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Posted by: Micah Hart at 10:52PM EST on April 30, 2008
11:00 - Posey starts the fourth for Boston with another three. I looked up just now at their 3-pt shooting %, and amazingly (to me at least), they are only 8-17. I swear it seems like they are 11-15.
8:25 - I think the last two games have maybe made us forget just how good the Celtics are. I swear to you, the Hawks are playing by far their best game in Boston in this series, and it hasn't made a lick of difference. I wouldn't pretend to assume we will win Game 6 at home, but if we do, we are going to have to really work hard to figure out how to do better in this building. To move on, we know we have to win one here, it's that simple. But let's worry about Game 6 before we ever entertain any notions of how to prepare for Game 7.
7:56 - One person who has played well tonight (who didn't do so well the first two times here) is Joe Johnson. That's not a surprise of course, but he does have 16 points despite sitting out 11 minutes in the first half.
5:19 - The Hawks made a mini-run to cut it to 13, but two straight buckets by the Celtics have it back to 17. And with that, I'm going to cut the live blog short here so I can get some post-game stuff done before we have to leave for the plane back to Atlanta. I know we are losing, and I know it's by as much as the other two games, but I feel MUCH better about our chances here. We've played well - the Celtics have just played better. Back to Atlanta we go...
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Posted by: Micah Hart at 10:16PM EST on April 30, 2008
12:00 - Mission #1 in the second half - keep Joe Johnson on the floor. For the game right now, JJ is only -2, despite the team being down by 15. Mission #2? Stop the Celtics from getting so many baskets inside. The Celtics have 22 points in the paint and 14 off second chances. We've already seen the Hawks can come back from deficits (at least at home), and I'd like to make Boston nervous for Game 6 even if they do win this one. The Celtics get the ball first. A stop would be nice.
10:24 - The offense starts out the second half pretty stagnant, as the Celtics force a 24-second violation. We need to try to go inside out again, running the offense more through Horford to get some open looks. Bibby hasn't had a shot in what seems like forever.
9:29 - Good ball movement by the Hawks gets Marvin an open look, and they force a turnover in the backcourt and get a Bibby 3 to cut it back to 12. More of that! Yeah!
8:39 - Joe Johnson hits a pair at the line after another Celtics turnover. While he is at the line, a Celtics heckler yells at him: "Joe Johnson, you have a boring name!" I give him points for humor.
7:29 - It's 60-50, but it feels like it should be closer. The last two possessions have not been crisp for the Hawks, who can't afford not to take advantage of every opportunity. They messed up a bit of a fastbreak, and then again failed to corral an obtainable offensive rebound which resulted in the Celtics stealing it back for a fresh possession. They didn't score, but it's symptomatic. On the road, you can't make small mistakes like that, because the margin of error is so much slimmer. Still, it's 60-50, and the Hawks are as close as they've been in a while.
6:20 - The Celtics are not crisp right now either, and the Hawks are finally taking advantage. A Horford jumper reduces the deficit to six, 60-54.
5:00 - And just like that, Ray Allen hits a three to push it back to 11, 65-54. This will not be easy.
3:30 - That one hurt. A forced 22-footer by Horford as the shot clock expired, and then Ray hits another 3 on the other end. It's 72-56 now, the largest lead of the game for the Celts.
3:14 - And we're playing the feud again. Rajon Rondo pushes Joe Johnson, who (understandably) takes exception. They both get techs (though I may be wrong, it appears they have called the tech on Garnett, who doesn't seem real happy about it), but nothing escalates any further. What an intense series this has turned out to be.
2:30 - Frankly, when Ray Allen is hitting like this, it's pretty hard to win. He's got 3 3's in this quarter alone, and looks like he could hit anything from anywhere right now.
29.5 - I'm going to complain about the officiating now, but not how you may think. Paul Pierce just went barreling into the lane, where Al Horford, standing completely still, got called for a foul. I don't agree with that call, but it's more on the macro level than the one just called now. I hate it that players get rewarded for blindly careening into the post. I don't like it when the Hawks get away with it, and I don't like it when other teams get away with it. It's just not basketball. Ok, I'm off my soapbox now.
0:00 - I gotta tell ya - the Hawks played really, really well in that quarter, and yet the Celtics lead increased from halftime by two to lead 81-64 at the end of three. You just have to tip your hat to Boston right now, who has hit three-pointer after three-pointer to quell every Atlanta attempt to get back in the game. There really isn't much you can do about it other than continue to play hard.
