting on the bench right now. Get the in the game Drew.
O'Brien
April 29th, 2012
9:03 pm
Melvin,
Collins definitely looked good in the 3rd quarter.
Meanwhile, offensive execution is becoming a problem for the Hawks again.
Slimjr
April 29th, 2012
9:04 pm
Like “SHARK TANK” Marvin is OUT!
bigdave
April 29th, 2012
9:04 pm
Go time.. time for Joe to show up. He’s gotten his looks, hopefully he cashes in at some point this series…
Hawkfan
April 29th, 2012
9:04 pm
Come back with starters and hold on guys. Gotta have this one
vava74
April 29th, 2012
9:04 pm
if you have green on the floor you got to give him shots. if you don’t do it, he is not doing anything on the floor.