Atlanta Hawks at Celtics Game 4: Game thread
Boston–Josh Smith is testing his left knee pregame but said he will play tonight after no setbacks during this morning’s shootaround. He plans to wear a brace during the game. “When the adrenalin kicks in I probably won’t feel it,” he said. “I’ve just got to go out there and not even think about it. Play hard, play the way I’m capable of playing and not worry about re-injuring it.”
- Josh said if the Hawks were up 2-1 instead of down “I would probably be more cautious with the decision. But this is a must-win game for us tonight.”
- Larry Drew on Smith’s movement at shootaround: “Once he loosened up he looked pretty good.”
- Tracy McGrady (ankle) said he’s fine: “I feel great. I’m not worried about it.”
- Al Horford (pectoral) warmed up before the game and decided he feels good enough to be put on the active list. The Hawks say he’s a game-time decision.
- Drew said he would monitor Josh and T-Mac’s minutes: “I will certainly try to keep an eye on their minutes and we will use them accordingly depending on what the matchups are. If we get into a situation where we have to play one or two gys extra minutes, then so be it. We are in the fourth game of the playoffs and we want to put our best foot forward and play as well as we can and put ourselves in position to win.”
- Drew on playing without Josh: “Without him, we lose a big part of what we’ve been. He’s a guy that, now, down in the low block he commands double teams. He plays out of double teams really well, he’s an extremely good passer, he gives us stability defensively. We just miss his leadership out on the court.”
- Jeff Teague has been the most efficient shooter for the Hawks in this series, (non-Erick Dampier category) but he’s fourth in usage percentage. Teague’s 16.5 points per 36 minutes are second to Josh Smith (17.1).
- Drew wants Teague to be more aggressive offensively late in games even if his number isn’t called. Teague’s chances in the halfcourt still will have to come by playing off of Joe and Josh. Drew said Teague is the No. 2 option in those situations when Josh is not on the court; with Josh in the lineup tonight, Teague presumably slides back down to third in the pecking order.
- “When we get into that stretch run, particularly not having Josh, obviously we are gong to go through Joe a lot and I know they are going to keep a couple guys around him at all time with double teams and making sure he can’t get away,” Drew said. “But when Joe does give that basketball up, and that ball is swung out to Jeff, we need him to be in aggressive mode. You can’t be passive at that point because the shot clock is winding down and he is probably the only one on the floor that has that break-the-defense-down type speed. We just need him to be aggressive and be smart with his decisions.”
- Drew on Teague playing off Joe and Josh: “He’s growing. You can definitely see where he’s starting to understand how to play off those guys and how to get those guys involved. He’s not going to be perfect at it because he’s a scoring point guard. But he has gotten so much better in that area. The one thing is I want him to continue to be himself and stay aggressive and staying in that attack mode and just allow his natural instincts to come out.”
- Avery Bradley (shoulder) is a go for the Celtics.
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870 comments Add your comment
smh
May 6th, 2012
8:50 pm
LOL @ phil
brigadierjerry
May 6th, 2012
8:50 pm
This is pretty embarassing but I am not even mad. One thing I want to say though you get to the point that even if the coaches arent great sometimes it really comes down to the players. I know Woodson and LD are not great coaches but this group has been together the core that is for awhile now. I think it is time for this core to be broken up bottom line. That game 2 loss was a killer.
Also, as others have said this team is mentally weak when the games get tight hawks have a tendency to crumble. Game 1 Hawks was very fortunate to win that game
steven a smith
May 6th, 2012
8:50 pm
I would not take free tickets to watch these SCRUBS!!1 Rather play Madden..
jcwfalcon
May 6th, 2012
8:00 pm
I would like to give away my tickets to Tuesdays game. Can send to someones email. I would rather walk through broken glass than spend the night at Philips watching this team.
justin
May 6th, 2012
8:50 pm
Al Horford with 12 points and 5 rebounds in 20 minutes, with 60% shooting in his first game back. Any everybody wants to throw him under the bus. You guys can’t be taken seriously.
Bellefay
May 6th, 2012
8:50 pm
Spirit.
Please sell the team this year.
Please.
We beg you. You have no direction. We hate you. No one buys anything you say and we wish nothing but the worse for you.
Signed,
Hawks fans.
northcyde
May 6th, 2012
8:51 pm
Hawks once lost a game @ Philips ( I think in 2008 ) in which they were up big over UTAH.
But the Jazz outscored us 40 – 13 in the 4th quarter, and won the game. Let me see if I can find that game right quick.
Big Lou
May 6th, 2012
8:51 pm
Horford has 12 points and 5 rebounds. Yeah, Ivan is really better.
Ivan should replace Duck.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 6th, 2012
8:51 pm
When you lose by 30, it’s never just one player’s fault. It takes a total team effort to get outplayed that badly. Everyone on the team sucked on D and there was no cohesiveness.
LakeDawg
May 6th, 2012
8:51 pm
Smooove!!!!
WHOCARES
May 6th, 2012
8:51 pm
Get rid of this organization! MOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Section 212
May 6th, 2012
8:51 pm
Robbie
May 6th, 2012
8:51 pm
Blaming the game on Al when he has OUTPLAYED that idiot Josh?
GIVE IT UP. Everything they say about the Hawks applies to JOSH, not Al.
Josh – questionable effort, shot selection, maturity, athletic, etc
WAKE UP AND SMELL THE DAMN COFFEE JOSH APOLOGISTS
WHOCARES
May 6th, 2012
8:52 pm
I challenge all Hawk fans to boycott game 5!
