Atlanta Hawks at Celtics Game 4: Celtics 101, Hawks 79
Boston–I could sense the anguish among tweeps over this one. Just when they thought they could at least expect the Hawks to compete, they do this. So much for management’s boasts about being in the same league as the Celtics and the Lakers.
- Now comes the mockery from Charles Barkley and every other critic who said the Hawks would eventually go belly up. The Hawks never really surrendered like this all season. So why did it happen now, when they were healthier and the stakes were so high?
- “I really can’t [explain it],” Al Horford said. “I’m trying to sit there and look at it but the only thing that I can tell is that from the beginning of the game, from the jump ball, they established themselves and were way more aggressive. I think we were on our heels from that point on. You can’t do that in the playoffs.”
- “It felt like we was going to do something good, what, the first five or six minutes of the first quarter,” Josh Smith said. “They just went on a run and scored, what, [32] points in the first quarter? That’s giving this team way too many points in one quarter.You catch yourself climbing uphill against a team that’s good like this that knows how to put a team away.”
- “It’s very disappointing,” Larry Drew said. “It’s a playoff game. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t be jacked up to play. The fact that we did not respond to their aggressiveness, it just totally took us out of our game. We didn’t respond to it all. We didn’t have the zap, we didn’t have the speed. We were doing everything at about 60 percent. This is the the playoffs. How can you not have it?”
- On a day when Mike Woodson finally managed to end his streak of playoff embarrassments, Drew delivered one of his own. His rotations were out of whack again. Maybe it wouldn’t have mattered if he’d made all the right moves considering his team wasn’t ready to play, but we didn’t get to find out.
- Drew on not playing Ivan Johnson until garbage time: “He was available. I just decided I was going to play Al those minutes.” Ivan wasn’t very good in Game 3 and Jason Collins had been effective in Games 1 and 2, but it quickly became clear this game better suited for Ivan’s energy than Collins’ beef.
- Drew on leaving the starters in through the third quarter, when the Hawks never cut the lead to less than 25: “I was going to try to put a dent in it. We had two or three possessions where we had some good things happen. I just said if we couldn’t close the gap in the third quarter then I would just let the starters” sit.
- I can sort of see why Al continued to play. He needs to knock off the rust and there’s no increased risk of re-injury (though that collision with Ray Allen was a little scary). The counterargument is the Hawks are such longshots to come back and win this series, what’s the point?
- Leaving Josh in is harder to understand. He’s got patellar tendonitis and there’s a chance of re-injury because of weakness in the joint.
- In any event, both Josh and Al made it through the game unscathed. Josh said he would play in Game 5: “It felt OK. Obviously it was a little sore to begin with but when the game started flowing my knee started getting warm and a little more flexible. It will probably feel a little sore tomorrow but that’s how it is when you come back from an injury.”
- Josh clearly didn’t have his same explosiveness and he deserves credit for playing on a bum knee. But I thought his focus was lacking early, too. Those two careless turnovers in transition are nothing new but they ignited Boston’s running game.
- Al: “It’s a different feeling. It’s just exciting to be out there. I’ll be able to tell more how I feel tomorrow. Right now I have the adrenalin going. I will have to see how I feel [for Game 5].”
- Al had gone back-and-forth on whether he’d play in this series. “It was just being able to mentally prepare myself for a playoff-intense kind of game,” he said. “I knew that I wasn’t there two days ago and [also] my body feeling good. After yesterday’s practice I felt good enough and I told myself if I woke up Sunday and felt good I was going to try to give it a go.”
- Drew: “He came in after he warmed up and said he felt good, that he wanted to give it a go. My plan was to play him about five minutes a quarter, just to get his legs, get his wind a little bit longer. In the second half he got into a pretty good rhythm where he felt good.”
- Al looked (understandably) shaky during his first stint. By the second quarter he looked good enough that you remembered how badly the Hawks could have used him to start this series. That’s true even with Al missing his mid-range shots.
- That’s about all there is to talk about with the Hawks in this game. It was pretty much over after Paul Pierce made three Js during that 12-0 run early in the fourth quarter as the fans went wild and Atlanta bumbled through possessions.
