Hawks barely hang on to defeat Celtics Lite (Updated)
Josh Smith and the Hawks found the second-string Celtics a little more difficult to handle than expected. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)
(Last update: 10:17 p.m.)
Dwight Howard, once again reaffirming that there is no “team” in “I,” decided this week to have back surgery now rather than get an injection, bite a bullet, look away from the vanity mirror and wait until after the NBA playoffs to have his procedure.
This decision will not only submarine Orlando’s postseason aspirations, it fairly cemented that the Hawks and Boston will finish as the Eastern Conference’s Nos. 4 and 5 seeds and ensure they will meet in the first round of the playoffs. So at least in some sense, Friday’s Hawks-Celtics game was a postseason preview.
But the Hawks had better hope what we just witnessed will bear little resemblance to what happens next week.
The Celtics played their second string. The Hawks merely looked second-rate.
Facing a Boston lineup that was missing Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen and Mickael Pietrus – cue Rick Pitino: “Nobody of worth is walking through that door” — the Hawks started well enough (led 19-9 five minutes into the game), toyed with the Celtics for two quarters, got sloppy on offense, soft on defense, looked desperate, saw their lead dwindle to one point several times in the fourth, and then eventually stumbled across the finish line with a 97-92 win.
So. Feeling confident about next week now?
“As far as I’m concerned, Boston accomplished what they wanted — t0 have their reserves come out and compete at a high level and take us down to the wire,” Hawks coach Larry Drew said.
He wasn’t celebrating, even though the Hawks (38-25) all but clinched home-court advantage in the first round. They lead Boston (37-37) by 1½ games. They have only three to play and the Celtics have two.
So there’s the comfort of that. But everything else Friday made you want to run headfirst into a wall.
Celtics coach Doc Rivers explained his team’s lineup before the game as so: “We would like home-court advantage in the playoffs, but it’s more important to be healthy and fresh.”
Let me translate: “Take this game. We surrender.”
I mean, does anything wave a white flag more than a starting lineup of Avery Bradley, Keyon Dooling, Sasha Pavlovic, Brandon Bass and Greg Stiemsma?
Rivers gave us Celtics Lite. The Hawks had a chance to bury their likely first-round opponent and maybe dent their egos just a bit. Instead, they came close to getting humiliated.
The lone bright spot was Joe Johnson, who finished with 30 points, six assists, five rebounds and two steals. His drive-and-one with two minutes remaining stretched a one-point lead to 90-86. His feed to Josh Smith with under a minute left gave the Hawks some relative comfort at 94-88.
“We were just careless,” Smith said later. “When you get geared up to play a team with the high potential of Boston and you come out right before the game see that [their starters] are not going to play, I don’t know if it does something mentally to you but … it makes it unpredictable.”
It was easy to understand Rivers’ mindset Friday. The ridiculous post-lockout schedule, courtesy of commissioner David Stern, has prompted coaches to rest banged up starters all season. But Rivers’ lineup also suggested he either had supreme confidence in his team in the playoffs or he just didn’t fear the Hawks much, regardless of where the games are going to be played.
A slight ‘dis’, perhaps?
Drew said before the game he wasn’t insulted by Rivers’ decision. Nor with Smith.
“I don’t think it’s a slap in the face,” he said, repeating a reporter’s question. “They have a good team, a veteran team. They know how to win on the road and win in the postseason. If they don’t want [home court], we’ll take it. We’ll definitely take it.”
Drew intended to keep his offensive and defensive sets vanilla Friday so as to not tip off Rivers on any changes he had planned for the playoffs. That thought process would’ve worked if the Hawks hadn’t turned the ball over 18 times, given up some easy buckets and generally played down to the competition.
The fourth quarter was pure desperation. It’s not the last memory the Hawks wanted before the playoffs. Fortunately, the slate is wiped clean before next weekend. They will be glad to let this one go.
By Jeff Schultz
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137 comments Add your comment
Hard In The Paint Like Josh Smith
April 20th, 2012
6:16 pm
hmmm lets see how this game will go tonight
Benjamin
April 20th, 2012
6:17 pm
First. And I still disagree with you regarding Howard….