Section 212
May 6th, 2012
8:52 pm
time to shock the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
steven a smith
May 6th, 2012
8:53 pm
Real question moving forward, who should be amnestied next season? I say Joe Johnson should be amnestied or traded for expiring contracts…
northcyde
May 6th, 2012
8:53 pm
Just shoot the ball JJ. Stop the dribbling and let it fly.
Hawkfan
May 6th, 2012
8:53 pm
Anybody kicking Horford is blind. What an improvement over Collins he should be. Get the starters out and try to win Game 5. Joe was terrible tonite. I’m a big fan of Joe but he brought nothing. He should play with the scrubs
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 6th, 2012
8:53 pm
Celts had scrubs in 2nd qtr and we did nothing
northcyde
May 6th, 2012
8:54 pm
Marvin . . . hmmmmm
Najeh Davenpoop
May 6th, 2012
8:54 pm
MARVIN HAS TWO MADE FIELD GOALS
I REPEAT: MARVIN HAS TWO MADE FIELD GOALS IN A PLAYOFF GAME
Rev in Tampa
May 6th, 2012
8:54 pm
Marvin with the garbage time 3
steven a smith
May 6th, 2012
8:54 pm
justin
May 6th, 2012
8:50 pm
Al Horford with 12 points and 5 rebounds in 20 minutes, with 60% shooting in his first game back. Any everybody wants to throw him under the bus. You guys can’t be taken seriously.
STATS ARE FOR LOSERS!!!
Rod from College Park
May 6th, 2012
8:54 pm
Some of you guys still don’t understand. Has nothing to do with defense. Celtics are simply hitting shots that they have been missing. WE CAN’T SCORE. Our offense is the problem.
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 6th, 2012
8:55 pm
Marvin steps up in garbage minutes
northcyde
May 6th, 2012
8:55 pm
Killer 3 by Rondo . . . could’ve cut that lead to 19 if we go the other way.
Hawkfan
May 6th, 2012
8:55 pm
22 down could it be? Nope F;()ing Rondo is pretty good
northcyde
May 6th, 2012
8:55 pm
haha . .. so much for the run. Back to 28 just like that. Oh well
crawdiddy72
May 6th, 2012
8:55 pm
everybody talking about blow this team up who you going to get in return? draft picks? you certainly aint gonna get no superstars. its about coaching. in order for the hawks to take the next step is get a big name coach. look at philadephia its doug collins not the scrubs they playing with. drew been outcoached in each playoff game so far
steven a smith
May 6th, 2012
8:55 pm
GREAT SHOT BY JOSH???
phil
May 6th, 2012
8:56 pm
RA – have you lost all touch with reality? Come on, man…
Melvin
May 6th, 2012
8:56 pm
No Ivan, LD is about a fool…
justin
May 6th, 2012
8:56 pm
Thanks Stephen A. I always appreciate your objectivity and how you never let your emotions get the best of you in your analysis.
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 6th, 2012
8:56 pm
Rod, those minutes in 2nd qtr Celts had at least 3 scrubs in and we did nothing. Pargo suffered defensively
LakeDawg
May 6th, 2012
8:56 pm
MARVIN HAS TWO MADE FIELD GOALS
————————————————————————————————————————————–
I see he’s doubled his normal output. Way to go Marvin!
Section 212
May 6th, 2012
8:56 pm
Didn’t we have it down to 22????
northcyde
May 6th, 2012
8:57 pm
Pizz poor effort by JJ . . . first he just gives up chasing Ray Allen, then he lets Rondo drive into the lane uncontested.
phil
May 6th, 2012
8:57 pm
Talent?
Coaching?
LOL
Najeh Davenpoop
May 6th, 2012
8:57 pm
GET THE STARTERS OUT
High-sider
May 6th, 2012
8:57 pm
Dumb foul by Stiemsma
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 6th, 2012
8:57 pm
Ivan has had a pretty mediocre series. Let it go
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 6th, 2012
8:58 pm
Marvin garbage points
Harpie
May 6th, 2012
8:58 pm
Hey, Fan of T.S. – You’re Al Horford’s ex -girlfriend, aren’t you?
Rod from College Park
May 6th, 2012
8:58 pm
“MARVIN HAS TWO MADE FIELD GOALS
I REPEAT: MARVIN HAS TWO MADE FIELD GOALS IN A PLAYOFF GAME”
Now northcyde will say he should be getting more time. Garbage points. They mean nothing.
justin
May 6th, 2012
8:58 pm
Rod, the reason they’ve been missing them is because that’s who they are. Look at their FG% the 6 games they’ve played us. It’s pretty consistent. Tonight is the exception.
phil
May 6th, 2012
8:58 pm
Ivan is a mediocre player…hello!
Stephen Colbert
May 6th, 2012
8:58 pm
Seeing Mitt Romney reminds me that if corporations are people, then Romney is a serial killer.
steven a smith
May 6th, 2012
8:58 pm
The Atlanta “Rodney Dangerfields” They get no respect at all…(SMDH..)
northcyde
May 6th, 2012
8:58 pm
Somebody call Jamal Crawford. He could score 37 this quarter and lead us to victory.
northcyde
May 6th, 2012
8:59 pm
So the movie Battleship, is really an ocean version of Transformers?
Lil Fawkers
May 6th, 2012
8:59 pm
THANK YOU BOSTON!!! Can we break up this team finally and get a real head coach?