Atlanta Hawks at Celtics: Game 6 thread
Boston–The Celtics said Paul Pierce has a sprained left MCL. Doc Rivers: “It’s not the best situation but he’s going to play. We have to find out what he can do on the floor. We have to find the most effective way he can score. He said he has more life energy-wise [than Game 5], but the knee is the same.”
- Same starting lineup for Hawks. Larry Drew on the lineup in Game 5: “It did pretty much what I expected. We’ve been waiting on Marvin [Williams] to make some shots. He’s had some good looks.”
- Drew on Hawks’ health: “They are holding their own. We have got some guys that are a little banged up. But looking around the league, other teams do as well. It’s playoff time. The play has been very physical. We have just got to push through it.”
- Drew on Josh Smith: “I think he’s getting better. He’s been battling a sore knee pretty much the whole season. He’s been quiet about it. He knows we need him and he has to play hurt, so that’s what he’s doing. I give him a lot of credit for that. I do think he’s showing signs of the knee improving.”
- Josh said he would spend extra time pregame getting warm: “I feel a little better. It takes a little bit of time for the knee to get warmed up.”
- Zaza Pachulia got up some shots at shootaround for the first time since he injured his foot. “It went well,” he said. “Honestly I wasn’t expecting to participate in the shootaround. Mindset leaving hotel was kind of watch it. Went up to doctor, he ran a couple tests and said, ‘Why don’t you try to shoot?’ Body was feeling great. I was able to finish.”
- Zaza said a return in the second round if the Hawks advance is “more realistic” than playing in Game 7 Saturday if they win tonight.
- Drew on minutes for Al Horford and the other starters: “These guys have been piling up a lot of minutes. It’s just a situation where we are trying to win a game. If the game is getting away from us, I have got to get my starters back in there. This is do or die for us.”
- Al said he feels like his defensive timing is off in help situations but “on the ball I feel strong.”
- More Al: “For sure I have fresher legs but I don’t know if that’s totally an advantage. These guys have been in a rhythm. I’m just trying to make it work for me.”
- Josh on Al: “He has fresher legs than everyone in the series. Why not play him?”
- Drew on Kirk Hinrich’s limited playing time after halftime in Game 5: “I anticipated playing Kirk more in the second half. But Jeff [Teague] has the speed and we needed that. As long as [Rajon] Rondo is in the game, Jeff will be in there defending him.”
- More Doc Rivers on Pierce’s knee: “He’s not going to get to the line as much. That’s just the way it is. We have to create other ways. We can get Kevin to the post more but they are doubling him so it makes it hard for him to get to the line, too. We have to create other ways.”
- Don in Mickael Pietrus’ shooting struggles: “When your shot doesn’t go in and you are not a great player, then it can cause your confidence to drop.” Doc said Marquis Daniels could take some of Pietrus’ minutes: “He can guard Joe [Johnson] almost as well. But the thing with ‘MP’ is they still guard him at the 3-point line. With Marquis, they would not. It would be another guy they could leave.”
- Drew on the keys to getting off to a better start here than in Game 4: “Shot selection and not turn the ball over. We were in a hurry last game. We made a lot of early, ill-advised passes. We didn’t explore our options. We were looking to one side, and Boston is too good for that.”
- Josh on the Celtics: “I see them trying to come out early and establish themselves and get the crowd into it and try to make it into a physical game.”
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
1,540 comments Add your comment
Mad and Not Going to Take it Anymore
May 10th, 2012
10:47 pm
This team has no heart, and I know that anyone cares, but for me, I will never watch another Hawk game as long as Joe No Show Johnson and Larry Drew are Hawks. I have been watching this team for 36 years, but no more!!!
hawks suck
May 10th, 2012
10:47 pm
aww too bad, glad they lost i met the whole team one day at Atl Harstfield airport at a private terminal WHAT A BUNCH OF STUCK-UP *SSHOLES!!! Man do I miss hockey. Hockey players are of a much higher calibur of humans and actually like their fans unlike the hawks!!
Slimjr
May 10th, 2012
10:47 pm
Why did Josh take that shot? Turrible decision! Turrrible decision….
I’m done with this core, this assistant coach, Gearon Jr and his puppet Rick Sund!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Najeh Davenpoop
May 10th, 2012
10:47 pm
Al’s missed free throw was the only free throw the Hawks missed in this game.
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 10th, 2012
10:48 pm
Even though Boston missed FTS how the hell do you get 3 techs in an elimination game?
kramerica
May 10th, 2012
10:48 pm
And Ivan shoots the fans birds on the way off the court…..no wonder you have a bad rap.
SWATS NATIVE
May 10th, 2012
10:48 pm
People, stop complaining about the refs. You’re playing in Boston, you’re not getting any calls. You have to play past the refs and BEAT your opponent on the road.
Disgusted
May 10th, 2012
10:48 pm
It was a great effort by the Hawks and with a healthy Horford, Zaza and maybe add a piece, this team can make a real playoff run in 2013.
