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Game Thread: Celtics @ Hawks 8Pm Est On Tnt

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Hawks on Game 5:

http-~~-//nba.cdn.turner.com/nba/big/channels/playoffs/2012/05/08/20120508_hawks_sound.nba_nba_576x324.flv

Celtics on Game 5:

http-~~-//nba.cdn.turner.com/nba/big/channels/playoffs/2012/05/08/20120508_celtics_sound.nba_nba_576x324.flv

TNT game preview (after the game, longer one should be coming up):

http-~~-//nba.cdn.turner.com/nba/big/channels/playoffs/2012/05/06/0041100135_atl_bos_gm5_preview.nba_nba_576x324.flv

http://www.nba.com/p...ndex.html?ls=st

Celtics-Hawks Preview

By PAUL NEWBERRY

Posted May 07 2012 6:56PM

ATLANTA (AP) Boston's Big Three still has some life in those old bones.

Thirty-somethings Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen led the Celtics to their most recent NBA championship in 2008, and this could be their last hurrah together in Beantown.

If so, they're clearly looking to go out with a bang.

"They have pride," Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford said Monday. "That goes a long way."

The Big Three (plus, let's not forget, Rajon Rondo) have led the Celtics to a 3-1 lead over the Hawks. Game 5 is Tuesday night in Atlanta, with Boston looking to wrap up the series after a 22-point blowout that wasn't really that close.

The Hawks know what they're up against, facing an experienced team with a trio of aging stars who clearly have something to prove.

"They've got guys who've been in wars, who've been in the trenches, who've been in these type of situations more than we have," Atlanta coach Larry Drew said. "When you look at their history over the last few years with Paul and KJ and Ray, and now with the way Rondo has been playing, they've always been a dangerous team to me."

Plenty of skeptics figured Boston was all washed up early in the season, and it's easy to see why. The Celtics approached the midway point at 15-17, closer to missing the playoffs than making any noise in the postseason.

But they were one of the best teams in the league the rest of the way, winning 24 of their last 34 games and carrying that momentum into the playoffs. After three tight games with Atlanta, they took control of the series with a 101-79 rout Sunday night.

The 34-year-old Pierce scored 24 points in less than 19 minutes - not bad, considering he hurt his left knee in the morning shootaround and the Celtics weren't even sure he'd be able to play. He's averaging a series-leading 23.3 points a game, including a gutsy 36-point effort in Game 2, when Boston grabbed a win on the road even with Rondo serving a suspension for bumping a referee.

The 35-year-old Garnett and 36-year-old Allen are doing their part, too.

KG is averaging 17 points in the series and leads the Celtics in rebounding (10.5 a game). Allen, who had not played since April 10 because of bone spurs in his right ankle, returned for the past two games in Boston to provide valuable minutes off the bench. He's averaging 12.5 points.

"I feel surprisingly great," Allen said.

Of course, the Big Three is actually the Big Four. Rondo got off to a rough start in the series, bumping an official while complaining about a call in the final minute of Atlanta's Game 1 victory.

After sitting out Game 2, Rondo returned to put up a triple-double (17 points, 14 rebounds, 12 assists) in the next game, allowing the Celtics to pull out an overtime victory after the Hawks rallied from 11 points down in the fourth quarter. He followed with 20 points and 16 assists Sunday night, which gave his older teammates a chance to get some much-needed rest in the second half.

"That's Rondo being Rondo," Pierce said. "He's one of the best point guards in the NBA. He has the confidence and controls the game."

The Hawks suddenly look like a team in disarray, even though they have their own version of the Big Three back together for the first time since January.

Center Al Horford, who missed nearly the entire regular season recovering from pectoral surgery, made a surprise return in Game 4 after initially saying he would definitely have to sit out the opening round of the playoffs.

While Horford turned in a surprisingly solid performance off the bench, scoring 12 points and grabbing five rebounds, the rest of the team seemed completely out of sync - especially Joe Johnson.

The Hawks go-to offensive player took only eight shots and finished with nine points. He was virtually non-existent as the Celtics raced to a 23-point lead at halftime and essentially clinched the game early in the third quarter, leading by as many as 37.

Johnson was clearly frustrated by the lack of scoring opportunities.

"I don't think they're doing anything different defensively on me," he said. "It's just basically getting an opportunity to touch the ball. That's it."

While praising Horford's performance, Johnson said the center's return seemed to hurt the chemistry the Hawks had developed over the three months without him.

"Whether the rotations are different or the guys don't know when they're going to play, I don't know what it is," Johnson said. "You've got a whole team back together that hasn't played together since January. It is kind of tough to change that coming into Game 4 of the playoffs. That's a big adjustment."

