Starting 5 vs Starting 5

[TheDude]

wow, looks kinda like we have an advantage when you look at the stats of the starting five vs each other. at least even..............so that shows you how badly we need a bench...

this is from espn (although i did have to fix it because once again they had marvin as the PF going against KG and josh at SF...

Player Matchups

HAWKS CELTICS

M. Bibby R. Rondo

Points: 13.9 Points: 10.6

Rebounds: 3.3 Rebounds: 4.2

Assists: 6.0 Assists: 5.1

J. Johnson R. Allen

Points: 21.7 Points: 17.4

Rebounds: 4.5 Rebounds: 3.7

Assists: 5.8 Assists: 3.1

M. Williams P. Pierce

Points: 14.8 Points: 19.6

Rebounds: 5.7 Rebounds: 5.1

Assists: 1.7 Assists: 4.5

J. Smith K. Garnett

Points: 17.2 Points: 18.8

Rebounds: 8.2 Rebounds: 9.2

Assists: 3.4 Assists: 3.4

A. Horford K. Perkins

Points: 10.1 Points: 6.9

Rebounds: 9.7 Rebounds: 6.1

Assists: 1.5 Assists: 1.1

[JackB1]

We saw in the game last Sat that our starting 5 matches up very well with their starting 5.

It's the bench that's going to kill us. You can thank Woody for that. He has ignored everyone but Chillz and Zaza for the past month.

[Guest Walter]

Before the season Boston HAD NO BENCH. They added Cassell but it's still not the bench that I'm afraid of.

It's the defense. Bibby makes ours worse and conspicuously there is no mention of a defensive statistic in your starting 5 comparison. Boston has the NBA's 2nd best scoring defense and the best team defensive FG%. In fact, their team defensive FG% is the best in the past 5 years!

If we don't run or get easy buckets somehow, we are doomed to get blown out and swept.

W

[AHF]

Quote:

---

Before the season Boston HAD NO BENCH. They added Cassell but it's still not the bench that I'm afraid of.

They are a good bench because of:

(1) The signing of PJ Brown;

(2) the development of Glen Davis;

(3) the signing of James Posey;

(4) the signing of Sam Cassell;

and

(5) useful role players like Tony Allen, Leon Powe and Eddie House.

Definitely a "plus" bench for a team with 3 superstars.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Quote:

---

Before the season Boston HAD NO BENCH. They added Cassell but it's still not the bench that I'm afraid of.

It's the defense. Bibby makes ours worse and conspicuously there is no mention of a defensive statistic in your starting 5 comparison. Boston has the NBA's 2nd best scoring defense and the best team defensive FG%. In fact, their team defensive FG% is the best in the past 5 years!

If we don't run or get easy buckets somehow, we are doomed to get blown out and swept.

W

Right on point Walter. There's no way you can just look at individual stats and determine that our starting 5 is better. And Boston is all about defense.

Rondo vs Bibby is a wash. Bibby is better offensively, but he's streaky. Rondo might be 1st or 2nd team all-NBA defense this year.

JJ vs Allen - slight edge to JJ, but Ray can definitely get it done. On some nights, Ray is better than JJ.

Marvin vs Pierce - Pierce by a long shot.

Smoove vs KG - KG by a long shot

Horford vs Perkins - Horford, but Perkins is solid for what they ask him to do.

In actuality, our starting 5 is nowhere near what Boston can put on the floor. The only shot we have of making this interesting, is if our backcourt plays as well as they possibly can, with everybody else just doing what they're supposed to do.

[AHF]

Rondo was 1st team defense this year. (It still annoys me we didn't trade down and grab him.)

[TheDude]

although I agree, I don't think it's all because we have Bibby (although as players go he's not good and neither is marvin williams and josh smith has been sporadic on effort)....we sure as heck played a bit better d before we got bibby but the pointguards we had then (lue and aj) were just as bad defensively.....i think we fell off defensively after the trade because the rest of the team figured they could relax more now that they knew they could score...before, they knew points were hard to come by so they manned up defensively....i think a lot of it is effort and wantto...

our team needs to learn to CRAVE wanting to play defense.

Quote:

---

Before the season Boston HAD NO BENCH. They added Cassell but it's still not the bench that I'm afraid of.

It's the defense. Bibby makes ours worse and conspicuously there is no mention of a defensive statistic in your starting 5 comparison. Boston has the NBA's 2nd best scoring defense and the best team defensive FG%. In fact, their team defensive FG% is the best in the past 5 years!

If we don't run or get easy buckets somehow, we are doomed to get blown out and swept.

W

[TheNorthCydeRises]

That's a good assessment Doc. I definitely agree with what you said about our defense. With Bibby, the points are going to come, so now they feel that they don't have to grind every possession out on the defensive end.

[Plainview1981]

I wouldn't be shocked at all if Rondo out plays Bibby. We have seen Bibby wilt against good defensive teams as a Hawk and he isn't anywhere near the shooter he used to be. KG is the biggest difference. If he got hurt it could possibly turn this into a SLIGHTLY more interesting series. As it is, we are basically just waiting for the 'sure thing" to happen.

[Traceman]

NONE of our guys have shown a consistent commitment to playing GREAT defense. Boston LIVES to play Great D. Their coach preaches it and their best player is the likely DPOY.

I'm afraid our guys are in for a rude awakening come Sunday night when they are finding it difficult just to get a quality shot off. Boston is going to double JJ and Smoove is going to find himself wide open on the perimeter. The question is what will he do? Will he let Boston off the hook by settling for an open J or will he take it to the rack and force the officials to make a call? Marvin is going to find himself crowded on the perimeter and J's may be hard to come by. Can he get to the rack and finish and/or get to the line? Can Horford knock down that 15 footer consistently and/or make enough shots on the interior to keep Perkins honest? Can Bibby get his shot against the much quicker and more athletic Rondo? Can Chillz get his shot off amongst the trees? If not, can he hit his 3's? Unless JJ and/or Bibby gets REALLY hot, it may be game 2 before I guys realize just how hard they are going to have to play (particularly on the defensive end) and how well they have to execute ALL THE TIME to avoid getting blown out.

[TruJerz]

I just wanna see the Hawks put up a fight. I mean face it, the Celts are better at offense, defense, they have a better bench, better coach, and they are more experienced too..not to mention they are the BEST team in the league! lol I know we wont win the series but it will be nice to though. fact is that this is a learning experience to make us better next season and for the future. With that said, I still cant wait til Sunday!

Lets go Hawks!!!!