David
April 20th, 2012
6:19 pm
Bah. Wanted to watch a good, competitive game tonight. We’ll be watching Ivan dunking on people like Stiemsma by the 2nd quarter.
Steve
April 20th, 2012
6:19 pm
Wow I am a loser because I wasn’t first. Jeff have you guys done a live blog from a Braves game yet? Any coming up? Sorry you weren’t “first” either Jeff.
Benjamin's an idiot
April 20th, 2012
6:22 pm
No, that’s all.
Benjamin
April 20th, 2012
6:22 pm
I’ll take a W however it comes.
Go Hawks!
Jeff Schultz
April 20th, 2012
6:28 pm
Steve — Ninth! (I’m never first.) … I haven’t live-blogged from Braves yet this season but certainly have frequently in the past.
Hard In The Paint Like Josh Smith
April 20th, 2012
6:29 pm
Bemjamin you failed
Hard In The Paint Like Josh Smith
April 20th, 2012
6:30 pm
I miss live bloggin with jeff or mark they are the best!
Benjamin
April 20th, 2012
6:30 pm
My very first comment troll.
I feel honored.
Benjamin
April 20th, 2012
6:31 pm
True story. Probably because I was typing that second sentence…
Jeff Schultz
April 20th, 2012
6:33 pm
Benjamin — Congrats. Today is your Bar Mitzvah!
Blahblahblah
April 20th, 2012
6:34 pm
This should be a 15 point win with little trouble. Anything under that is not acceptable.
Shamrock
April 20th, 2012
6:35 pm
Celtics Ball boys and cheerleaders squeak out a win against the Hawks starters.
Hawks fans on suicide watch.
Hard In The Paint Like Josh Smith
April 20th, 2012
6:41 pm
Hawks need to get a huge lead and rest the starters
TYBG
April 20th, 2012
6:42 pm
YOLO Doc Rivers, YOLO.
Benjamin
April 20th, 2012
6:51 pm
All 15 of us, Shamrock?
Benjamin
April 20th, 2012
6:53 pm
Enter your comments hereI don’t know what to wear to a Mitzvah, Schultzie. Do I have to wear shoes?
Benjamin
April 20th, 2012
6:55 pm
My phone is not a very good AJC commenter.
Enjoy the game, fellas…
Gray Mule
April 20th, 2012
6:56 pm
If the Hawks can’t win tonight VS the Celtic’s bench, they will be the
laughting stock of the entire NBA and just as well stay home when
it comes playoff time.
If these Hawks have ever had a “must win” game, tonight is it.
KevinM
April 20th, 2012
7:00 pm
So Jeff, are you saying that D12 is writing off the season and awaiting for SVG to pack his bags? What a train wreck of a team!
And if the Hawks don’t get HC advantage now, then they have no shot and beating Boston in a crucial game in Beantown. The locals see the writing on the wall, and Doc is gonna try and pull them through one more year with a winnable Eastern conference.
Hard In The Paint Like Josh Smith
April 20th, 2012
7:00 pm
joe walking in the building with a box of “plaoff” jordans 12s
JSS
April 20th, 2012
7:08 pm
Put ‘em out of their misery Hawks! I want to enjoy my visit to Tuesday night’s game in the peace of knowing that Boston will be coming here for Game 1!
Jeff Schultz
April 20th, 2012
7:11 pm
For the record, AJC also going without one starter tonight (Cunningham has day off).
Luke Cage
April 20th, 2012
7:11 pm
Please not a repeat of the depleted Heat game from earlier
Jeff Schultz
April 20th, 2012
7:11 pm
Celtics lead 2-0. Nooooooooooooooooooooo!
Luke Cage
April 20th, 2012
7:11 pm
oh yeah, SWEET CHRISTMAS!!
Luke Cage
April 20th, 2012
7:12 pm
Too many celts fans tonight
Hard In The Paint Like Josh Smith
April 20th, 2012
7:13 pm
this the type of game teague should go off
Jeff Schultz
April 20th, 2012
7:16 pm
Hawks lead 13-7. There’s this little hesitation any time somebody on Boston scores, as PA guy looks up number.
