Atlanta Hawks at Celtics Game 3: Game thread
Boston–Josh Smith (knee) is out and Marvin Williams starts at power forward. Ray Allen (ankle) will play for the first time since April 10. Rajon Rondo is back from suspension.
- Josh said he’s aiming to play in Game 4 Sunday: “I just have to rest and see how it feels. I want to get good enough to play but you never know. I don’t want to risk a domino effect and it being something more than what it is.”
- Josh tested the knee at shootaround this morning: “It felt pretty good until I started doing a lot of exploding up the basket. That’s where the pain really starts to generate when I become explosive with it. But as far as running and cutting and everything else it feels OK.”
- Yesterday Josh said he suffered the injury when Kevin Garnett banged into it while jostling for rebounding position. But he said the patellar tendonitis in his knee is a contributing factor. “I guess it caught up to me,” he said.
- The Hawks are now down their top three bigs. “Certainly it’s an uphill battle and a challenge for our team but I have all the confidence in the world these guys will step up to the challenge,” Larry Drew said.
- Josh: “We have to jell together, move the ball from side to side, and not get stagnant because this is a great defensive team. And we have to be able to match their physicality.”
- Joe Johnson: “We have just got to try to outwill them. We’ve got to find a way. We can’t dwell on or worry about what we don’t have. We have got to go for what we know. Is it going to be tough? Yeah, but it’s possible.”
- Drew said Joe still will check Paul Pierce. “Obviously with the matchup and Marvin starting at the four spot will have to do things a little differently as opposed to when Josh is in the lineup,” Drew said.
- Doc Rivers on Brandon Bass defending Marvin: “That’s hard. We worked on that all day. We thought Josh would play but we worked on the small lineup because when you look at them most of the year their best lineup has been their best lineup when they go small.”
- Joe saw heavy defensive pressure with Josh on the court. It only figures to get worse with Josh on the bench and a lack of offensive punch from among the remaining Hawks. “I’ve got to go quick or give the ball up quick and trust my teammates to make plays,” Joe said. “That’s pretty much the two things I’ve come up with. We’ll see when we get to the fourth quarter.”
- Rivers on Allen, who last played April 10: “There are no restrictions. He hasn’t played and gone up and down since he’s been injured. We’ve done some halfcourt but this is the first time he will do fullcourt since he’s been injured.”
- Suddenly Rivers is the coach warning his players not take a wounded opponent lightly: “The guys have to go out and play and at the end of the day hope they understand these are playoff games and you can’t give any away.”
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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1,096 comments Add your comment
Najeh Davenpoop
May 4th, 2012
9:38 pm
Kirk needs to come back in. Neither Teague nor Pargo can reliably check Ray Allen.
Big Lou
May 4th, 2012
9:38 pm
LD costs this team games, yet we have fans/media who praises this fool.
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 4th, 2012
9:38 pm
Why is Kirk not in for Pargo? Pargo should not play again in this series
yodaddybrother
May 4th, 2012
9:38 pm
Larry Drew….get Pargo out of there!
SteveW
May 4th, 2012
9:38 pm
We cannot let Micheal Pietrus beat us
Najeh Davenpoop
May 4th, 2012
9:38 pm
Nice pass Pargo. Way to roll, Damp.
yodaddybrother
May 4th, 2012
9:38 pm
Dampier stepping up
Kingd92
May 4th, 2012
9:38 pm
Why hasnt damp seen minutes earlier? He looks way better than collins
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 4th, 2012
9:39 pm
BL,
WTF is Pargo STILL in??
Billy Knight didn't pick Chris Paul
May 4th, 2012
9:39 pm
Marvin Williams is eating chickn wings on the bench.
Rev in Tampa
May 4th, 2012
9:39 pm
it is the fourth quarter. What are damp and Pargo doing in the game?????
terrell
May 4th, 2012
9:39 pm
No offense to Pargo,Green, etc….. Been good all year. BUT THIS AINT THE TIME LARRY!
SteveW
May 4th, 2012
9:39 pm
Najeh – agree about the double team – there ball movement is impeccable
Kingd92
May 4th, 2012
9:39 pm
Dammit rondo
Najeh Davenpoop
May 4th, 2012
9:39 pm
This Celtics lead is almost entirely a product of Pargo getting torched by Rondo.
Luke Cage
May 4th, 2012
9:39 pm
Jawing at the other teams bench isn’t a tech in boston
Billy Knight didn't pick Chris Paul
May 4th, 2012
9:39 pm
Tmac following Joes lead and going ISO. What an uncoachable bunch of clowns.