- No doubt the Celtics made shots. It’s one thing for Paul Pierce to light it up but when Rajon Rondo, Marquis Daniels and Keyon Dooling are raining down jumpers, it’s not a good sign. But it’s also true that the Celtics played at a pace Atlanta couldn’t match.
- “They shot the mess out of it tonight,” Josh said. “I’m watching it being a real observer on the bench, and they are just running the plays way more harder than we are. Whatever play is called for—Ray Allen is coming off screens 100 miles per hour, Paul Pierce is finding a way to get open. [Kevin Garnett] setting screens and getting the guards open. We have to be able to try to duplicate what they do and get open. They are trying to hard to not let Joe catch the ball and being physical. We have to try to return the favor and see if they like it and stop being so passive.”
- The Hawks were a good transition D during the regular season (sixth in efficiency during the regular season, according to Synergy Sports Technology). The Celtics are a slow-paced team but that doesn’t mean they don’t run: Transition was their third-most used play type, according to Synergy. They ranked just 18th in efficiency but it’s been hard to tell against the Hawks.
- “We came into the series with a mindset of having to get up and down the floor, push the basketball and to make it a game of transition,” Drew said. “But it seems like they are doing it to us, which at the start of this series that would be an area where we should be able to flourish. But we have not done a good job of that. They are dictating the pace and rhythm of the game.”
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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219 comments Add your comment
brigadierjerry
May 7th, 2012
12:16 am
slimjr,
If you want to shop Marvin and you are successfull, then why not amnesty Johnson and shop Smith or Horford?
northcyde
May 7th, 2012
12:18 am
Big Ray
May 7th, 2012
12:03 am
And I’m out….I’d rather talk about the Falcons having nothing to do until rookie camp opens than this BS.
Let’s just get the dang series over with so somebody else can show the Celtics the door like they should be.
Reason why the Hawks aren’t better than the Falcons – when it comes to playoffs, the Hawks beat teams that are ranked lower than them (except last year’s rotten Orlando squad who was doomed to begin with…that was the anomaly in this theory). Never do they beat teams that are ranked higher.
Contrast that with the Falcons, who in their last 3 playoff appearances, have been matched up with the NFC team that went to the SB.
Big difference….
******************
LMAO @ Big Ray. Come on now. The Packers were the #6 seed in the NFC, going to play the #1 seed Falcons 2 years ago . . and the Falcons got routed.
4 years earlier, they go play a 9 – 7 Arizona Cardinals team who was the #4 seed by default . . despite the 11 – 5 Falcons having the 3rd best record in the conference . . . and the Falcons lost that one.
And last year’s debacle . . . lol. 2 points?
Save that “Falcons are better” stuff for people who simply like football over basketball. The Falcons are even bigger failures than the Hawks. They haven’t won anything since Vick was forced to leave the city and the league.
leear1n
May 7th, 2012
12:18 am
The hawks has got to break up this team they will never amount to nothing. So they win in regular season except when they are on national TV..Sign Gregg Odom he should be cheap what have you got to lose he is a very young man he will get well if you don’t sign him Boston will and you know what will happen.Players with no up side and has to go Marvin Williams,Twin,(Joe need to go but you know that story you can’t depend on him at all he has not been himself for the past 3 years everybody saw that except the hawks.
High-sider
May 7th, 2012
12:19 am
Joe Johnson – 9pts
Kirk Hinrich – 2pts
Jeff Teague – 7pts
Josh Smith [Hawks' leading scorer] – 15pts
Marvin Williams – 8 [empty] pts
Tracy McGrady – 2pts
Willie Green – 4pts
Erick Dampier – [with a shocking] 8pts
Al Horford – 12 [unexpected] pts
Collins – 0pts
Ivan Johnson – 1pt
Jannero Pargo – 11pts
Hey, everybody, our problem is on the defensive end. We need to play better defensively. Offensively, we’re okay. [sarcasm + smh]
northcyde
May 7th, 2012
12:19 am
And even last year, the Falcons had a better record than the Giants, who basically limped into the division title.