Jeff Schultz
April 20th, 2012
7:19 pm
I wonder if these are the starting Celtics fans or their backups. Hard to tell. Both obnoxious.
JSS
April 20th, 2012
7:19 pm
There’s never a bad day to kick the Celtics! Act like it is the 78-79 Celts and wear them out!!!
RC
April 20th, 2012
7:20 pm
Enter your comments here
Sonny Clusters
April 20th, 2012
7:22 pm
That line about backup fans was a good one. When we was working at the paper our backup was Piney Woods Pete but he was ornery.
RC
April 20th, 2012
7:23 pm
I laugh when the “national media” just assumes the Celtics will just roll over the hawks. Not so fast Hawks handle Celtics in six
JSS
April 20th, 2012
7:23 pm
Where’s Paddy, Sage of Blueland, and 5150 to tell us how irrelevant the NBA is?
Jeff Schultz
April 20th, 2012
7:23 pm
Oh my God — Jason Collins has 7 points in the first quarter. That ties his season high, which was other night vs. Detroit.
DawgNole
April 20th, 2012
7:27 pm
RC
April 20th, 2012
7:23 pm
I laugh when the “national media” just assumes the Celtics will just roll over the hawks. Not so fast Hawks handle Celtics in six
________________________
Now why in the world would the dumb ol’ “national media” just “assume” that the Celtics will roll over the Hawks in the playoffs? Has it ever happened before? What’s the history of the series between the two teams? How do the Hawks perform in big games? On national TV? How many championships have the Celtics won? How many have the Hawks won?
Dumb ol’ “national media.” How could they do such a thing.
JSS
April 20th, 2012
7:27 pm
Cluster’s are their any knees that need some base out their on the floor tonight? I was almost tempted to buy Chipper some of those “As seen on TV compression hoses” last night!
JSS
April 20th, 2012
7:29 pm
Hawks only championship came against the Celts…
Jeff Schultz
April 20th, 2012
7:29 pm
JSS — Now why you gotta go and bang on Chipper in a Hawks blog? You’re just a big meanie.
Hard In The Paint Like Josh Smith
April 20th, 2012
7:32 pm
kirk just dribblin the ball around doing nothing
rob
April 20th, 2012
7:32 pm
Bradley figures to be a thorn in the Hawks side come playoff time
JSS
April 20th, 2012
7:33 pm
Hawks are actually only 10 games below .500 against the Celtics since moving to Atlanta in the playoffs 12-22… They were 3 games below in St. Louis 11-14…
Jeff Schultz
April 20th, 2012
7:34 pm
Celtics make a late-quarter run, Hawks lead by 7 34-27 after 1. Joe with 12, Josh 8, Collins 7. Avery Bradley w/12 for Celtics.
JSS
April 20th, 2012
7:35 pm
I was actually trying to ease ol’ Hoss’s pain!
Wink
April 20th, 2012
7:36 pm
Celts not playing top seven, win or lose, it’s a win for the Celts.
The top seven all looking in on their respective match ups trying to key on tendencies.
The Celts subs get to see what they can and can not do against our starters which makes their bench more confident when playoff start.
The Hawks are leading here in the firtst quarter, he should pull the starter, so they don’t lose any confidence against Celts subs.
Already the Hawks defense is letting Celts back into the game 34 / 27. Play our bench, let them get their confidence against these Celtic subs. No doubt we have a better bench, but in a playoff series, one to two players off the bench can make a big difference in the outcome.
Coach Conner is echoing my thoughts about the defense, he’s not happy with 7 point lead.
rob
April 20th, 2012
7:36 pm
Atlanta is such a late arriving crowd
DawgNole
April 20th, 2012
7:38 pm
JSS
April 20th, 2012
7:33 pm
Hawks are actually only 10 games below .500 against the Celtics since moving to Atlanta in the playoffs 12-22…
_____________________
ONLY 10 games below .500?!
