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
justin
May 6th, 2012
8:27 pm
Yes everyone, you’re right. It’s ALL Al Horford’s fault that the Hawks have 11 turnovers and shot 60% on long range jumpers. The 11 minutes that he played that half did all that.
Luke Cage
May 6th, 2012
8:27 pm
WOW!!! Just got in from church, turned the tv on and we are getting blown out in the most crucial game of the season for us. Well it was fun while it lasted, losing game 2 was the turning point.
day old fries
May 6th, 2012
8:27 pm
cant beat the saints
cant beat the phillies
cant beat the celtics
Tank
May 6th, 2012
8:27 pm
the Hawks need a personality transplant, with Larry Drew being the first lame personality out the building
Big Lou
May 6th, 2012
8:27 pm
Look on the bright side..
Braves are looking real good. They’re number one in league in runs scored.
Falcons have two new coordinators and made a heck of a trade for Asante.
Hawks will be easily forgotten.
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 6th, 2012
8:27 pm
This game sux but at least MIA lost. My only major wish besides us winning ring is MIA NOT winning one
justin
May 6th, 2012
8:27 pm
I mean that the Celtics shot 60% on jumpers.
Braves Fan Since 1966
May 6th, 2012
8:27 pm
Just saw a small headline “Ailing Hawks take on Celtics”. They are ailing by 23 points at halftime if my math is right. I was afraid they were going to throw in the towel but alas, they are giving it a go. Not much of one mind you…but a go.
northcyde
May 6th, 2012
8:28 pm
@ Clarification . . . actually Marvin has the best +/- on the team. But don’t tell nobody.
Hawks just need to get this down to 10 going into the 4th quarter. Preferably around 8.
Mac-Town (478)™
May 6th, 2012
8:28 pm
expecting different results with the same core…..lol ok
Najeh Davenpoop
May 6th, 2012
8:28 pm
JeJe, they also have Toney Douglas
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 6th, 2012
8:28 pm
Celts had a scrub lineup in with PP and Rondo out, and we let scrubs like Dooling destroy us
northcyde
May 6th, 2012
8:29 pm
Say it REGGIE . . . your #1 scorer can’t only have 4 attempts.
But then again, Josh is the #1 guy now . . so that point is moot
Tank
May 6th, 2012
8:29 pm
I just want the hawks to show some heart this 3rd quarter, dont lay down
O'brien
May 6th, 2012
8:29 pm
Northcyde,
This is why you cant assume Josh (and Al) playing tonight would be a win.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 6th, 2012
8:29 pm
Plus/minus means jack sh-t when you are getting blown out. Every unit on the floor sucked in that half. Whether one sucked by a couple more points than the other is irrelevant.
Rondo starts the 2nd half with a 3. Game over.
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 6th, 2012
8:29 pm
My bad Najeh. 3 days off…everyone has been returning…cmon Lin!
Atl teams = CHOKE
May 6th, 2012
8:30 pm
I knew it was too good to be true, the Hawks need to get blown out at least one game in the playoffs or else they won’t be the Hawks.
O'brien
May 6th, 2012
8:30 pm
FTPB,
Najeh,
In any case I definitely wouldn’t have guessed that Al would come back before Zaza. Zaza’s foot injury at the time definitely didn’t look that serious..
Where is Ra’mon to question Zaza’s toughness?
northcyde
May 6th, 2012
8:30 pm
smh . . another wide open jumper . . so much for the 8 – 0 run.
Almost Stackhouse time already.
day old fries
May 6th, 2012
8:30 pm
2004 – childress over iggy/deng
2005 – marvin over cp3/deron
2006 – shelden over rondo/gay
you reap what you sow
Loserville USA
May 6th, 2012
8:30 pm
Johnson contract making Koncak signing look like a steal.
Just good enough not to be in the lottery. No help coming. It really sucks. Management is awful.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 6th, 2012
8:30 pm
GET AL HORFORD OUT OF THE GAME THEY ARE DOWN BY 30
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 6th, 2012
8:31 pm
OMFG
Is this April 2008 vs Boston? We look like a freaking D2 NCAAW team
phil
May 6th, 2012
8:31 pm
LOL at you morons who thought we still had a chance after game 2…..