Hawks > Falcons . . . for what that is worth.
day old fries
May 7th, 2012
12:20 am
A T-own of L-osers
Harry Hawk
May 7th, 2012
12:22 am
“It’s very disappointing,” Larry Drew said. “It’s a playoff game. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t be jacked up to play. The fact that we did not respond to their aggressiveness, it just totally took us out of our game. We didn’t respond to it all. We didn’t have the zap, we didn’t have the speed. We were doing everything at about 60 percent. This is the the (sic) playoffs. How can you not have it?”
I don’t know, Larry. You tell me. You’re the damn coach. I’d rather you go off on these guys and call them out for what they are than just throw your hands up and act like you can’t figure it out. You’ve been around the league a long time. These guys don’t care enough to win big in the playoffs. It’s that simple. Most of these guys are beyond hope. Say that, too.
Slimjr
May 7th, 2012
12:23 am
Giants with the #27 rank “d”.. Utterly destroyed the FAL-cons incredibly gifted QB and his band of 1st round and HOF teammates..
Not much relief there Big Ray? Oh did I mentioned they went 1-6 against the winners last season too?
CRICKETS…………
day old fries
May 7th, 2012
12:24 am
Falcons at least got Management going…It all starts from there.
Blank>ASG
Dimitroff>Sund
Smith>Drew
Ryan>Joe
Slimjr
May 7th, 2012
12:25 am
ISO contract too huge too amnesty Jerry…
Amnesty Rick Sund for starters pleeeeeeeease!
Joe for 3
May 7th, 2012
12:26 am
“So they win in regular season except when they are on national TV..Sign Gregg Odom he should be cheap what have you got to lose he is a very young man he will get well if you don’t sign him ”
leear1n – please do tell, is this greg oden, lamar odom, or a combination of the 2.
High-sider
May 7th, 2012
12:28 am
@northcyde
“…I see the “little boy” comment got under your skin. Now you’re cussing like an immature “little boy”, Grow up “little boy”, and learn about playoff basketball.
This is the Eastern Conference. Defense has been a staple of this conference for decades. You play defense, or you DIE.” – northcyde
I’m cool “little girl.” “Little girl” [northcyde], you need to learn about playoff basketball and get out of the “fantasy world” with your dolls and maybe you will find yourself a boyfriend.
Slimjr
May 7th, 2012
12:29 am
Mr Blank has not won a playoff game in 8 years….
Gone through 3 Head coaching regimes…. Round pegs and square holes is his formula for success or lack there of…
He sure knows how to pick em? Huh?
BIG DOG
May 7th, 2012
12:30 am
Either brake up the team or change coaches, like they say a Leopard never change it’s spots, JUST DAM.
Next year with same coaches and players will be a management disaster.
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
najah dappenfart
May 7th, 2012
12:30 am
Estate Sale: Package Marvin with that “felt” Elvis in the name of phony…Joe J can go with the toothpick container(made of gold) I assure you….Spirit Group can hit the road with the crap left over Monday AM.
Slimjr
May 7th, 2012
12:32 am
Dam, Barkley just said “All Whatever kept it close America”! LMAO!!!!!!! Hehehehe
TROLL PATROLL
May 7th, 2012
12:32 am
Arthur doesn’t coach, trollboy!
chuck
May 7th, 2012
12:32 am
I have nothing against Josh Smith BUT either he or Al Horford has to be traded. The play the same position and neither is very effective when both of them are on the court together. Playing Horford out of position at C isn’t fair to him. Smith shooting 3’s is a nightmare. What could we expect to receive for Josh Smith?
day old fries
May 7th, 2012
12:33 am
yeah he went to the billy knight school of foresight
BIG DOG
May 7th, 2012
12:34 am
Bill Laimbeer or Sam Mitchell ?
Sam Mitchell lives in Atlanta, HA
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
south ga boy in the Atl
May 7th, 2012
12:34 am
Lets see the Hawks play better when Josh is on the bench. Hmmmmm Its not always about talent.Sometimes, its about heart and brains, ie see the Spurs. Contrary to what folks like Najeh think. Maybe, just maybe, its time to do what I have been saying for 3 years, do what has been obvious to anyone who doesnt worship at the alter of, OMG talent. Its, past time, to break up this team of “too many forwards’ break up this team of “too little heart.” They could start by trading the talent rich/brains and heart poor J Smooooove.