ONLY???!!!
That’s the mentality/history of ATL pro teams.
rob
April 20th, 2012
7:40 pm
Hawks seeking homecourt, got to get there wins at home when we get the chance
JSS
April 20th, 2012
7:47 pm
Dawg… That ain’t mentality of the town stuff, the Hawks (in Atlanta) went through three stretches where they could barely beat a bad old CBA full of coke heads (1971-1977, 1983-1985, and that good awful run through the beginning of this millenia… Only being down games 10 in a freakin’ miracle!
Runner-
April 20th, 2012
7:48 pm
Jeff,
What’s the ratio of Celtics to Hawks fans in the building tonight?
Nanny
April 20th, 2012
7:49 pm
Jeff,
A win tonight all but assures nothing. The Hawks could easily lose their 3 or 2 out of 3 remaining games with the Celtics winning both at home. I wish we could all be as confident as you, but if we both end in a tie they hold the tiebreaker and would get home court.
rob
April 20th, 2012
7:52 pm
I wonder what happened to Alex Meruelo when he didnt get the team
drmaryb.[*_*].
April 20th, 2012
7:54 pm
Vlad is a pretty decent rebounder, we’re gonna’ really need that from the bench in to post season even, if his shot is off.
I thought doc’s bench was coming here to foul hard and, try to hurt somebody. They are being quite physical for a team that claims rest and health for their stars is so important. They did not come in here to lay down, they really want this win and that HCA.
Don’t drink the kool-aid.
atlchris
April 20th, 2012
7:55 pm
The hawks have had their back ups in for alot of minutes.yet espn keeps pointing out how close the game is with boston only having their scrubs in.
rob
April 20th, 2012
7:57 pm
I hate the AHHHHHHHH’s from when another player scores in Atlanta
JOSH SMITH FOR 3!
April 20th, 2012
7:59 pm
Anyone that paid for tickets to this game is a moron.
atlchris
April 20th, 2012
8:00 pm
Our starters our puttingit down well.
DawgNole
April 20th, 2012
8:00 pm
JSS
April 20th, 2012
7:47 pm
Dawg… That ain’t mentality of the town stuff, the Hawks (in Atlanta) went through three stretches where they could barely beat a bad old CBA full of coke heads (1971-1977, 1983-1985, and that good awful run through the beginning of this millenia… Only being down games 10 in a freakin’ miracle!
______________________
Only in ATL would it be a miracle. Of course, that’s the problem with this city and its pro sports legacy.
atlchris
April 20th, 2012
8:01 pm
I feel you Rob.
rob
April 20th, 2012
8:01 pm
Yea they are morons. On twitter Roddy White and Ray Edwards said they were going to this game.
Jeff Schultz
April 20th, 2012
8:02 pm
Joe has 19 pts on 7-of-9 shooting. (Desperately was seeking a note. There you go.)
DawgNole
April 20th, 2012
8:02 pm
atlchris
April 20th, 2012
7:55 pm
The hawks have had their back ups in for alot of minutes.yet espn keeps pointing out how close the game is with boston only having their scrubs in.
_____________________
It’s called disrespect by the national media. Respect will come only with championships. Even one title after 44 years would get us on the path toward national respect. Any chance it’ll happen this year? NOT (again)!
Jeff Schultz
April 20th, 2012
8:06 pm
Hawks 58-49 at the half. … Johnson with 23, next closest Hawk is Josh with 10.
JOSH SMITH FOR 3!
April 20th, 2012
8:06 pm
This live blog is quite dead. Wonder if ASG has anything to do with that.
DawgNole
April 20th, 2012
8:07 pm
What a brain cramp by Joe there. He could’ve stuffed that one.
drmaryb.[*_*].
April 20th, 2012
8:07 pm
Mr. Schultz,
Thanks for ineractively blooging with us, we NEVER get that on our Hawks blog.
Neither during games nor through out the week. You’re out working the beat writers. LOL
Shamrock
April 20th, 2012
8:09 pm
I like the idea of the Celtics fodder getting slapped around by the Hawks starters, it will make the Celtic bench all the more hungry to contribute next week when their big boys are back to carry the load.