Drew shrugged off the comments, saying it was up to Johnson "to be more aggressive working to get his shots" while the guys around him need to recognize when he's gone more than one or two possessions without getting a shot.

"There were a number of situations where we could have made one extra pass, and that extra pass would have been to him," Drew said. "We need to be more mindful when he's out there to make sure he's getting touches."

With the potential for two more home games, the Hawks aren't giving up on the series. They already had a surprisingly solid season without Horford and believe coping with that adversity prepared them to overcome a huge hurdle in the playoffs.

"This is not the end of the world," Drew said. "This is an opportunity to show what we're made of."

The Celtics are ready to wrap things up and give their Big Three a few extra days of rest before the second round.

"You don't want to give a team any confidence," Pierce said. "You've got to go down to Atlanta with the right mindset. You don't want to bring it back to Boston because anything could happen. The NBA is a weird league. One game could give a team confidence. "

I will leave the great preview stuff for LW3 when he's ready to post it...
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Admin Newbie

Admin

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My theory is this will be decided by halftime. Either we are up big or down big. It will be a boat race from there.

When was the last time we had a good team beaten by halftime? I'd LOVE for that to be the case but I honestly can't remember the last game we had like that.
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HawkItus Collaborator

HawkItus

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When was the last time we had a good team beaten by halftime? I'd LOVE for that to be the case but I honestly can't remember the last game we had like that.

Plenty of times in playoffs especially round 1. When we beat Miami and the Bucks etc. In round 1 that is what we do. Win big or lose big.
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benhillboy Grand Master

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Not getting my expectations too high, just hope the guys compete. If we do lose, I always enjoy seeing Rondo's maturation into an All-Time Special PG and Ray's perfect elbow form. He's perfected it so much he doesn't even jump straight up when contested. Dude be falling to the side and leaning forward all off balance, bottoms. And say what you will about K.G.: a championship (maybe more), MVP, umpteen All-Star Appearances (fan voted and starting, mind you) and DPOY amounts to a career that I could never say a negative thing about. Considering we were without Al most of the year and that the Celtics are made up of much tougher ingredients, I'm proud of the guys. Even Joey. Hopefully he leaves it all out there, Taegue throws caution to the wind, Al gives us what he has, and Josh give us one more of those stupid stat stuffer nights. Let's F@&kin' Go.

Edited by benhillboy
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Plenty of times in playoffs especially round 1. When we beat Miami and the Bucks etc. In round 1 that is what we do. Win big or lose big.

I wouldn't call either of them good teams as we were heavy favorites to beat both. I'm talking about thumping a team as good or better than us by halftime and knowing the game is over. Other than Orlando during the year I can't recall any other recent games like that.
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lethalweapon3 Grand Master

lethalweapon3

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Alright! It's All Hands on Deck time! No fancy-schmancy stats worth sharing, not with our Fine Feathered Friends acting more disillusioned on the court lately than Savannah McMillan-Christmas ("Where's Kenyon?!?")The Hawks have to simply stop doing things that make life easy for the Celtics and plays right into their wrinkled hands. Stop over-pursuing Rondo, and no more half-hearted defensive rotations. Atlanta knows every spot on the floor where Boston's main guys (including Bass) like their uncontested/barely contested shots. So just be in position to disrupt passes and get two hands up in their faces. because another night of 10-for-13 (Paula), 8-for-11 (Ref Pusher), and 6-for-8 (Raisinet Head) and it's See You Next Halloween.The onus is on the coaching staff to be savants going forward, to put in the personnel at every position that follows a sound game plan on both ends, and subbing right away when players fail to do so in favor of single-minded "Let's Try This" basketball. When spot-up shooters are not shooting, when open lanes to the basket are not exploited, when bigs are handling the ball from 20 feet out with seconds to go on the clock, when doubling defenders fail to get back out to close out on the likely shooter, sit them down, and correct them before sending them back out. Don't waste possessions,don't waste defensive stops. True Hawks fans going to the game tonight deserve 48 full minutes of their team's very best basketball. Let's see it.Go Hawks!~lw3

Edited by lethalweapon3
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Admin Newbie

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Tremendously stupid lazy passes and dumb plays by Josh tonight to ignite Boston runs. This end of the 3rd run might end up being the death of us. Gotta come out with energy and ball movement here in the 4th. Lets go Hawks!!

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And just like that Josh turns up his game and we've stolen the momentum. Al has looked awesome but I'm concerned about him saying that he's got inflammation and normally wouldn't play. I sure have missed the way he plays though! Lets Go Hawks!!!!

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I take full credit for this 4th by josh. My ability to have a player make me eat my words is uncanny.

You and me both! I couldn't have said the words birdbrain more tonight and I'm happy to have him make me eat my words.
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jy23 Enthusiast

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almost spoke to soon there dol

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