Slimjr
May 7th, 2012
12:35 am
“Arthur doesn’t coach”- Pissed Patroll
He should.. He could do no worse than those stiffs he hired GENIUS!
northcyde
May 7th, 2012
12:35 am
Rod from College Park
May 7th, 2012
12:14 am
Northcyde,
Why is Philly, averaging 92ppg against the #1 defensive team in the league? They played most of the season without D. Rose.
************************
Because Philly is the #3 defensive team in the league, and they have used defense to fuel their offense. If you’ve watched any of the Philly – Chicago series, you’d know this.
And Rod . . they’ve only had one good offensive game vs the Bulls . . Game 2. Sixers haven’t shot over 40% in 3 of those games.
They’re beating the Bulls because of defense. The 109 point outburst simply inflated their ppg average.
TROLL PATROLL
May 7th, 2012
12:38 am
Keep that jig on and that motor roaring slowly..you’ll catch a fish soon, boy.
Slimjr
May 7th, 2012
12:38 am
Hawks are getting CALLEDOUT ON TNT! Just brutally telling the truth about this Franchise!
Slimjr
May 7th, 2012
12:40 am
Your boy [the chosen one] will be doing the same thing in December again!!!
ice fishin
0-4
Mac-Town (478)™
May 7th, 2012
12:41 am
Everything Shaq, Kenny and Barkley just said on Inside The NBA about the Hawks is true.
Rod from College Park
May 7th, 2012
12:41 am
The Hawks and the Knicks are the two lowest scoring teams in the playoffs. I wonder why?
Mac-Town (478)™
May 7th, 2012
12:43 am
Shaq: “Somebody tell the GM, the time is up”
Slimjr
May 7th, 2012
12:44 am
The Dream are the only contenders in town! Thats for sure…
northcyde
May 7th, 2012
12:45 am
northcyde
May 7th, 2012
12:18 am
LMAO @ Big Ray. Come on now. The Packers were the #6 seed in the NFC, going to play the #1 seed Falcons 2 years ago . . and the Falcons got routed.
4 years earlier, they go play a 9 – 7 Arizona Cardinals team who was the #4 seed by default . . despite the 11 – 5 Falcons having the 3rd best record in the conference . . . and the Falcons lost that one.
And last year’s debacle . . . lol. 2 points?
Save that “Falcons are better” stuff for people who simply like football over basketball. The Falcons are even bigger failures than the Hawks. They haven’t won anything since Vick was forced to leave the city and the league.
********************
Matter of fact, let’s REALLY keep it real about the Falcons:
2011: New York Giants: 9 – 7 ( 6th best record in NFC playoffs ) . . Falcons 10 – 6 ( 4th best record in the NFC playoffs ) . . Falcons lose
2010: Green Bay Packers: 10 – 6 ( 5th best record in the NFC playoffs ) . . Falcons 13 – 3 ( #1 record in NFC playoffs ) . . Falcons lose
2008: Arizona Cardinals: 9 – 7 ( 6th best record in the NFC playoffs ) . . Falcons 11- 5 ( 3rd best record in NFC playoffs ) . . . Falcons lose
Save that Falcons are better crap. Hawks may choke, but no one chokes like the Falcons.
Rod from College Park
May 7th, 2012
12:45 am
Shaq just said he can give you 9 points right now from the free throw line in a playoff game. The 20 million dollar man scored 9 points. Pargo scored 11 in a lot less minutes.
Slimjr
May 7th, 2012
12:46 am
26 of 27 playoff losses by 6 or more points
12 of 27 playoff losses by 20 or more points
Just brutal!
TROLL PATROLL
May 7th, 2012
12:46 am
Slimejr:’Rollin rollin rollin keep those different post names trollin” Whose your Daddy?
Heinrich
May 7th, 2012
12:48 am
Rod, don’t doubt him, he can! After 50 FT’s.