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Posted by: Micah Hart at 9:22PM EST on April 30, 2008
11:02 - Zaza Pachulia said earlier today the crowd wouldn't bother him, and to prove it he hits a jumper with ease (and follows it up with a beautiful backdoor pass to Acie Law for a lay-in). 31-23 Celtics.
9:44 - The Hawks are picking it up on offense a bit to start the second, but the Celtics continue to get easy buckets inside. Atlanta has got to do a better job on the defensive glass, especially with Garnett and Perkins out of the game right now.
7:00 - Ok, gut check. 41-28 Celtics, and the crowd is as loud as it's been in the game. Joe Johnson is back in, and we need him badly.
4:30 - Crap! Joe had a great look at a 3, but it goes long and the Celts get a fastbreak layup from Rajon Rondo going the other way. It's 45-30 bad guys, and right now I'm once again in the position to root for the team just to get the lead back to single digits at the half. The Celtics are tough at home, boy.
3:45 - Josh Smith has taken a few jumpers tonight, but he is also being very aggressive attacking the basket. It's working too, as he has gotten to the line three times and made all 6 FTs. 47-34 Celtics.
2:45 - You have got to be kidding me. Josh Smith just made an amazing block on Rondo on one end, and while the Hawks were fast-breaking down the other way for an easy deuce, the refs called a foul on Rondo for keeping Smoove from getting up on the baseline. The Celtics fans are booing the call, but the foul saved a basket on the other end. There needs to be an advantage rule like in soccer for a play like that - the foul is on the Celtics, but the Hawks are the ones who are penalized by the situation. UPDATE: At least Smoove made the foul shots. It's 48-36.
2:17 - JJ goes to the line as he's fouled on a three-point attempt, and once again the charity stripe is keeping the Hawks in play. It's down to 9 now, 48-39.
1:45 - Another defensive stand by Atlanta, but another dagger from Boston as Rondo nails a trey with 1 on the shot clock. Back to 12, 51-39.
57.0 - Calm down, Celtics fans. Al Horford commits a hard foul on Garnet to be sure, but there was no harm intended. The second it was over Al started to go over to help KG up, but I guess his help wasn't wanted. I understand, but I don't think the flagrant was warranted, and KG took advantage by hitting both FTs.
0:35 - That hurt. The Hawks get a stop, but no one can corral the loose ball and Ray Allen ends up with an open look for 3 to push it back to a 15-point lead. These are the kinds of breaks you make for yourself, and Boston has been the team making them tonight.
0:00 - Pierce hits another shot-clock beating jumper, and we are 58-43 at the half. This game reminds me more of Game 1 than 2 - I think the Hawks are playing ok - not great, but not bad - but the Celtics are playing at an incredibly high level and therefore lead by 15. The defense is the main culprit tonight - they are really going to have to tighten up in the second half if they want a shot at coming home with a lead in the series.
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Posted by: Micah Hart at 8:48PM EST on April 30, 2008
12:00 - About to get started. To win tonight, the Hawks MUST get out and do well early. It's imperative. I'm telling you, people are nervous around here - if Atlanta does well early, it's just going to feed that anxiety. We are still very much the underdogs here, but if we can take the crowd out of it, that's almost half the battle.
11:19 - The Hawks win the tip and get Al Horford a decent look from the baseline, but it goes awry. It was a pretty decent shot given the Celtics suffocating D. We've got to try to get our offense going earlier in the clock tonight than we did in the first two games here.
9:39 - Mike Bibby for 3! It's 3-3 in the early going, but that was a huge shot for the Hawks, not just to get them on the board but because Bibby struggled so much here earlier in the series.
9:00 - And Joe adds a three of his own for good measure, and the Hawks lead 6-5. No matter the outcome of this game, I will say this - the Hawks are no longer scared.
8:00 - I just had a laugh - the Celtics played great D against Joe, who forced a tough shot in the paint with the clock running down, only Josh Smith was there to tip it in. The Garden crowd then collectively went, "Awwww."
7:07 - Hawks timeout, as they trail 11-8 after a couple baskets by KG. The Celtics, if we somehow figure out a way to win this series, are certainly not going to go down without a fight. KG and his legendary intensity are out in full force, but again - the Hawks do not seem rattled - at least not yet. The crowd here is still boisterous and loud when the Celtics score, but overall not the factor yet that they were the first two games.
