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
Melvin
May 4th, 2012
10:28 pm
Teague has been burned on def several times by Rondo
Luke Cage
May 4th, 2012
10:28 pm
Play the foul game to extend the time
Old Man Peabody
May 4th, 2012
10:28 pm
Rondo toyed with Teague on the play. SMH
Big Ray
May 4th, 2012
10:28 pm
Like I said, that’s game.
Nice move by Rondo, but Collins stinks. He contested the shot, but couldn’t get back up or even turn around in time to see the rebound coming off the edge.
No, he didn’t have help, but GD…he’s a 7 footer with 260 lbs on him. He can’t block out?
Where’s Damp….
DREABABY
May 4th, 2012
10:28 pm
The Celtics don’t deserve to win this game.
jlewis
May 4th, 2012
10:28 pm
mcgrady just looking over on the weak side, no help on d, game lost
Luke Cage
May 4th, 2012
10:29 pm
@Melvin
Rondo is extremely long, he gets that shot off against any PG
Samuel
May 4th, 2012
10:29 pm
LD: “Boss, you hire me I’ll stop all that ISO crap” with my new Princeton offense”. LOL!!
Rev in Tampa
May 4th, 2012
10:29 pm
ball game
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 4th, 2012
10:29 pm
Smh
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 4th, 2012
10:29 pm
Leaving Pargo in cost us
Najeh Davenpoop
May 4th, 2012
10:29 pm
Hey Samuel, how’s Woody doing these days?
Brime Lee
May 4th, 2012
10:30 pm
Will this tight game lose help us for the rest of the series?
or is this a more disaster than a blowout game?
Najeh Davenpoop
May 4th, 2012
10:30 pm
Hawks should feel pretty good about themselves after this game regardless of the outcome, but Game 4 is a must win.
TMACfan
May 4th, 2012
10:30 pm
LOOK AT THE FREE-THROW DIFFERENCE!!
High-sider
May 4th, 2012
10:31 pm
go for a quick two and foul, extend the game and hope for Boston to miss more free throws….foul Rondo if possible
Big Ray
May 4th, 2012
10:31 pm
Done. Probably for the series.
I’m out. Been nice watching Atlanta’s second best sports team struggle their way to a loss.
BTW….Rondo has done things like that to everyone he plays against, all season long. Don’t be stupid and make this about Teague….
Old Man Peabody
May 4th, 2012
10:31 pm
Having T Mac on your team is a curse. Guy has never been out f the 1st RD
Melvin
May 4th, 2012
10:31 pm
Hawks played well. The Celtics survived this game…
Billy Knight didn't pick Chris Paul
May 4th, 2012
10:31 pm
1 guys shoots, 4 guys watch ball him rim. Why not crash for the rebound. Just over priced BS.
Luke Cage
May 4th, 2012
10:31 pm
Close game lost in OT, proud we played hard but hate moral victories, WE WILL EVEN THIS SERIES @ 2 SUNDAY!!
Celts still overrated.
bigdave
May 4th, 2012
10:32 pm
Marvin Williams continues to own each and every one of you.
Bigkem
May 4th, 2012
10:32 pm
Its been a long though, but I think I’ll take my talents to The Peach State and help The Hawks win a championship, and teach these guys what team basketball’s all about…What do you think about it MC?
Najeh Davenpoop
May 4th, 2012
10:32 pm
” Been nice watching Atlanta’s second best sports team struggle their way to a loss”
Braves have been pretty good so far, but let’s wait for them to do something in the playoffs before they leapfrog the Hawks.
TMACfan
May 4th, 2012
10:32 pm
Vlad Rad is garbage
Mike
May 4th, 2012
10:32 pm
“this has to be a great confidence booster”
Losing in OT is a confidence booster?
Why do they let Nique call games?
kima
May 4th, 2012
10:32 pm
sigh
BIG DOG
May 4th, 2012
10:32 pm
Marvin saying don’t get mad, and Hinrich laughing in OT, JUST DAM.
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
Big Ray
May 4th, 2012
10:32 pm
LD: “Boss, you hire me I’ll stop all that ISO crap” with my new Princeton offense”. LOL!!
So says Woody’s biggest fan. Knicks with all that talent, punching fire extinguisher boxes, and can’t win a damn playoff game. What else is new?
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 4th, 2012
10:32 pm
I don’t understand why we get down 4 at the beginning of every overtime.
Why did TMac barely play before tonight?
Buddy Grizzard
May 4th, 2012
10:33 pm
I missed the second half and most of overtime. Did ice cold Vlad do anything?
Billy Knight didn't pick Chris Paul
May 4th, 2012
10:33 pm
So Marvin does nothing but sit on the bench and think about the few Bentley’s in his garage.
Shamrock
May 4th, 2012
10:33 pm
Sunday will be fun…especially if Josh is back.
Big Ray
May 4th, 2012
10:33 pm
LOL….championsip dodgeball player. Braves my a$$…
Najeh Davenpoop
May 4th, 2012
10:34 pm
T-Mac better not play any less than 20 minutes per game for the rest of the playoffs.
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 4th, 2012
10:34 pm
LD freaking left Pargo in AFTER he sucked for like 5 minutes.
LD Blows the beginning of every 4th with his lineups
Brime Lee
May 4th, 2012
10:34 pm
Nice effort, and I think we still have a legitimate chance to win this series because the Celtics ARE NOT THAT GOOD.
Well, Now turn to the Braves game.
They come from behind 0-5 1st inning deficit and now 6-6 in the 5th.
Billy Knight didn't pick Chris Paul
May 4th, 2012
10:34 pm
And when the series returns to ATL, some people will spend their money on tickets. Which is funny.
Bigkem
May 4th, 2012
10:34 pm
Vlad shot a 3 at The end of The Game? What a joke, this team is a joke
Najeh Davenpoop
May 4th, 2012
10:34 pm
Magic giving LD props.
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 4th, 2012
10:34 pm
Celts are overrated and not that good
phil
May 4th, 2012
10:34 pm
Told ya…..
It is our DESTINY…
To lose.
we always do.
Rev in Tampa
May 4th, 2012
10:35 pm
I’m not going to complain about this loss. Played with heart against a full strength Celtics team. Hope the Hawks use this as a confidence builder.
LD is a crappy coach. Why was Pargo in there when it was so clear he was stinking it up?
RA
May 4th, 2012
10:35 pm
People can say whatever they want to say, but the Hawks, with the team on hand, played as well as anyone could have hoped for, and if you’re boston, you better hope and pray that you can end this series before we start getting people back.
Alpha 23
May 4th, 2012
10:35 pm
So, what’s new??!!! They not good, not ever gonna be good! Can’t get nobody to play here!!! Who gives a crap?!!
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 4th, 2012
10:35 pm
Great game Marvin!!!
Northcyde, please post his PER for the series. I know you probably didn’t watch the game and are just gonna study some stats site
phil
May 4th, 2012
10:36 pm
The hawks ARE good?
You guys are idiots.
Mike
May 4th, 2012
10:36 pm
Jesus, Michael Wilbon is a fat tub of lard.
Big Lou
May 4th, 2012
10:36 pm
How many wins are LD gonna cost? Lol
Melvin
May 4th, 2012
10:36 pm
Give Jamal some of those Marvin, Kirk and Willie shots, game over. Hawks win….