MistaGamer
May 7th, 2012
12:49 am
Rod,
Shaq also said $120M Sleeping Elephant in the Room has to be addressed
Mac-Town (478)™
May 7th, 2012
12:50 am
Shaq took a good 3 or 4 shots at Joe in that segment lol.
Rod from College Park
May 7th, 2012
12:52 am
“Because Philly is the #3 defensive team in the league, and they have used defense to fuel their offense. If you’ve watched any of the Philly – Chicago series, you’d know this.
And Rod . . they’ve only had one good offensive game vs the Bulls . . Game 2. Sixers haven’t shot over 40% in 3 of those games.
They’re beating the Bulls because of defense. The 109 point outburst simply inflated their ppg average.”
So they are averaging 1 ppg more than they averaged in the regular season, against the #1 defensive team in the league, in the playoffs, but they have only had 1 good offensive game. So I guess the 109 point game does not count. LOL
Slimjr
May 7th, 2012
12:52 am
ISO for Carmelo Jerry…Make it so…
Rod from College Park
May 7th, 2012
12:54 am
“Rod,
Shaq also said $120M Sleeping Elephant in the Room has to be addressed”
No Doubt.
MistaGamer
May 7th, 2012
12:56 am
Shaq on the Hawks:
“Their big money guys don’t step up in big games. It has to be addressed… Nine Points. Nine Points… On the free throw line I can give you nine points.”
Hawks = JOKE
May 7th, 2012
12:58 am
Hate to say I told you but…..
OFFSEASON
1. Hire a real head coach.
2. Break this team up finally. Not going to happen with this hapless bunch EVER!!
3. Trade Josh Smith while his value has peaked.
4. Please get rid of Marvin Williams. Dude is such a bust they kept reminding us on TV tonight just how big of a bust he has been for Hawks. Horrible pick.
5. Teach Joe Johnson to act like he cares to be playing basketball. Dude likes he is playing a pick up game. No emotion for the so called team leader.
The Globetrotter move Rondo did on Hawks tonight was icing on the cake to how bad we are. I actually hung my head down because I was embarrassed. That is twice he got us with that move. Hope some serious moves are made in offseason because another year with these same clowns is proof owners don’t really want to win.
Alonzo Stergis
May 7th, 2012
12:58 am
The HAWKS have 4 starters that would be 6men on any other elite team,except for AL he comes to play each and every night when healthy…
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 7th, 2012
12:59 am
26 of 27 playoff losses by 6 or more points
12 of 27 playoff losses by 20 or more points
Just brutal!
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 7th, 2012
12:59 am
ISO for Carmelo Jerry…Make it so…
Hawks Fan Down Under
May 7th, 2012
1:00 am
Only hope is for a new owner or coach. Otherwise 2012-13 will be the same as all the other years…..
doc
May 7th, 2012
1:01 am
ouch, hawks got roasted bad by tnt, shaq said they are too cool dribbling between their legs, jj doesnt deliver and mocked the 9 points of jj by saying he could get you nine points right now …. from the foul line that got a good laugh. said jj just keeps shooting and does nothing else like going into the lane and being physical like kobe does when he isnt on. charles said it should have been blown up three years ago. then it was said nothing has changed since woody years, too much isolation, not getting back and not enough effort. the analysis of the game was how could they give so much space to these guys showing pp, rondo and kg getting easy looks because of it. hope someone can find the segment and post it.
big ray, the problem is the falcons lose big to the ultimate winners of green bay and ny giants and they should have never lost to arizona due to over confidence. it isnt like it is a close game to suggest they were close. looked similar to tonights game. also kind of hard to lose to the ultimate winner when you play in the east, no?
if these guys get hit hard they quit. simple formula.
BIG DOG
May 7th, 2012
1:01 am
ISO and a first for CARMELO.
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
doc
May 7th, 2012
1:02 am
i see gm jeje was watching too.
High-sider
May 7th, 2012
1:03 am
Games 1 – 4
ATL vs. BOS
1. 83 vs. 74
2. 80 vs. 87
3. 84 vs. 90
4. 79 vs. 101
Boston is averaging 88ppg and Atlanta is averaging 81.5ppg. The Hawks need/needed another scorer this postseason. Case closed.