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
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 6th, 2012
9:20 pm
Rondo had 5 days off because of that suspension. Resting now
Kelvin
May 6th, 2012
9:20 pm
I guess asking the Hawks to show some pride like the Knicks did earlier was asking too much. How embarrassing! What a pathetic bunch of losers!
The Anonymous Group 0.9
May 6th, 2012
9:21 pm
http://www.bustedmugshots.com/georgia/marietta/mary-ellen-burton/30738392
Najeh Davenpoop
May 6th, 2012
9:21 pm
“Adelman wins this series in 5. He would be a great coach. Don’t get the point in not paying for a real coach when you pay 70 mil plus for the team salaries. Like putting a trolling motor on a Yacht”
I would love Adelman for this roster, but Phil Jackson couldn’t have stopped the Hawks from losing this game. When they decide they don’t want to defend, they are screwed no matter the substitution patterns or play calls.
Rod from College Park
May 6th, 2012
9:21 pm
Northcyde,
Did you hear Reggie Miller? Joe Johnson is shooting 35% for the series. LOL
northcyde
May 6th, 2012
9:21 pm
The funny thing is this was the type of game most of you were expecting on Friday night.
The Anonymous Group 0.9
May 6th, 2012
9:21 pm
peep that@Jeje
rofl
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 6th, 2012
9:21 pm
Eb,
Spoelstra is a pretty average coach
smh
May 6th, 2012
9:21 pm
congratulations to joe johnson for having 9 points in a critical playoff game
steven a smith
May 6th, 2012
9:21 pm
All “5″ Atlanta starters should choke themselves..This was ATROCIOUS!!!! As Jerry Glanville would say, “they ought to be sellin insurance”
No Yo Momma Is A Bum
May 6th, 2012
9:21 pm
…….
Rev in Tampa
May 6th, 2012
9:22 pm
wish willie had hit that shot on friday night
justin
May 6th, 2012
9:22 pm
In the regular season, we averaged about 85 points again in regulation against the Celtics, and they averaged almost exactly the same against us. In the first 3 games of this series, we averaged 81 points in regulation and the Celtics averaged 78. So scoring in the low 80’s is not a terrible thing in light of that. Giving up 90 points through 3 quarters is, but part of that aberration is due to unusually hot shooting.
Kingd92
May 6th, 2012
9:22 pm
Damp!
Loserville USA
May 6th, 2012
9:22 pm
ONLY DOWN BY 20!!!!
Shamrock
May 6th, 2012
9:22 pm
The Fat Lady sings so often in Atlanta that, in order to cut down on travel, she bought a small condo there. She will have no problem being at Philips Tuesday night.
justin
May 6th, 2012
9:22 pm
I meant a game, not again.
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 6th, 2012
9:23 pm
Pargo has scored, but his defense is SO BAD.
shamrock
May 6th, 2012
9:23 pm
Im wearing Celtic green to the game Tuesday too baby!!!
Eb
May 6th, 2012
9:23 pm
Reggie Miller just said JJ better start playing like the $100M man he is. Said it’s unacceptable for a superstar to have 9 points and shoot 35% over the series. Amen to that!
northcyde
May 6th, 2012
9:23 pm
I hear him Rod. JJ has to get his shots up, to get his percentage up. Only 4 – 8 FG tonight.
I got an idea though . . . let’s trade JJ to Portland for Jamal, and see if a Jamal led Hawks team can do any better.
28% FG . . 10% 3FG in Jamal’s last 5 playoff games
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 6th, 2012
9:24 pm
Smoove really set a bad tone early on. Does anyone else agree? He was way out of control after our first 2 FGs
Kingd92
May 6th, 2012
9:24 pm
Damn Reggie should coach this team. He knows way more than LD for sure
Kingd92
May 6th, 2012
9:25 pm
Ill take Jeff Van Gundy as well
Meebo Bar
May 6th, 2012
9:25 pm
Hawks can still win this series!
tank
May 6th, 2012
9:25 pm
thank you Joe No show Johnson. Joe Johnson was the same player we got when he got here as a free agent. No improvement in any facet of his game and his lame, laid back personality. Get that stupid droopy ass look off your face and show some heart punk
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 6th, 2012
9:25 pm
Looks like TMac isn’t winning a Playoff series. This ish is depressing.
