Celtics at Atlanta Hawks Game 5: Game thread

  • Hawks starters: Jeff Teague, Joe Johnson, Marvin Williams, Josh Smith and Al Horford. Zaza Pachulia (foot) is out. All Celtics players are available.
  • Larry Drew on why he’s using this lineup: “One, just to give it a different look and see if it will kind of jump start us a little bit. It gives us an opportunity to move Joe back to some two. It makes us bigger so we can do a few more things defensively in making some adjustments in Game 5. And I just think its’ time. After you play four games in the playoffs, obviously it’s a game of adjustment, and you try to do things to benefit your team. It’s time to give us a different look and see if it will jump start us with Al back in the starting lineup, Marvin in the staring lineup, bringing Kirk [Hinrich] off the bench.”
  • Drew on Horford’s condition: “Physically he feels fine. I wouldn’t say he’s in tip-top shape but he’s in playing shape. He didn’t experience any discomfort with the pec the other day [Game 4]. There was a play early he went for the ball and it was pulled back. I thought that would be kind of the test with him. He said after the play he was fine and he wasn’t sore after that. That was kind of the test. I know coming back he was waiting for that moment to see if he could withstand a collision or pull-back with the injury.”
  • Drew on how he’ll use Horford: “He’ll only play a certain amount of minutes. I could have brought him off the bench but instead of letting his shoulder and chest stiffen up while he’s on the bench elected to throw him out there while he’s warm. We want to get off to a fast start and he certainly brings an energy.”
  • Drew on the benefits of the lineup for Joe: “He’s had to defend Paul [Pierce] all four games. I kind of want to give it a different look and see if that can generate more offense out of him. He’s been chasing Paul around for four games and that can put a little wear and tear on you. We’ve decided to give it a look.”
  • Drew on pushing the pace with this lineup: “When we are at our best is when [Al] and Josh rebound the ball and bring it out on the dribble. We’ve been missing that with him out of the lineup. It makes us a much better running team when we have all five guys involved in the break.”
  • Drew on switching defensively: “Whether we start the game with our switching remains to be seen but it does give us a flexibility. The sets we defend we are in more switchable situations. A lot of the things they do run we can play it a little differently now going a little bit bigger at the two spot.”
  • Drew on matchups: “They will have to make a decision who they match up with against Joe and Marvin. If they stay with Pierce on Joe, there’s a size advantage with Marvin on [Avery] Bradley.”
  • Drew said Josh (knee) won’t be on limited minutes: “This is a do-or-die situation. Al we will definitely keep an eye on, but those other guys probably will play extended minutes given the situation.”
  • Josh on his knee: “It’s pretty good. I’m in it to win it. I’m here to play so I can’t worry about my knee.”
  • Joe on if the new lineup will help: “I don’t know. Hopefully it works out for the best for us. At this point we really don’t know. I guess it’s just a gut feeling.”
  • Joe on if moving to shooting guard will result in more touches: “I don’t know. We’ll see.”
  • Josh on Boston’s D: “With the defense they play they tend to over-help at times and we haven’t made them pay yet. We’ve got to be able to take our time and knock down the open shot.”
  • Joe on Game 4: “We haven’t had a game like Game 4 in quite some time. It was mind-boggling, honestly. I couldn’t get why we came out and played so poorly after we were so close in Game 3. I’m still puzzled from that. Hopefully Game 5 will be different.”
  • Joe on if he thinks Game 5 will be different: “Honestly I’m not sure. I just have to wait until we get between the lines. It’s easy to talk it but it’s different when you get on the court. Hopefully we will take a sense of pride and a sense of desperation and try to make it back to Boston.”
  • Josh on Game 4: “To me, to be honest, we played pretty good defense. We was with them on every shot, every catch, and they shot the ball extremely well, especially Paul Pierce in that third quarter when we were trying to make a push. We have got to to try to meet them right before they past halfcourt i guess to give ourselves a chance.”
  • Drew on Game 4: “When you lose a game like that, it’s deflating. But like I told our players I think we’ve had a great season in spite of that one game. That game is no reflection on the rest of our season. It happened. We’ve watched film, we’ve learned form it and now it’s time to move on. Yesterday I was still sensing guys were a little down. After our meeting we had yesterday it seemed to kind of rejuvenate them again. And then coming into shootaround today they were back to themselves.”

Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat

1,176 comments Add your comment

Najeh Davenpoop

May 8th, 2012
9:50 pm

“PAUL PIERCE SUCKS” CHANTS IN PHILIPS

I HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE PROUD OF HAWKS FANS

O'brien

May 8th, 2012
9:50 pm

During the season, some guys were talking about Al like he was chopped liver.

Good game from Al so far. And the team has responded well since the second quarter. And on TV we can hear the chants of “Lets go Hawks”

bigdave

May 8th, 2012
9:50 pm

Melvin

May 8th, 2012
9:51 pm

Horford looks like the Horford from his rookie year. BOSS

DawgNole

May 8th, 2012
9:51 pm

Hawkfan
May 8th, 2012
9:48 pm

Till you see it and get the reminder you forget how much better Al is than the other guys we have to play when he is out
_____________________

Lotta hate developed for him while he was out. Memories of what he’d done for the team got real short.

Mr.E

May 8th, 2012
9:51 pm

Al Horford playing like an actual center?

Who would’ve thought…

Blast

May 8th, 2012
9:51 pm

Horford is battling, man! Coming back from injury!