Hard In The Paint Like Josh Smith
April 20th, 2012
8:11 pm
everyone is on the other hawks blog
atlchris
April 20th, 2012
8:11 pm
They need to crank it updefensively, and win this by 20. Lets hold them below 85. A-town
Jeff Schultz
April 20th, 2012
8:22 pm
Dr. Maryb — It’s hard for MC to live-blog during games because he’s writing game story. Sometimes I need to do same with column, but tonight a little easier.
Jeff Schultz
April 20th, 2012
8:24 pm
AtlChris –Agree .. Hawks need to open up big lead in 3rd so they can rest guys. Need to get tougher defensively. Celtics shooting 60.5 percent (same as Hawks).
drmaryb.[*_*].
April 20th, 2012
8:25 pm
Mr. schultz,
Oh … Ok. I see. But, you’re great on here tonight. Thanks again.
Runner-
April 20th, 2012
8:26 pm
Jeff,
You think the Hawks can take on the Celtics with no real center?
Jeff Schultz
April 20th, 2012
8:28 pm
I think this would be a fine time to introduce Jeff Teague to the bench.
Jeff Schultz
April 20th, 2012
8:28 pm
Runner — Don’t know. Seriously, no feel for it.
atlchris
April 20th, 2012
8:38 pm
Hawks are toying with them.
atlchris
April 20th, 2012
8:41 pm
The pressure should get to the celtics young guys.
atlchris
April 20th, 2012
8:42 pm
Marvin just keeps missing.
Big Lou
April 20th, 2012
8:44 pm
“You think the Hawks can take on the Celtics with no real center?”
What a silly question.
The Celts don’t have a real center either.
Jeff Schultz
April 20th, 2012
8:45 pm
It’s a good thing LD isn’t pulling out all the stops tonight because Hawks playing sloppy, soft defensively, given the opposition.
Nanny
April 20th, 2012
8:45 pm
Jeff Schultz @JeffSchultzAJC Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
If the Hawks lose this game, I’m picking Celtics in 3 in 1st round.
I hope that was a joke and you know it is a 7 game series.
Runner-
April 20th, 2012
8:45 pm
“The Celts don’t have a real center either.”
The Celtics don’t need a center. They have more than enough PF’s that can play solid defense to make up for that. The Hawks don’t.
Jeff Schultz
April 20th, 2012
8:46 pm
Nanny. Yes, it was a joke and I know it’s a 7-game series. I’m a funny guy. Didn’t you know that?
Jeff Schultz
April 20th, 2012
8:49 pm
Ri-dunkulous…. Hawks determined to keep Celtics in this. 12-point lead down to 72-71.
R. Royce
April 20th, 2012
8:49 pm
What is Marvin doing in the game?
Nanny
April 20th, 2012
8:49 pm
Marvin is a disgrace.
Big Lou
April 20th, 2012
8:50 pm
“The Celtics don’t need a center. They have more than enough PF’s that can play solid defense to make up for that. The Hawks don’t.”
Hawk’s 4th in the league defense says otherwise.
MattP
April 20th, 2012
8:51 pm
Another 3rd quarter meltdown.
R. Royce
April 20th, 2012
8:52 pm
This is where earlier I was thinking to myself; self, the Hawks should, could win against these Celtics tonight, but. And a big but indeed. It’s like this: Larry Drew and the Hawks don’t like the big spotlight. They are on two networks. They cannot deal with the idea that the whole nation may be watching. And I hold LD accountable. He’s not making the substitution/rotations like he’s used to making when they play for example, a lesser team. What’s the difference? LD should know better, but he chokes. That’s why I say-Hawk lose in the first round to Boston.
