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
Najeh Davenpoop
May 6th, 2012
9:31 pm
Big Dog, are you in the house? I can’t tell
kima
May 6th, 2012
9:31 pm
Embarrassing Loss, hopefully they bounce back in Game 5
Blast
May 6th, 2012
9:31 pm
Only positive in this debacle? Horford seems to be back. But not sure how much that is gonna help if Hawks don’t get their act together in game 5.
Win or go home, Hawks. Simple as that.
Best game for Celts this series.
Rod from College Park
May 6th, 2012
9:31 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.”
We should not be averaging in the 80’s against this team. Doc knows how to defend us, and we don’t adjust offensively. Bad coaching. We have to much talent to be getting shut down defensively by the Celtics.
northcyde
May 6th, 2012
9:31 pm
Big Dog . . . I know that. You need to tell other people that though.
But I agree. I won’t mention Jamal again. Defense was the problem tonight, in a big way. Good defensive teams can survive bad offensive outputs. But good offensive teams can’t overcome bad defensive performances.
devildog
May 6th, 2012
9:32 pm
I’m been an ATL Hawks fans from the moment I could breath on my own. My Hawks, your Hawks, play sometimes like they don’t believe they can win these big games! I know my Hawks have pride! To me, it seems that all ATL teams are scared of being successfully! As I watch the last couple minutes of the game, I have come up with a formula that will help our Atlanta Hawks win in the playoff. First they have to have miles and miles of Heart, second Ambitious, third Will, fourth Knowledge and final Strength to weather the storm. If our Hawks use this formula, they will see that light at the end of this long tunnel call the “Playoff”! Now go out there an play basketball the way it suppose to be played. We will “Rise Up”
Heart
Ambitious
Will
Knowledge
Strength
Hawkfan
May 6th, 2012
9:32 pm
Agreed Najeh that no coach wins this game. I think Adelman would have had us up 3-0 though. Would he have left Pargo in Game 3, Marvin shooting the tech? Would he have let subs give up a 12 pt lead in Game 2? I think this team is talented and plays hard most of the time. I do not think they LD is a good game coach. Just looks lost
WHOCARES
May 6th, 2012
9:32 pm
Hey Rusty…..It’s “I just saw Rondo”!
BIG DOG
May 6th, 2012
9:33 pm
Bill Laimbeer or Sam Mitchell next Hawks coach.
time for a vote MC ?
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
Clarification
May 6th, 2012
9:33 pm
“All stats are meaningless when you lose by 30.”
Except for that big L.
CamiloAtlanta
May 6th, 2012
9:33 pm
Losers go home. Sit on your fat paycheck. Bums.
WHOCARES
May 6th, 2012
9:33 pm
Oh my word.
BIG DOG
May 6th, 2012
9:34 pm
My bad Northcyde.
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
Eb
May 6th, 2012
9:35 pm
What’s the love affair here with Josh Smith? The guy is undisciplined and looks like a fool half the time he’s on the court. Very similar to the last few years Andruw Jones was with the Braves and swinging at pitches 3 feet oitside. Josh is not that good and I don’t get how many here see him as some superhero.
WHOCARES
May 6th, 2012
9:36 pm
Hey Bob and Dominique…Call it like it is. Don’t sweet coat it! Hawks are soooooooooooooo worthless!
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 6th, 2012
9:37 pm
Just because a guy gets a double double, it doesn’t mean he had a great game. Smoove was way out of control and this team played like !@#$.
And Boston was red hot
Eb
May 6th, 2012
9:39 pm
No coach is going to win in this town as long as the ASG own the team. These guys have proved their incompetence over many years now across the board: GMs, coaches, free agents, and draft picks. No decent coach would come here knowing these bafoons are in charge.
Clarification
May 6th, 2012
9:39 pm
“We have to much talent to be getting shut down defensively by the Celtics.”
They held the Heat to 72 in early April with all of their big 3 playing. Do we have more talent than the Heat?
Rusty
May 6th, 2012
9:40 pm
Vlad is horrible,he shouldn’t be here.
northcyde
May 6th, 2012
9:40 pm
Yep Jeje . . especially when defensive rebounds vs the Celtics don’t count.
tb hawk fan
May 6th, 2012
9:40 pm
What was wrong with the Celtics the first game?
BIG DOG
May 6th, 2012
9:40 pm
I told you guys if Hinrich starte the Hawks lose, but dam i didn’t think it would be this bad, SMH
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
O'brien
May 6th, 2012
9:40 pm
Rod,
I don’t know if Jamal would have helped. But what I do know is the Celtics were top 3 in defense in the regular season. So what makes you think we would be able to average 96 against them?
The Bulls were very good defensively last season too, and look what they did to Jamal? Why would Boston be any different?
O'brien
May 6th, 2012
9:42 pm
despite his double double, I was not impressed by Josh’s game. His defense wasn’t what it should be (maybe his injury slowed him down).
But Josh had 6 turnovers. 8 of his 13 shots were jumpers outside the paint, and he was 1-8 on those shots (4-5 inside the paint). Not a good game (imo).