Slimjr

May 8th, 2012
9:52 pm

Can they win 3 in a row?

yodaddybrother

May 8th, 2012
9:52 pm

We will find a way to lose….because that’s what we do.

I don’t know why everyone is getting all excited.

Najeh Davenpoop

May 8th, 2012
9:52 pm

Man, that is the one thing that if Al ever learned how to do, he might be a franchise player. Still doesn’t have a go-to move to create his own shot. If he ever develops that, he will be a max-level player.

TMACfan

May 8th, 2012
9:52 pm

Al Horford is skyrocketing his trade value

Luke Cage

May 8th, 2012
9:52 pm

Horford just stepping up because Josh is obviously still not 100% yet, thats what smart players do, Pick up ya teammate

DawgNole

May 8th, 2012
9:52 pm

Slimjr
May 8th, 2012
9:48 pm

Can they keep this up on the road for game 6? That block was nice…
____________________

Hell, I just hope they can keep it up at home for game 5.

Najeh Davenpoop

May 8th, 2012
9:52 pm

Northcyde if you are reading this blog please confirm that the crowd started chanting “Paul Pierce Sucks”. That might be the high point of this entire season.

bigdave

May 8th, 2012
9:53 pm

Marvin showed up

Slimjr

May 8th, 2012
9:53 pm

Paul is not right tonight. Yea that knee must be acting up…

Admirable SnAckBar

May 8th, 2012
9:53 pm

Big Al shows leadership sorely needed by Hawks.

yodaddybrother

May 8th, 2012
9:54 pm

Hawks fans are stupid. Last thing you want to do when a Hall of Famer is playing poorly…is to rile him up.

I hope we are ready because Paul Pierce is about to turn it on and up the ante. Hope we can match.

Slimjr

May 8th, 2012
9:54 pm

All for the #1 pick!

bigdave

May 8th, 2012
9:54 pm

Niqe with his trademark jinx

Elf

May 8th, 2012
9:54 pm

“If he ever develops that, he will be a max-level player.”

THERES THAT WORD AGAIN LOL

DawgNole

May 8th, 2012
9:54 pm

Jo Bling
May 8th, 2012
9:49 pm

Celts are going to turn it up in the fourth. Hawks better be ready.
___________________

And how!

Luke Cage

May 8th, 2012
9:55 pm

Why listen to Nique lol, just switch channels

Najeh Davenpoop

May 8th, 2012
9:55 pm

How the f-ck is that not a foul?

Hawkfan

May 8th, 2012
9:55 pm

drmaryb.(*_*).

May 8th, 2012
9:55 pm

Najeh!

I was leading the rant-chant >>> PAUL PIERCE SUX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! im here!!! section 101

DawgNole

May 8th, 2012
9:55 pm

Slimjr
May 8th, 2012
9:52 pm

Can they win 3 in a row?
_______________________

I’d be happy with 1 in a row tonight.

Luke Cage

May 8th, 2012
9:56 pm

More Defensive 3 seconds not being called on celts

drmaryb.(*_*).

May 8th, 2012
9:56 pm

BOOO!!!!!!!!!!! NVT was fouled!!!

Astro Joe

May 8th, 2012
9:56 pm

LD hasn’t rested his starters yet. He’s fooling himself if he thinks they can make it without a breather.

yodaddybrother

May 8th, 2012
9:56 pm

Why is Willie Green coming in??? SMDH….we’ll be tied before the end of the quarter.

Buddy Grizzard

May 8th, 2012
9:56 pm

WILLIE F-ING GREEN????????????????????????

Melvin

May 8th, 2012
9:56 pm

Teague got fouled…

Rod from College Park

May 8th, 2012
9:56 pm

Josh on the block against Garnett is not an advantage LD.

Atl teams = CHOKE

May 8th, 2012
9:56 pm

Hawks will choke this one away

Najeh Davenpoop

May 8th, 2012
9:56 pm

Willie Green on Ray Allen AGAIN

yodaddybrother

May 8th, 2012
9:57 pm

I don’t care if the starters die from exhaustion….they need to be playing

Slimjr

May 8th, 2012
9:57 pm

Bob and Nique sound like amateurs compared to the TNT broadcasters…

Much improved televised broadcast on TNT…

DawgNole

May 8th, 2012
9:57 pm

bigdave
May 8th, 2012
9:54 pm

Niqe with his trademark jinx
_______________________

Can’t believe you’d force yourself to listen to that garbage when you don’t have to.

Mr.E

May 8th, 2012
9:57 pm

Here they come

Big Lou

May 8th, 2012
9:57 pm

Josh is such a bum tonight.

Admirable SnAckBar

May 8th, 2012
9:57 pm

Josh is so dumb.

Old Man Peabody

May 8th, 2012
9:57 pm

Josh the Dopehead Smith lol

Kingd92

May 8th, 2012
9:57 pm

Why put willie in?

Najeh Davenpoop

May 8th, 2012
9:57 pm

And… there goes the lead. Hawks cannot enjoy prosperity. SMH

Hawkfan

May 8th, 2012
9:57 pm

Here we go again

Atl teams = CHOKE

May 8th, 2012
9:57 pm

Buddy Grizzard

May 8th, 2012
9:58 pm

Josh pass to Rondo, 9 points given away.

bigdave

May 8th, 2012
9:58 pm

I knew they would call that… they need to watch the moving screens on the other end

Melvin

May 8th, 2012
9:58 pm

Hawks meltdown to end the 3rd qtr again….