Hard In The Paint Like Josh Smith
April 20th, 2012
8:54 pm
hawks need a point guard that can drve the ball…
DawgNole
April 20th, 2012
8:56 pm
R. Royce
April 20th, 2012
8:52 pm
This is where earlier I was thinking to myself; self, the Hawks should, could win against these Celtics tonight, but. And a big but indeed. It’s like this: Larry Drew and the Hawks don’t like the big spotlight. They are on two networks. They cannot deal with the idea that the whole nation may be watching. And I hold LD accountable. He’s not making the substitution/rotations like he’s used to making when they play for example, a lesser team. What’s the difference? LD should know better, but he chokes. That’s why I say-Hawk lose in the first round to Boston.
____________________________
It might be LD and the Hawks this year, but what you see going on out there tonight is just a repeat of ancient (45 years) history.
Paul in NH
April 20th, 2012
8:57 pm
I saw some of Q2 in a tavern in Newmarket, NH having dinner with my wife. I didn’t recognize any of the guys in green so I waited to see the start of Q3 to see the regulars – I didn’t recognize any of those guys either.
R. Royce
April 20th, 2012
8:57 pm
Now you see LD making the subsitutions/rotations, but too little, too late. He kept his starters in for too long, because he was assuming that his starters were going to get him that 15-20 point lead, which never happened. LD should have subbed at the beginning of the 3rd quarter. Given the fact that the Hawks bench had played well over the last couple of games, LD just ain’t got good sense when it comes to big game such as this.
drmaryb.[*_*].
April 20th, 2012
9:00 pm
We need zaza and, put the starters back in, tell Josh to play inside and stop throwing up all those bricks. Marvin is useless.
IlliniDawg
April 20th, 2012
9:01 pm
ESPN announcers calling out Hawks. Using words like “embarrassing” and “lazy” and “inexcusable.” WOW!
DawgNole
April 20th, 2012
9:04 pm
IlliniDawg
April 20th, 2012
9:01 pm
ESPN announcers calling out Hawks. Using words like “embarrassing” and “lazy” and “inexcusable.” WOW!
___________________
And their assessments are accurate tonight. Candid assessments of the home team–something you’ll never hear from Bob/Nique.
IlliniDawg
April 20th, 2012
9:05 pm
Also commending the “coaching prowess” of Doc Rivers. Not sure the words “coaching prowess” and Larry Drew have ever been uttered in the same sentence.
R. Royce
April 20th, 2012
9:08 pm
Larry, get Marvin out of the game! First Marvin makes a weak pass that Ivan can’t handle. Then again-on offense Marvin is wide open and has missed all night long. You clearly see that this dude has no confidence in his game, yet you keep him in the game? What is the definition of insanity?
DawgNole
April 20th, 2012
9:08 pm
IlliniDawg
April 20th, 2012
9:05 pm
Also commending the “coaching prowess” of Doc Rivers. Not sure the words “coaching prowess” and Larry Drew have ever been uttered in the same sentence.
_________________
They’re right–and so are you.
Nanny
April 20th, 2012
9:08 pm
Jeff,
Please ask Drew in the post game what Marvin does that warrants getting so many minutes?
Marvin is a flat out disgrace. Looks like he gets more out of shape as the season goes along. Remember all that nonsense we heard about his back finally being healthy at the start of the year?
His duck butt is more out of control then it ever has been.
kbb
April 20th, 2012
9:12 pm
Who let this Doris Burke broad out of the kitchen? She should be announcing Wisconsin State vs. Maine Southern D-3 basketball games.
IlliniDawg
April 20th, 2012
9:15 pm
kbb: not a big fan of her commentary either, but at least she is telling it like it is.
keepinitreal
April 20th, 2012
9:15 pm
This is ridiculous. It would be one thing to lay an egg in a game like this in January, but with home-court advantage on the line, it’s shocking the Hawks aren’t winning this game by 20+.
Wink
April 20th, 2012
9:16 pm
Got dawn, see now they have got to play for their pride….starters gave up the lead and now they got to try to win the game…they should not have been on the floor after the first quarter….bum coach!
Jp
April 20th, 2012
9:28 pm
So much for that easy win huh? Celtics are going to destroy hawks in playoffs. Josh Smith is an idiot! Lol
JSS
April 20th, 2012
9:29 pm
ZLet me pretend to be like a Falcons fan… “A win is a win!”