Game 1 was fools gold. Pierce was so awful in that game
justin
May 6th, 2012
9:25 pm
Josh did set a bad tone. He was awful with turnovers, long jumpers, and blown defensive assignments.
Rusty
May 6th, 2012
9:25 pm
LD cost us game 2&3 with his stupid substitutions.
hawkfan
May 6th, 2012
9:25 pm
well once i heard larry drew say it’s not a must win, I knew we would be in for a loooooonnnnng night, but I don’t feel embarrassed by this loss, if we had won game 3 would have still been tied 2-2 after this blowout, now on to game 5
tank
May 6th, 2012
9:26 pm
i knew the game was over when we were down by 6 early as well
Rod from College Park
May 6th, 2012
9:26 pm
Jamal was the better scorer last year in the playoffs. Any player in the league except Marvin could play better than Joe at this point.
rofl@drmary DUI mugshot photo from 01
May 6th, 2012
9:26 pm
no big surprise here. Hoeford returns, worst playoff beating.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 6th, 2012
9:26 pm
“Smoove really set a bad tone early on. Does anyone else agree? He was way out of control after our first 2 FGs”
He played like sh-t — my beef with him was more on D than his turnovers — but everyone played like sh-t today. When you lose by 30, it is a team effort.
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 6th, 2012
9:26 pm
Seriously.
Can we get a real coaching staff? A real GM?
A stat board at Philips?
Real ownership?
A center?
A small forward?
northcyde
May 6th, 2012
9:26 pm
Justin. Don’t say that man. Josh got a double-double tonight. No way could he have been part of the problem tonight, could he?
Section 212
May 6th, 2012
9:27 pm
Hawks should only keep Smoove and Teague, then do a man-for-man trade with Golden State
justin
May 6th, 2012
9:27 pm
Turnovers and 3 point shooting tells the story of this game. The celtics had 19 points off our 18 turnovers and had 21 more points from 3 on only 4 more 3 point attempts.
northcyde
May 6th, 2012
9:27 pm
13 rebounds for Josh . . oops . . the Celtics don’t go after defensive rebounds . . so like Marvin’s on Friday night, those 11 defensive rebounds were meaningless I guess.
Dorothy from Kansas
May 6th, 2012
9:27 pm
Here to take the Hawks with me to see the Wizard.
Rusty
May 6th, 2012
9:28 pm
I just seen Rondo go around JT at the free throw line,JJ was just standing there & made no attempt what so ever to stop him.
BIG DOG
May 6th, 2012
9:28 pm
Northcyde please stop talking about Jamal, that’s 2011 news, JUST DAM.
Jamal did nothing last year and did nothing this year.
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
smh
May 6th, 2012
9:28 pm
Ivan i sshootin up bricks
phil
May 6th, 2012
9:28 pm
Core?
Of what?
Garbage? They can’t win a thing that matters. I’d rather be Charlotte.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 6th, 2012
9:29 pm
All stats are meaningless when you lose by 30.
Section 212
May 6th, 2012
9:29 pm
I’ll take Van Gundy
phil
May 6th, 2012
9:29 pm
We won one playoff game…
That’s plenty.
justin
May 6th, 2012
9:29 pm
People think this is crazy, but I think it’s better that we lost this way. It’s a wake-up call plus the Celtics will not shoot this hot again. If we take care of the ball better next game, I think we’ll take care of business.
BIG DOG
May 6th, 2012
9:29 pm
Justin Bieber is with the money team now, I BE DAM.
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
Admirable SnAckBar
May 6th, 2012
9:30 pm
don’t think you can blame that on the Atl fans.