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
7:37 pm
We wont last Joe playing timid Tracy playing like wet boo boo
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 6th, 2012
7:38 pm
Terrible offense
Terrible defense
justin
May 6th, 2012
7:38 pm
where’s the foul?
Rob
May 6th, 2012
7:38 pm
this is some bull
Fan of T.S.
May 6th, 2012
7:38 pm
Al is shooting bricks, turning the ball over and the hawks are losing big time. while the man that brought us here Josh is on the bench. Fire Drew for listing to you idiots.
Trade Al and Teague WhY IN THE HELL WOULD YOU GIVE AL A ROLE WHEN HE IS A HOUDINI AND HAS BEEN INJURED ALL YEAR LONG.
Rev in Tampa
May 6th, 2012
7:38 pm
WHAT??? NO FOUL ON AL AT THE END OF THE QUARTER????
justin
May 6th, 2012
7:38 pm
8 turnovers in one quarter is unacceptable.
Melvin
May 6th, 2012
7:38 pm
Terrible 1st qtr by the Hawks. Now they have to play from behind for the rest of the game.
Melvin
May 6th, 2012
7:38 pm
Terrible 1st qtr by the Hawks. Now they have to play from behind for the rest of the game.
ntrigue
May 6th, 2012
7:39 pm
Why is Ivan not in! He shouldve came in before Al! Drew is an idiot!
Najeh Davenpoop
May 6th, 2012
7:39 pm
The one guy who is perfectly healthy and capable of carrying the load, Joe, did pretty much nothing that entire quarter.
justin
May 6th, 2012
7:39 pm
Al should have been shooting ft’s at the end of the quarter. no question.
Fan of T.S.
May 6th, 2012
7:39 pm
Al looks bad, but im not surprised. he is a loser. what the hell was Drew thinking in playing this jerk.
Wabe
May 6th, 2012
7:39 pm
Larry Drew’s looking beyond stupid for playing Horford…
I’d rather see Ivan down there gaurding KG than Horford at this point…
Big Lou
May 6th, 2012
7:39 pm
KG hooked Al. It’s not his fault.
Also, Ivan should be in over Marvin.
Rev in Tampa
May 6th, 2012
7:39 pm
That was a crap “no call” at the end of the quarter. Horford was molested.
Rod from College Park
May 6th, 2012
7:39 pm
Say goodbye to Ivan. Al’s back. LOL
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 6th, 2012
7:39 pm
Celtics are just an excellent defensive team and our offense sucks. It’s that simple. Pierce was on fire
honest_abe
May 6th, 2012
7:40 pm
what do you mean al hasn’t contributed anything? he’s brought the ball up court almost turning it over each time only to hand the ball off to the pg after crossing half court. when the media says the hawks are the “dumbest” team in the league there’s some pretty strong evidence of it on a nightly basis.
cedrickc
May 6th, 2012
7:40 pm
NO HEART!!!!!!!!
jjm
May 6th, 2012
7:40 pm
This game is over.hawks just not healthy enough. Have bad coaching. No superstar. No true point guard who can drive the ball
terrell
May 6th, 2012
7:40 pm
Hawks wont get any calls tonight. They might as well stop looking for them. And btw, Joe Johnson has to be the softest, quietest, most boring, “so called” superstar ever.
justin
May 6th, 2012
7:40 pm
you guys are crazy harping on Al. He’s going to have a little rust. He’s got to get a little run.
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 6th, 2012
7:40 pm
Garnett did hook Al
Bump
May 6th, 2012
7:41 pm
I look at it like this:
1.We have been in all 3 games.
2.We have not been blown out.
3.We have taken their best shot and we’re down what,12?
And 4.This is my 6th Heineken since 6:55 pm and im feeling great!
OldTimer
May 6th, 2012
7:41 pm
The must win game for the Hawks was game 2. They didn’t.
This game is “Please Sir may I have another.”