Blowing this team up solves nothing, its pretty good and there were two things this yr that bring hope
1–The development of Jeff Teague as a good NBA point guart
2–Josh Smith turned up his game and is one of the best players in the game.
Little more health and who knows. It is not hopeless.
Some day something special will happen for ATL fans, when do not know
Dwayne C
May 10th, 2012
10:48 pm
The Celtics could have rested their starters for game six and the Hawks would have found a way to lose. No wonder free agents never want to come play in Atlanta. If you believe GM Rick Sund and the Hawks ownership group the Hawks are close to contending for a title. Yeah, right.
Bojack
May 10th, 2012
10:48 pm
bball2026..no but I saw fan show him a bird.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 10th, 2012
10:48 pm
“Why did Josh take that shot? Turrible decision! Turrrible decision….”
3 seconds on the shot clock. Everyone else covered. Josh is 20 feet away from the hoop. What should he have done?
High-sider
May 10th, 2012
10:48 pm
Keep the core intact, let [Kirk] Hinrich walk and bring [back] in Jamal Crawford. Let’s do this again next year and see what happens. Do you like salmon, trout, bass, tuna, perch, marlin, sardine[s], lobster, crab, crayfish, catfish, octupus, caviar, etc?
DawgNole
May 10th, 2012
10:48 pm
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 10th, 2012
10:44 pm
Refs sucked but this series was lost in games 2 and 3.
Sh7t tmac you are allowed to shoot
____________________
Game 2 especially.
Big Lou
May 10th, 2012
10:48 pm
drmaryb
Al was the reason why it was even that close!
F!ck Ivan. You can’t hate on the guy ’cause the refs rigged the game.
Luke Cage
May 10th, 2012
10:48 pm
Najeh Davenpoop
May 10th, 2012
10:43 pm
Josh is going to get roasted for that shot, but at least recognize that there were 3 seconds on the shot clock. If you think he should have done something else in that situation with 3 seconds left, knowing his inability to drive to his right, say it.
Not roasting Josh, dude played hard all season and carried us to the playoffs, too bad he got hurt in the end, Al, even though you missed the FT you still got much heart, Teague, your still learning young man and you will be fine, Marv, nice knowing you.
Hoe Johnson, you have the worst contract in the HISTORY OF THE NBA, your garbage with no STONES. Enjoy your money B!TCH!!!
Section 212
May 10th, 2012
10:48 pm
Wow, Phila won their first series since 2003….
Can't take this anymore
May 10th, 2012
10:49 pm
Stupid coaching. Where’s McGrady?
Stupid players. Tech foul Josh Smith inbounds. Idiot.
No guts. Don’t you get tired of losing to bean towners.
Lack of pride. Al Horford is the only player with pride. Love that guy.
Don’t play for our city. Sick of what ifs.
This ain’t Christmas. If if and buts were candy and nuts we’d have a Merry Christmas every day.
Trade Wilkins. What kind of hubris is that from management?
Stupid Phillips Arena colors around court. What’s the orange got to do with it.
I’m 46 and been pulling for the Hawks for years…you just lost me forever.
Bye.
nice shot josh
May 10th, 2012
10:49 pm
My favorite call was the carry on A horford. they haven’t made a carry call in 14 years in the nba.
Loserville USA
May 10th, 2012
10:49 pm
Time to get players who put winning over partying.
Disgusting culture on this franchise right now. Damn embarrassing. And no free agent is going to go to Atlanta given Josh Smith and Joe Johnson are there playing individual basketball.
Blow it up, lose 60 next year, and get some decent lottery picks. Can’t go any farther with this bunch of prima donnas. Except Horford.
Big Ray
May 10th, 2012
10:49 pm
Hawks are NOT the best professional sports team in the ATL. You’ll see THAT team come this fall…
If the core is not changed for real this time, the Hawks will not be worth watching.
LD needs to go. He’s no better than Woodson, they just have different flaws.
The ASG needs to go, but they can’t seem to even sell a team the right way…owner financing is a bunch of broke-a$$ BS that only loser owners would try.
Either commit to an offense that employs two PFs and no center (except when substitutions are made) or you must choose between Josh and Al. They can’t both play one position, and clearly both are suited to the same position.
Get Joe out of here. We are paying him too much NOW, and it will only get worse as the years go by. Worst contract in the NBA right now. Seriously. Dude is barely even a star player, certainly not a superstar. Paul Pierce is clearly better, and all the noise about Joe aging gracefully is so untrue.
High-sider
May 10th, 2012
10:49 pm
Hawks vs. Celtics in the playoffs = the movie “Groundhog Day”
Disgusted
May 10th, 2012
10:50 pm
I might not like the owners but I do think there is something about this core that you should not give up on yet.
McDonut
May 10th, 2012
10:50 pm
Unbelievable. The Daniels foul call was a joke. He fouled him 3 times before the ball was inbounded. That’s 2 shots and the ball. Worst case, review the call. Sterns boys suck out loud
jo
May 10th, 2012
10:50 pm
Refs blew it on the foul against horrors. Hawks would have 2 shots and the ball. They could gave won but the Nba will not allow it.
