Celtics at Atlanta Hawks Game 2: Game thread
- The Hawks feared Zaza Pachulia could miss up to another two weeks but word is they were encouraged by a recent test of his injured left foot. Pachulia could return to play as soon as Game 5 of this series.
- Ray Allen (ankle) is out for the Celtics and Doc Rivers didn’t sound very optimistic when asked if it was time to count out Allen for the series: “I don’t know. It’s frustrating, more for him than for us. We don’t know what to do. He looked great yesterday off the court running and shooting. Today he couldn’t walk. He couldn’t do his normal shooting before the game.”
- Avery Bradley slides to point guard and Mickael Pietrus will start at shooting guard. Pietrus draws Kirk Hinrich. Rivers: “We don’t want Paul chasing around little guards. When we change lineups, [Peitrus] will slide over to guard Joe at times.”
- Larry Drew: “We have played this team without Rondo before and they beat us. We have to play our ‘A’ game because our ‘B’ game is not going to get it done.”
- Josh Smith on the Celtics without Rondo: “We will get up and pressure the ball and make it hard for them to get into their sets. With Bradley, we have to cut him off early and take his confidence because when he gets confidence he’s tough.”
- Bradley: “They will probably try to speed me up. I feel like the regular season got me ready for this.”
- Drew on Bradley’s big game vs. Hawks in regular season: “We did not do a good job with him off the dribble. He was able to be just as elusive as Rondo. I think both guys are very capable of getting into the interior of your defense. Bradley is a little different. Rondo is more finesse; Bradley is more power getting in there. He got in there a few times against us where we did not do a good job of containing the basketball. We are going to have to be good defending him off the dribble.”
- Rivers: “If we feel the pressure it will take us out of our stuff. That’s why losing Rondo hurt us. He’s really our only true point guard.”
- Drew: “I expect Paul [Pierce] to get it a little more touches and things run through him. I expect [Kevin Garnett] to be even much more offensive minded.”
- Marvin Williams, on if the Hawks will avoid their tendency to have a letdown against a short-handed opponent now that it’s the playoffs: “I would like to think so. I think everybody understands what’s at stake at this point.”
- Charles Barkley last night on TNT: “Game 2 is more about the Atlanta Hawks. We always criticize them for their mental toughness and lack of focus. This is a game where they would normally let up. Doc Rivers’ guys are going to play and come out way more focused than they were in Game 1. But the Atlanta Hawks have a tendency to chill out…a lot.”
- Joe: “As scorers and shooters, you have to have that short memory. I missed a lot of shots I normally make. I’m sure I’ll make them tonight.”
Drew on Joe Johnson’s poor Game 1: “He missed a lot of good shots. He had good looks. It’s not a situation where he gets discouraged or we do anything differently. We are still going to run things through him.”
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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725 comments Add your comment
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 1st, 2012
11:54 pm
Green and Pargo have made nice contributions off bench????
Yeah, in the REGULAR SEASON.
I was huge Pargo fan during year but he cannot just jack up 3s all day
Rusty
May 1st, 2012
11:56 pm
How many games has LD lost for us this year,way more than a few,he really don’t have a feel for the game.
Sautee
May 1st, 2012
11:59 pm
“Why was Heinrich in the game at the start of the 4th quarter? It was clear to everyone he was struggling mightily out there.” – slimjr
Hinrich: 3-7 42.8% 0 turnovers
Joe: 7-17 41.1 % 3 turnovers
Josh: 8-21 38.1% 1 turnover
Jeff: 6-18 33% 2 turnovers
Hinrich’s “struggles” had a lot of company. But despite him being out there early in the 4th, we never lost the lead until all the starters were back.
bbfan
May 1st, 2012
11:59 pm
I will go out on a short limb and say the series returns to the A tied 2-2. I’ll give the final prediction after Sunday’s game.
Rusty
May 2nd, 2012
12:01 am
I would give JJ away for free to take his salery away,it was so dumb to give him that contract.you can’t have a flowing offense with him in the game,he fores the ball & dribbles way to much. He really thinks he has to take over the game in order to justify all the money we gave him.
Mike D
May 2nd, 2012
12:03 am
Plain an simple bad coaching the Hawks need T Mac if they even want a chance to win in Boston!
An Ill sai it again JJ is not a superstar they need someone who is not scared of the moment!
Sautee
May 2nd, 2012
12:03 am
“Why was Marvin out there at all through most of the 4th quarter? This buster should have never seen the court in the 4th….” – slimjr
Now THERE is the 64,000 dollar question. Slim I totally agree with you here (Though you are likely WAY too young to get the 64,000 dollar reference). Ask your folks.
Slimjr
May 2nd, 2012
12:04 am
“Hinrich’s “struggles” had a lot of company. But despite him being out there early in the 4th, we never lost the lead until all the starters were back.” -Sautee-
Agree, Hinrich was not the only one struggling tonight for sure..
But the momentum was lost first at the end of the 3rd and carried over into the 4th..The lead was lost next..Larry hinted maybe he left his starters out too long in the post game interview. Yes?