And how many times must we hear LD say “we didn’t respond”
Bravesfan79
May 6th, 2012
9:42 pm
The game was lost when Drew refused to take Collins out of the game when he was obviously playing like crap in the first 5 minutes.
bigdave
May 6th, 2012
9:42 pm
Making the right basketball play? Or not wanting it? Have to play with an assertive edge if you want championships joe. That is what motivates you right? Got the feeling you would have been content with your boy mike bibby still by your side going through the motions on the court and melting the night life immediately after. No better place to rest peacfully in mediocrity. Knew this dude wasn’t bout rings when he turned down NY and Miami. the game and production that is reliable joe just isn’t enough. Especially when you aren’t a motivating presence and take schemes from less than avg coaching.
Fan of T.S.
May 6th, 2012
9:43 pm
Thats Fcked up the way horford cost us that game and perhaps the playoffs. We are now down 3-1. Thank s Al
As usual Josh lead the team in pts, rebounds and assists.
Abe the Fan
May 6th, 2012
9:43 pm
As long as Josh insists on bringing the ball downcourt and the coach doesnt call him on it…and as long as the Hawks dont play good fundamental basketball, i.e. spacing on fast breaks (something you learn in junior high), boxing out, no cross courts passes (more acceptable now but still risky)…and the list goes on…WE WILL NOT WIN!!!
Section 212
May 6th, 2012
9:44 pm
Eb – Smoove is a huge talent, not a superhero (like Newt is for you). Understand this, he played all 66 games this past season, most of them with tendenitus in his left knee. Give Smoove a REAL coach who will place real demands on him, like Van Gundy, Sam Mitchell or even Lambier and you will see his game become even stronger. The problem child on the team is Marvin Williams, he was a #2 pick, Josh was considered a reach at #19.
Clarification
May 6th, 2012
9:44 pm
“And how many times must we hear LD say “we didn’t respond””
Hopefully just once more. Though these owners will go the cheap route.
Bravesfan79
May 6th, 2012
9:44 pm
Even if we loose the series, i wanna see (and expect) the Hawks to win game 5, and give the C’s a good game in game 6. Hope we take it to 7!
northcyde
May 6th, 2012
9:45 pm
And people can’t blame this loss on Larry Drew. This loss is on the players.
I hope people in ATL have already bought their tickets. I do not want to see 5,000 very loud Boston fans in Philips on Tuesday night. Because that green will be out in droves.
Add that to a potential late arriving crowd, and the Hawks could be almost be playing without the home court for the first 7 – 10 minutes of the game.
christopher mehegan
May 6th, 2012
9:47 pm
HAHAHAHHAAHAHHAHAHHHAH YOUR BUNCH OF WASHED UP REFEREE BIYATCHING DEPENDS SCRATCHING PANTS POOPING ATLANTA CHOKERS R NOW DOWN 3-1 HAHAHAHAH TIME TO PACK IT IN POLISH UR GOLF CLUBS REAL NICE PLAN UR TEE-TIMES AT UR LOCAL GOLF COURSE CAUSE U GUYS ARE FINISHED COME TUESDAY THE CELTICS R GONNA FINISH U ON UR HOME COURT FURTHER PROVING THT U GUYS HAVE AND ALWAYS WILL BE A STEPPING STONE AND A FOOTNOTE AS THE NBA’S LAUGHING STOCK FOR AN EVEN LONGER TIME TO COME ENJOY THE OFFSEASON CAUSE IT’S CALLING YOU CLOSING TIME TIME TO SAY QUIT ATLANTA CAUSE THE OFFSEASON IS CALLING U HOME GREEN & WHITE FOREVER GO CELTICS HAHAHHAHAHA
BIG DOG
May 6th, 2012
9:47 pm
Doc just man handle LD in coaching department, mis matches all over the court, Teague 6′0 guarding 6′6 Ray Allen is straight up dum.
KG 7′1 POSTING UP Josh 6′9 and Al 6′10 in the post all day
Poor Joe chasing Pierce all over the court and trying to score at sametime, SMH
Doc ARGUING EVERY CALL and LD say nothing, JUST DAM.
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
Section 212
May 6th, 2012
9:47 pm
LD started 2 players who are self-check…Kirk and Collins. so we started the game playing 3 v 5. My 8 yr old son calls Collins Krispy-Kreme and calls Marvin Floppy….LOL
TryingHardToBeAFan
May 6th, 2012
9:47 pm
Al said he declared “himself” out for the 1st round then he plays. Josh shouldn’t have been out there. Joe gets 4 shots in the 1st half. Drew is just playing who ever goes to the scorer’s table. Doc played the end of the bench the last game of regular season. Garnett ,Allen and Pierce didnt even travel with the team to Atlanta. He knows like everybody else this cluster duck of a team is a mess. Vegas says the Spurs over the Heat in 5 games of the Finals so why bother. Oh well just start over NEXT year!!!
O'brien
May 6th, 2012
9:47 pm
Rod,
Aren’t you the one who always says the playoff is a different animal? And you are right. Denver averaged 104 ppg in the regular season. but in games 1 and 2 against the Lakers, they averaged 94 ppg. In game 3, they scored 99.