Melvin
May 4th, 2012
9:40 pm
Take Pargo out.
MattP
May 4th, 2012
9:40 pm
Why is Pargo playing point over Teague? This coaching is brain dead.
SteveW
May 4th, 2012
9:40 pm
If Damps been healthy, almost indefensible to not have played him until now – he’s still got a little game left in him
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 4th, 2012
9:40 pm
TAKE PARGO OUT
Najeh Davenpoop
May 4th, 2012
9:41 pm
Bring Kirk back in for Pargo, and that lineup should close out the game. Teague-Kirk-Joe-TMac-Dampier. Yes, I mean Dampier and not Ivan. Dampier has played better in this game.
Section 212
May 4th, 2012
9:41 pm
Take this punch, but punch back
TMACfan
May 4th, 2012
9:41 pm
When Pargo can’t even hit a shot, he is worse than useless.
SteveW
May 4th, 2012
9:41 pm
Pargo balled for NO when Paul was hurt in the playoffs, Larry trying to recreate the magic – aint happenin’ yet
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 4th, 2012
9:42 pm
IS KIRK WINDED? WTF IS THIS
TAKE PARGO OUT
Big Lou
May 4th, 2012
9:42 pm
This is why LD will never be a good coach. He can’t make adjustments, just like Woody. Pargo is getting owned by Rondo, but insists in keeping him out there. Eight pints were made because of Pargo. Two by a rondo blow by and a three by a rondo blow by and kick three.
SteveW
May 4th, 2012
9:42 pm
Najeh – agree again on that lineup
Shamrock
May 4th, 2012
9:42 pm
However it ends, it should be a fun game Sunday…especially if Josh is back.
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 4th, 2012
9:42 pm
Damp cannot move at all. Put Twin in
Hawkfan
May 4th, 2012
9:42 pm
Can’t understand why Pargo in with Teague. Why not Willie or Vlad. Even Stack would probably defend
phil
May 4th, 2012
9:42 pm
Sad…
yodaddybrother
May 4th, 2012
9:42 pm
Larry Drew… Holding this team back. Hopefully, I pray that a coach gets brought in here that is competent.
Sautee
May 4th, 2012
9:43 pm
“Eight pints were made because of Pargo.”
Made me want a beer.
High-sider
May 4th, 2012
9:43 pm
Joe needs to take over offensively. Hawks [theoretically] still have a chance to win this game. Hawks [are] down only six [points] with 8:49 left [in the game]. Hawks still have a lot of [playing] time left to win this game.
TMACfan
May 4th, 2012
9:43 pm
CAN WE HIRE JEFF VAN GUNDY?
bigdave
May 4th, 2012
9:43 pm
Josh just whispered in coach ear marvin and shook his head when looking at stat sheet.. anybody see it who watching it on fox…?
Section 212
May 4th, 2012
9:43 pm
crud….
yodaddybrother
May 4th, 2012
9:43 pm
Why in the world is Jannero Pargo still in the game?????????????????????????????
SteveW
May 4th, 2012
9:44 pm
This is really going to sound stupid, but I don’t think Boston can stop damp in the paint
Big Lou
May 4th, 2012
9:44 pm
Pargo is still in the game. I’m tired of this f!cking sh!tty coach. Fans who give this guy props are morons. Period.
Shamrock
May 4th, 2012
9:44 pm
No return for Bradley tonight.
Luke Cage
May 4th, 2012
9:44 pm
Damn Joe, exposing yourself as a fraud to the nation again.
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 4th, 2012
9:45 pm
PUT IN KIRK
Bump
May 4th, 2012
9:45 pm
sup clowns? i always read this blog after game and my dumb a– never comment because i thought this was a paid blog lol. I think mac’s 15 minutes is up for this game. he is still bothered by the rolled ankle. right now we got to ride the 107 million dollar man but throw away the iso’s and let joe catch and shoot.
marvin needs to stop shooting and just rebound.thats his only plus. and teague can keep up the drives and score and dish and we got a chance to put this old a– team to rest.
SteveW
May 4th, 2012
9:45 pm
I’m not against Stack over pargo in the game right now…
MattP
May 4th, 2012
9:45 pm
It’s over, LD loves his 3rd and 4th quarter meltdowns.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 4th, 2012
9:45 pm
Kirk better be injured. Why the F is Pargo still on the floor. Unbelievable.
Kingd92
May 4th, 2012
9:45 pm
good foul, why is joe forcing shots?
yodaddybrother
May 4th, 2012
9:45 pm
We have the world’s worst coach. JUST DUMB