Sautee
May 2nd, 2012
12:08 am
slim,
Yes, indeed, but no coach can KNOW ahead of time what he’ll get from any bench player. Had the bench come through in a big way how many posters here would be giving props to LD?
Very few, and you know it.
Slimjr
May 2nd, 2012
12:08 am
Dream on:
IF the Hawks had JC1, All NBA, and ZaZa tonight they’d win by 25! LOL!
Mike D
May 2nd, 2012
12:17 am
Now I hope you Hawks see how bad you brods look without a true playmaker on the court my suggestion Tmac at the one bump teague to the 2 he is more of a scoring guard anyways joe, josh an Zaza get well soon Jason played good D the whole game on k.g soon as he fouled out it went downhill from there cuz k.g turned it on, an Pierce was flawless.
Slimjr
May 2nd, 2012
12:17 am
“Had the bench come through in a big way how many posters here would be giving props to LD?”
There is something about Larry’s demeanor that appears to rub people on this blog the wrong way and it goes beyond just his controversial substitution patterns…
Sushi
May 2nd, 2012
12:19 am
JeJe – Pargo only played 4 minutes in game 2 – in game 1 he was 2 – 4, 1 – 2 from 3 pt. What’s wrong with that?
Najeh Davenpoop
May 2nd, 2012
12:21 am
If someone had never seen a Hawks game until this series, they would come away with the impression that Marvin Williams is the worst player on this team. It says a lot about Marvin that Collins subbed in for him and the team got better.
Rod from College Park
May 2nd, 2012
12:22 am
Oh so now many are understanding why I bash Marvin all the time (SMH). Guy looked like he was petrified every time he touched the ball. The guy is truly one of the worst basketball players in the league.
I have also been preaching all year that this team was built for the regular season, and not the playoffs. Over two games we are averaging 81.5 ppg , and giving up 80.5 ppg, so defense is not the problem, its offense. Joe and Marvin are stinking up the joint, and Josh and Teague are balling. Where are the great Willie Green, and Pargo. I stated that playoff basketball was totally different, and we see why. We have no true scorers. My original prediction may be right. Boston in 5. I hope not.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 2nd, 2012
12:22 am
I haven’t read all 700+ comments, but I hope there are plenty of comments wondering what the hell LD was doing with his player substitutions. He blew the lead in the 2nd half, and Josh’s injury was the icing on the cake that precluded any sort of comeback.
Sushi
May 2nd, 2012
12:24 am
I’d love to see the team @ full strength – with Horford and Pachulia – can we realistically expect to win with both of them out?
Slimjr
May 2nd, 2012
12:25 am
Marvin should go play in the WNBA..MVP!
Slimjr
May 2nd, 2012
12:27 am
Stan Van Gundy> Larry Leisure Suit
Slimjr
May 2nd, 2012
12:28 am
Yea they sure could use JC1 right about now…
Atlanta Hawks Can’t Advance If Josh Smith’s Injury Is Serious | :: Sparxxrx LLC ::
May 2nd, 2012
1:40 am
[...] However, if Smith can’t return, then the Hawks would be down three quality big men. Centers Al Horford and Zaza Pachulia continue to nurse various injuries, but are fairly close to returning. [...]
Big Daddy
May 2nd, 2012
2:30 am
Sushi, the 3 future HOF for the Celtics is Ray Allen who is in street clothes right now but may be back in the 3rd or 4th game.
The Celtics really turned up their defense in the 4th quarter and right on cue, the Hawks started going into iso mode. They stopped doing their uptempo game, passing the ball and not moving without the ball. That made them much easier to guard. They have got to stay with what got them the lead and kept them there.
I, like most on this blog, do not understand LD’s substitutions. Maybe T-Mac is not following the plays and that is why he gets yanked but, whatever the thing is between him and LD, it is hurting the team.
I hope Josh’s injury is not something that will keep him out. We have no chance if he goes down. Joe has to do what Pierce did for this game. Look deep within himself and come out ready to show everyone why he has been an All-Star the last several years and why he gets paid the money he does. If he does not, he will be dubbed the 2nd coming of Jon Koncak. But, that may be a bit harsh.
I hope the guys can get one in Beantown. If they don’t, this will be a short series. Everyone of the broadcasters already has them written off. Of all of the buzz the other teams are getting, only Utah seems to be getting less ink than the Hawks.
tidog
May 2nd, 2012
8:05 am
Coach got timid so the players played timid. If coach wouldn’t trust his bench at home how in the world is he going to trust them on the road. The buck stops with the coach, if he wants up tempo he needs to demand it and stick to his guns. The players will fall in line.
Tired Tired Tired
May 2nd, 2012
1:53 pm
I have watched this sorry excuse for a basketball whatever(not a team) for thirty seven years. I am Tired of watching millionaire pretend to be players collect a check and do absolutely NOTHING. Lousy players, Lousy coaching, Lousy management, Lousy ownership about sums it up. Get out of town LOSERS. Don’t let the million dollar door hit you in your sorry a$$ on the way out of town. Go embarass some other city LOSERS. Tired Tired Tired
Lorssmony
May 2nd, 2012
5:54 pm
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