R. Royce
April 20th, 2012
9:33 pm
Good win. A win is a win. But let that be a lesson. You can’t get all comfortable when you have a ten point lead against the Celtics. And for those of you who get offended by what the espn announcers say: Don’t worry about it. That’s why they have two networks, one local and one national. I prefer the local when looking at the Hawks.
JSS
April 20th, 2012
9:59 pm
Somebody ran from Hopkinton and forgot to hydrate… Get some IVs player!
DawgNole
April 20th, 2012
10:04 pm
“So. Feeling confident about next week now?”
______________________
Hell no!
biz
April 20th, 2012
10:11 pm
Hawks play up/down to their opponent as featured tonight. Strangely this bizarre team (bizarre for the last 3 years) doesn’t worry me. I take them to rise up and beat the Celts 4-3 (with 2 blowout losses). After that…well lets just get to after that.
BARELY HANGING on
April 20th, 2012
10:13 pm
a victory.
That’s good Jeff, I’m serious.
DawgNole
April 20th, 2012
10:19 pm
biz
April 20th, 2012
10:11 pm
Hawks play up/down to their opponent as featured tonight. Strangely this bizarre team (bizarre for the last 3 years) doesn’t worry me. I take them to rise up and beat the Celts 4-3 (with 2 blowout losses). After that…well lets just get to after that.
_____________________
Bizarre for the last 44 years.
Bravesfan79
April 20th, 2012
10:42 pm
And this…. is why i was rooting for the Hawks to face the Pacers in round 1! 2 bad Dwight had to be a big baby and make orlando suck so they couldnt move up and pass the hawks.
BARELY HANGING on
April 20th, 2012
10:43 pm
I parked my car in haffod yad
and we got kicked by the Hawks
Slimjr
April 20th, 2012
10:48 pm
Would not be surprised if the Hawks get swept in 4.. tonight was brutal and it should not have been…
BARELY HANGING on
April 20th, 2012
11:01 pm
… you tellin’ me the Hawks beat the bean bags.
intellibird
April 20th, 2012
11:15 pm
Christopher Mehegan is a green pixie. Keep dreaming you Bawston meathead. Why don’t you go on over and blog about the Red Sux. Looking great this year.
Lets be straight – Boston was lucky to get the Championship they got a few years ago. They’re going nowhere this year. Soon, Doc Rivers will probably be coaching the Hawks and you Bawston Irish will be in the cellar again.
Hard to see a future in Rajon Rondo and nobody else. Garnett, Pierce, and Allen are dinosaurs. Danny Ainge ain’t gonna save this puppy going forward.
Hawks win series in 5 games.
JJ
April 21st, 2012
12:42 am
One point win, 50 point win – couldn’t care less either way. Just win. And I feel no less confident now in a series vs Boston than I did before the game. Either way, this is going to be a hard fought series that probably will go 7. And I’m glad that 7th game will be at THF.
J-SMOOVE
April 21st, 2012
1:38 am
All we need is for Horford to give us half of a game of the bench and we will beat Boston. We have always played well vs them. Hawks 4 Celtics 3. CANT WAIT!!!
LakeDawg
April 21st, 2012
3:01 am
LMAO. The Hawks are invisible in ATL. Three pages on a live blog of a huge game. Alas, there is reason. EVERYONE knows the Hawks have ZERO chance of doing anything in the playoffs. The Hawks are nutty, so they might take the Celtics in round (even though I doubt it), but they will lay down in the second round and get swept. Nothing changes. BLOW IT UP.
JSS
April 21st, 2012
7:18 am
Lake Dawg mistook this for a UGA Basketball or Falcons playoff blog! The only team to actually win a series in 21st Century, and your crying? Stick to mythical things, is there a 32nd anniversary video on sell yet?
Frontman
April 21st, 2012
8:02 am
Sweet, JSS…
Typical Joe Johnson: 23 points in the first half, 7 in the second. What percentage of this guy’s points come in the first half? Dude is MIA after halftime…
JSS
April 21st, 2012
9:00 am
Marvin and Joe (can include Teague in the mix) are Casper specialists (they become ghosts and disappear)!