But you keep harping on the Hawks should be able to score their season average against Boston, who is top 3 in defense. Let it go.
That being said, one thing we can agree on. marvin sucks
O'brien
May 6th, 2012
9:48 pm
northcyde,
What does it matter? After all, JJ (your boy) does not care if the fans show up
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 6th, 2012
9:50 pm
Wish we had gotten the 6 seed.
Hope Boston doesn’t shoot like this Tuesday.
Wow we just lost 3 games in a row. THese guys who have been together 5-6 years can’t figure out yet how to win close games vs GOOD teams
SMH
Section 212
May 6th, 2012
9:51 pm
A lot of Laker fans in Denver….
Robbie
May 6th, 2012
9:52 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.”
Man STFU
bigdave
May 6th, 2012
9:53 pm
Did all Al’s pts come on dunks from penetrating teammates, so he gave us basically what twin and damp gave or tried to on fri. I think damp had about 5 or 6 the same way, though he took a couple dimes off his chest. Not sure if the Al experiment was appropiate on the road tonight. Especially since he didn’t go fri when one would think hes services were most needed, would love to know what differene a day made in his progression..
Walt Frazier
May 6th, 2012
9:54 pm
They interviewed the Hawks locker room before the game. In particular, Joe Johnson said that- he is definitely-going to give his all to “try” to get this win. “Trying to get this win” is not the same thing as saying- we are going to get this win, or we will fight tooth & nail to get this win, etc. But “try”? Joe set himself and his teamates up for total failure and they knew it. The Celtics are not Clevland or the Hornets, or the Raptors. The Hawks lost the game in the first 10 minutes of the game. Case closed. It’s a wrap. Dump Sund, fire LD, get rid of everythingm, including the kitchen sink at the Phillips.
northcyde
May 6th, 2012
9:55 pm
Bigdave . . it;s a combination of both. Horford and Smith are talented players, so the Hawks try to get all three the ball. Sometimes, like in this game, Horford and Smith will get more touches and put up more shots than JJ.
Now you even got Teague becoming a scoring option. So the scoring is going to be more balanced, like what you have with the Celtics or other good teams with multiple scorers.
JJ is paid to be like Kobe, but unless the other guys yield to JJ to take 20+ shots, there’s no way he can put up those kind of numbers, unless he shoots a high percentage. That’s why he has a Hawk career low of 15.6 FG attempts this year.
Part of it is definitely on him for not simply getting his shots up. The other part is him trying to make the right play and get it to open people.
When JJ gets doubled, the right basketball play is to find the open man. But the main superstars in the league could care less about a double team, they’re still putting the shot up.
Mantis
May 6th, 2012
9:57 pm
Oh well… it was fun being back in round 2 for a few years. I guess us Hawks fans have to get back used to not seeing round 2 again. I’m sure there is no longer any doubt in anyone’s mind that signing Joe Johnson to that massive contract was an enormous mistake. Joe couldn’t shoot his way out of an outhouse in the clutch.
BIG DOG
May 6th, 2012
9:58 pm
Section 2012 – Collins can keep KG from the paint, but sorry Hinrich is just clumsy and never look for his shot or penatrate the basketball, the first thing Hinrich do is play passive and never attack.
Hinrich is hurting the Hawks starting at SG.
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
Walt Frazier
May 6th, 2012
9:58 pm
Bottom line is-THE HAWKS DIDN’T DESERVE TO BE IN THE PLAYOFFS IN THE FIRST PLACE! And if you’re honest about it: you have to admit that they had the kind of season where at had you scratching you head wondering why they played so inconsistantly-all year long. Then what logic of insanity makes you think that now of a sudden-they will be a changed team in these playoffs?
christopher mehegan
May 6th, 2012
10:00 pm
HAWKS ARE CHOKERS CHOKERS CHOKERS HAHAHAHAH 3-1 SERIES LEAD BY THE CELTICS OVER THE ATLANTA CHOKERS 1 MORE TO GO AND IT’S THE OFFSEASON FOR U FRAUDS HAHAHAH GO CELTICS GREEN & WHITE FOREVER
Rod from College Park
May 6th, 2012
10:01 pm
“I don’t know if Jamal would have helped. But what I do know is the Celtics were top 3 in defense in the regular season. So what makes you think we would be able to average 96 against them?
The Bulls were very good defensively last season too, and look what they did to Jamal? Why would Boston be any different?”
The Celitcs were second in points allowed this year at 89.3 ppg. In our 4 game series we are averaging 81.5 ppg, with an overtime game included. No matter how good a team is defensively, you should still be able to run your offense.
Celtics and Bulls last year are totally different defensively. Chicago played great interior defense, and had great wing defenders. Boston’s strengths defensively are simply KG and Rondo, with Pietrus thrown in. The Celtics never had success in defending Jamal when he was here. Check the stats.
O'brien
May 6th, 2012
10:02 pm
Wow. Kobe just scored, and there was a loud cheer from the crowd. Denver Sports fans need an article. They suck.