Told ya. Again.
Teknision
May 6th, 2012
8:31 pm
This team is forever entrenched to be the 5h best team in the East. I don’t know if I was a Hawks fan if I can ever think a Hawks team can win a championship. This team is just an average team with no heart. It seems as if they are just going through the motions.
Fan of T.S.
May 6th, 2012
8:31 pm
Hawks down by 31 thanks Al horford.
northcyde
May 6th, 2012
8:31 pm
Good pass Josh.
Get your triple-double in a 30 point blowout
lewis
May 6th, 2012
8:31 pm
Al’s the only one scoring stfu
KBB
May 6th, 2012
8:32 pm
This is embarrassing
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 6th, 2012
8:32 pm
This is so fking depressing.
I’ve dedicated a million hours the last 5 months to these losers and they just bend over
Najeh Davenpoop
May 6th, 2012
8:32 pm
LOL @ Kirk
phil
May 6th, 2012
8:32 pm
Najeh Davenpoop
May 6th, 2012
8:30 pm
GET AL HORFORD OUT OF THE GAME THEY ARE DOWN BY 30
Thought we still had a chance? Do you pay attention year after year to the playoff train wreck that is this bunch, no matter the decade?
Blast
May 6th, 2012
8:32 pm
Nique said Pierce is hot. No, the whole team is hot. This game is over.
Luke Cage
May 6th, 2012
8:32 pm
I know I came in late but maybe, just maybe the Hawks are just NOT A GOOD TEAM, no sense in blaming any player on this team anymore, collectively this team is barely 2nd tier with a 3rd tier head coach. Its time to face facts, how does rondo have 13 asst at the half, thats crazy
Fan of T.S.
May 6th, 2012
8:33 pm
Actually the only way Al should be playing is if we are down 30 or up 30. trade his ass
High-sider
May 6th, 2012
8:33 pm
A regular and frequent blogger said this series would be laughable. Well, Game 4 is laughable for Hawks’ haters.
Rusty
May 6th, 2012
8:33 pm
I said that LDumby lost us game 2&3.grandpa(grandad) more or less said I was stupid. He was a coach Rusty you don’t understand rotations) . Give me reasons why besides substitutions ,he brought us there,I challenge you he said. Well I blogged after the game why I thought he lost us the game. He didn’t even read it & he challenged me. He must of been a lousy coach like LD.LD is a joke but people like dumb grandpa stick up for him. Grandpa told me he was done with well grandpa I’m done with you.
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 6th, 2012
8:33 pm
Popovich would take out starters back in 2nd. LD will just let them rot out there
northcyde
May 6th, 2012
8:33 pm
O’brien
May 6th, 2012
8:29 pm
Northcyde,
This is why you cant assume Josh (and Al) playing tonight would be a win.
******************
Point taken O’Brien. I NEVER imagined this team playing this poor defensively. They’ve been all up on shooters all series. Now, all of a sudden, people have wide open looks everywhere.
Mac-Town (478)™
May 6th, 2012
8:33 pm
40 pt loss?
Najeh Davenpoop
May 6th, 2012
8:33 pm
Nice wide open bricked 3 Joe. Yeah, he sure does need more attempts.
Tank
May 6th, 2012
8:33 pm
No shoe Average Joe Mother F Johnson
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 6th, 2012
8:33 pm
Pierce has a bad knee and is draining 3s.
phil
May 6th, 2012
8:34 pm
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 6th, 2012
8:32 pm
This is so fking depressing.
I’ve dedicated a million hours the last 5 months to these losers and they just bend over
*******
are you actually surprised?
Loserville USA
May 6th, 2012
8:34 pm
Now Johnson is embarrassing the franchise like an idiot.
He is a tool.
Isaiah Rider
May 6th, 2012
8:34 pm
Put me in coach…I be balling !!!
northcyde
May 6th, 2012
8:34 pm
But hey . . . if only we had Jamal Crawford . . . Jamal would have 30 points right now, and we’d be only down by 12
KBB
May 6th, 2012
8:34 pm
City of losers
Tank
May 6th, 2012
8:35 pm
They are making everthing