DP
April 21st, 2012
9:24 am
3 main points from last night’s game:
1. This NBA regular season is a complete joke, pretending fans are seeing legitimate NBA games when teams have to play 11 games in 15 nights as the Celtics just did or play 3 nights in a row in different cities. I watched San Antonio play a couple of overtimes against Dallas pretty early in the season and Popovich had Duncan and Parker on the bench for the last 20+ minutes with the subs on the floor. That’s what the smart coaches are doing, forget home court, just try to keep your players healthy for the playoffs.
2. Doc Rivers clearly has no fear of the Hawks in a postseason series as he just handed them home court advantage by resting Pierce and Garnett and leaving Rondo in Boston. And even with that the Hawks barely won at home.
3. Larry Drew kept it “vanilla” last night because he didn’t want to show the Celtics the new wrinkles he has for the playoffs? LOL. Like what, IsoJoe dribbling between his legs and trying to back down a defender for 15 seconds and then launching an off balance miss at the shot clock buzzer?
STRETCH
April 21st, 2012
9:54 am
Whats scary about this team is that the STILL dont listen to Drew or Drew is NOT as creative on offensive as he should. For example:
Last night with the Hawks up by 11, the get a rebound, come down court and ONE pass to Duck who throws up a 16 ft baseline jumper for a brick. Boston scores. Next play, Marvin dribbles into the paint, with no place to go, still tries to throw up a shot and another brick.
Josh is still shooting when he feels like it. But im going to stop talking about that cause nothing is going to change.
Did TMac even dress last night?
DawgNole
April 21st, 2012
10:24 am
christopher mehegan
April 21st, 2012
12:40 am
intellibird is a overrated brokeback mountain referee crying foul crying goober keep dreaming u brkeback mountain referee smoking foul crying shmuck how is the braves lookin this year hahahahah oh yeah and u knuckleheads have a disjointed management also how is that workin out for ur team the team as a whole is alomst about as disfunctional as the maloofs in sacramento the hawks will never see an nba title for about as long as u knuckleheads continue to be a leave it to beaver footnote celtics in 6 games go c’s
_______________________
And I thought some of the Hawks fans on these blogs were dumb. This dope might’ve set a new low.
DawgNole
April 21st, 2012
10:26 am
DP
April 21st, 2012
9:24 am
Doc Rivers clearly has no fear of the Hawks in a postseason series as he just handed them home court advantage by resting Pierce and Garnett and leaving Rondo in Boston. And even with that the Hawks barely won at home.
________________________
Agree. Guess we’ll find out soon enough if his confidence is warranted.
Scott Brantley
April 21st, 2012
10:47 am
133rd!!!!
ryan
April 21st, 2012
11:58 am
Boston will sweep the Hawks, where does Atlanta have an advantage
Rondo is one of the best players in the league
Pierce wants the ball when the game is on the line ( he is a closer and makes about six million less than Joe)
KG and Bass neutralize J Smooth
Doc is probably the second best coach in the league behind Poppovich
There will be five to seven thousand loud celtics fans in philips
Avery Bradley can score as can Ray Allen in bunches without Jamal Crawford the Hawks lost that element this season
This is the worst possible matchup in round one
Dudah
April 21st, 2012
5:07 pm
There is no “I” in team but there is a “U” in Stupid…what a crappy article .. you have an easy job if you can write stuff like this and actually get it published..you ought to retire out of respect for “real” authors/columnists of talent.. wow
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April 21st, 2012
6:49 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution [...]
Buzz2011
April 22nd, 2012
5:36 am
A little too much drama Schultz!! You only need to win by a point and who cares if the Celtics have players out? The Hawks are missing startters as well. Horford, Patulia?/
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April 22nd, 2012
8:02 am
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April 24th, 2012
2:12 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution [...]
P
April 27th, 2012
9:50 pm
Hawks will get sweep yall.barely beat boston last week against there bench