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 10th, 2012
10:50 pm
We had 3 pt lead and then ran the 2 sh177iest plays I have ever seen
Vick Supporter
May 10th, 2012
10:50 pm
Damn these loses hurt. We had this game won
Luke Cage
May 10th, 2012
10:50 pm
Stop blambing Josh……………Its Hoe Johnson that screwed us all series………..we blew it in game 2 losing an 11pt lead, that was it.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 10th, 2012
10:50 pm
If the Hawks had a legit scorer at small forward, they would be really tough to beat, even with the mediocre coaching and intermittent basketball IQ.
northcyde
May 10th, 2012
10:50 pm
New Orleans has a guy in Eric Gordon that the Hawks could trade to get. Go get him.
After 5 years, we pretty much have no choice but to break them up. And not just Marvin . . I’m talking about the true “core”.
Marvin’s performance tonight may have made him more tradeable than ever. Good game by him.
The rest of the guys had their moments in spurts, but simply couldn’t get it done. Too bad.
Gearon . . it’s time you stop the loyalty to players and remake this team. Start with the General Manager and Coach. They may not be as bad as we all say they are, but it’s time for a REAL change.
Swallow your pride and your loyalty, and break this squad up. Get tangible pieces for us to build on.
No one on this team should be untouchable. But we definitely need new direction in the front office. Someone that knows how to construct a championship caliber team.
THAD YOUNG & ALL US 76ERS
May 10th, 2012
10:51 pm
WHY JOSH WHY LOL HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Rogie
May 10th, 2012
10:51 pm
No Josh Smith technical and Horford’s free throw ties the game. It made a difference.
kuhndog
May 10th, 2012
10:51 pm
Great game by both teams lousy referees unless you are Boston,even the ESPN folks called it but larry drew says no excuses great season hawks,Horford missed that free throw that hurt.I cant decide who whines more smoove or pierce.We need bots for refs too much money in the game to let humans call it
drmaryb.(*_*).
May 10th, 2012
10:51 pm
Ivan loves that finger. He shoulda’ gave it to:
NO CLUE DREW!!!!
Slimjr
May 10th, 2012
10:51 pm
Larry Leisure lost the series in game two..Hawks should have closed it out in 5…
Doug Collins sweeps the Celts with the Hawks squad….
Poor atl fans
May 10th, 2012
10:51 pm
What do you call the city of Atlanta? A city still waiting for a championship in basketball and football. As long as you people continue to talk trash about another city and it’s super bowl winning team, the voodoo will rear it’s ugly head.
Kyle
May 10th, 2012
10:51 pm
Josh Smith needs to learn how to take smart shot selections and avoid doing stupid things like getting a technical foul before he even gets in the game. If not for his lack of self control the Hawks would have won. I would love to see the Hawks trade Josh and Joe Johnson if they can find anyone willing to pay their salaries.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 10th, 2012
10:51 pm
“Hawks are NOT the best professional sports team in the ATL. You’ll see THAT team come this fall…”
Until someone else proves otherwise, yes they are.
Let’s see Matty Lukewarm put up more than two points in a playoff game before crowning the Falcons. I have more confidence in the Braves right now.
Pete
May 10th, 2012
10:52 pm
LOL Hawks. You guys enjoy 2nd round purgatory forever. Only way to get out is to blow it up. But even then you’ll still have Joe Johnson for 120M LOL.
Hawks Blog Legend Worldwide Clyde
May 10th, 2012
10:52 pm
Games 3 and 6 were games we let get away. Another disappointing year for us Hawks fans. Let’s hope and pray we can find a way to get Dwight Howard.
Hawks v Celtics
May 10th, 2012
10:52 pm
Hawks still scored 2 pts in the first …. 5 1/2 min of the 4th quarter. Refs may have had some effect but they weren’t the ones shooting and missing during that time
Section 212
May 10th, 2012
10:52 pm
Either package 2 of the core players (you choose) or keep core together….got to find a real center, send Marvin, Kirk packing
Luke Cage
May 10th, 2012
10:52 pm
Going to be 44yrs old in a couple of weeks, been rooting for the Hawks since 78-79, would like just once to see my Hawks SHOCK THE WORLD!!!
J
May 10th, 2012
10:53 pm
Al Horford are the only starters I would keep. The rest can go, especially Joe John$$$on. Philips will be (even more of) a ghost town next season.
Greg
May 10th, 2012
10:53 pm
Did the Hawks loose because of how they played or was it already decided the celtics would win thanks to the refs? I would say option 2!!!!!
J
May 10th, 2012
10:53 pm
Horford and Teague, rather
hawks suck
May 10th, 2012
10:53 pm
they should send the hawks to Canada too!!!
Najeh Davenpoop
May 10th, 2012
10:53 pm
First time since 2007-08 that the final game of the season in Philips Arena was a win.
Grandmaster JeJe (GM)
May 10th, 2012
10:53 pm
Well I guess it’s time for MC to go on his 4 month cacation
Section 212
May 10th, 2012
10:53 pm
Nuggets?
tony
May 10th, 2012
10:54 pm
I