I suggest we all turn off the tube and do something constructive with the rest of the evening.
Kingd92
May 6th, 2012
7:41 pm
Weak quarter. Can LD get these guys motivated?
BIG DOG
May 6th, 2012
7:41 pm
Retarted coach have Josh AND Horford guarding KG in the paint, JUST DAM
BIG DOG IN THE HOUSE
Fan of T.S.
May 6th, 2012
7:41 pm
WHAT A STUPID DECISION TO GIVE ALL PLAYING TIME. STUPID STUPID STUPID. NOW THE HAWKS ARE IN A HOLE FCK DREW.
STUPID MOVE TO PLAY HOUDINI.
honest_abe
May 6th, 2012
7:41 pm
who’s going to step up and settle down the troops? this is usually where the team’s best player leads. where’s joe?
Blast
May 6th, 2012
7:41 pm
Hawks get no calls, no respect from refs.
Hawks just have to wake up, hike up their defensive effort, stop turning the ball over, run their offence, and it’s over yet. But if they continue to play with such lethargy, they get blown out tonight.
Boston cannot continue to shoot so well. But Joe needs to come out of his funk, and just play basketball. Stop dribbling the ball into a crowd of four defenders!
ROZEMAN13
May 6th, 2012
7:41 pm
Big LOU agree with you, refs are setting the tone for the Celtics
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 6th, 2012
7:42 pm
Pargo can’t even stop Keyon Dooling
terrell
May 6th, 2012
7:42 pm
Wow! Look at this lineup. Does LD know this is the freakin Playoffs?????
Najeh Davenpoop
May 6th, 2012
7:42 pm
If Dooling is going to make shots like that, might as well call it a night.
Fan of T.S.
May 6th, 2012
7:42 pm
JOSH HAS BEEN ON THE BENCH FOOL AL HAS BEEN PLAYING
yodaddybrother
May 6th, 2012
7:42 pm
Pargo can’t even guard dooling
justin
May 6th, 2012
7:42 pm
uhm, how is this Al’s fault? he’s not guarding rondo and pierce folks. He had 1 turnover. his team had 8.
Rev in Tampa
May 6th, 2012
7:42 pm
The Hawks decided that this game was theirs since Josh and Al were returning. THe mentally weak Hawks showed up tonight. COnsequently, they are making sloppy passes and playing lazy defense
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 6th, 2012
7:43 pm
Good job Jannero.
NOW PLAY SOME D!!!
justin
May 6th, 2012
7:43 pm
there goes josh with long jumpers. he should be inside.
terrell
May 6th, 2012
7:43 pm
I hate Josh Smith sometimes. There’s a reason your’re open man.
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 6th, 2012
7:43 pm
WE NEED OFFENSE
Rev in Tampa
May 6th, 2012
7:43 pm
Refs are not giving the Hawks any calls
honest_abe
May 6th, 2012
7:44 pm
finally a call. you can stop shooting jumpers now josh. thank you.
OldTimer
May 6th, 2012
7:44 pm
Maybe if the Hawks are lucky the Celtics will give them the courtesy of a reach-around.
Wouldn’t be on it though.
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 6th, 2012
7:44 pm
PARGO
Najeh Davenpoop
May 6th, 2012
7:44 pm
“uhm, how is this Al’s fault? he’s not guarding rondo and pierce folks. He had 1 turnover. his team had 8.”
It’s not Al’s fault. It’s LD’s fault for playing him when he isn’t ready to be himself.
Fan of T.S.
May 6th, 2012
7:44 pm
AL IN 6MINS GOT HIS SHOT BLOCKED PUT UP 2 CINDER BLOCK BRICKS 2 TOUR OVERS AND 0 PTS THATS ZERO POINTS AND NOW THE HAWKS ARE BEHIND BY DOUBLE FIGURES AL WHILE JOSH WAS ON THE BENCH.
Blast
May 6th, 2012
7:44 pm
Pargo! There you go!