6:00 - Marvin Williams just took Paul Pierce off the dribble for a basket to cut the lead back to 3 at 13-10. With the attention being paid to the other starters, the Hawks definitely need Marvin to have a good game tonight.
4:26 - Everyone said (cynically) that the NBA had Dick Bavetta here to officiate tonight to protect the league's interests (namely, the Celtics in the finals). Well, he just called an offensive foul on Joe Johnson, sending JJ to the bench with two. We'll see how long he stays there.
2:51 - And an offensive foul for Horford as well. I won't complain about the officiating too much though. First of all, you expect home cooking in the playoffs, but more to the point - if the Hawks lose this game, it won't be because of a few calls. It's 19-14 Boston right now and for once, I don't blame the offense. The O isn't doing exceptionally well, but the D is giving up too many lay-ups. That's going to have to get fixed before too long, because it's always going to be hard to score.
1:03 - Josh Childress drives to the basket and the refs call a block, and the crowd goes bonkers. Not to say the call was wrong per se, but they really shouldn't complain after the last two.
46.6 - Zaza Pachulia is in the game and gets called for a foul on Leon Powe. As expected, the crowd boos him lustily.
0:00 - End of the first, and it's 27-19 Celtics. The game has followed a pretty similar path to the first two in Boston, as the Hawks are struggling to score while the Celtics are red hot. Home court appears to mean more in this series than any other in the playoffs so far.
The Celtics may win this game, but I'd really like to see the Hawks get back in this and at least make them sweat. Three more quarters to make that happen.
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Posted by: Micah Hart at 8:40PM EST on April 30, 2008
Man, the atmosphere here tonight is totally different. In the first two games, the crowd was in a frenzy well before tip-off. Right now, you don't hear a thing. I can feel the nervousness. That's not to say the Celtics will lose tonight, but the feeling in the arena is much, much different than the last time we were here.
The video board just showed a montage of highlights from the last time the Hawks and Celtics faced off in the playoffs, 20 years ago, in the famous Bird-Nique duel. They are showing several clips of Larry Bird scoring at will on the Hawks, despite constant defensive pressure from the opposition. The Hawks couldn't stop him, no matter what they tried.
Man, that sounds so familiar, I could swear I saw someone else do something like that recently...
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Posted by: Micah Hart at 5:02PM EST on April 30, 2008
This trip to Boston is so different than the first one was. I know I said
this the other day, but it really is amazing how things can change in a matter
of days. When the Hawks were here for the first two games of the series, they
may as well have been invisible. The only real attention they got from the media
was after Bibby's comments about the Boston fans - if he'd never said that, I'm
not sure anyone would have talked to them.
Now, after two wins in Atlanta to tie the series, we are back in New England,
and believe me, people are paying attention now. The Hawks are a story! Or at
least, they are part of the story. As I figured, the focus is less on the Hawks
standout play and more about Boston choking, Doc Rivers' decision-making and the
playoff pedigrees of the Big Three. But it's a start, right?
That's the fun of being cinderella - there is no pressure. Heavy lies the
crown on the head of the top-seed, especially after Dallas-Golden State, but
it's quite easy being the team with no expectations.
I don't know if the Hawks will win tonight. Certainly, they struggled in
Boston the first time around. But that was before Boston knew they had to
respect their opponent. They can't take for granted that they are going to win
this series now, the Hawks made sure of that.
In previewing
tonight's game with Hawks assistant coach Larry Drew today at
shootaround, we talked about the things the team has done right the past two
games that they didn't do well in Boston - mostly on the offensive side of the
court. If the team can find a way to continue getting baskets like they did at
home, who knows what could happen.
Both Drew and Joe Johnson
talked as well about the need to avoid giving up the kind of run the Celtics
started Game 4 on. It's all well and good to do that at home where the crowd can
help you out, but if it happens in Boston, it may be too much to overcome.
I expect the Boston crowd to be a huge factor again tonight, unless the Hawks
can get off early and make them sweat. I expect they will harrass Bibby again,
but I don't think he'll be the only object of their (dis)affection. Al Horford,
he of the yelling and pointing at Paul Pierce in Game 3, and Zaza Pachulia, he
of the
up-close-and-personal conversation with Kevin Garnett in Game 4, will
both have big targets on their backs tonight.
I asked Zaza about dealing with the
pressure, and he seems prepared for it. Zaza has played in huge games in
Europe for his national team, and the stuff he's seen there may make the Boston
fans seem like amateurs.
It would be phenomenal for the Hawks to get a win tonight and come home with
a chance to close it out at a
sold-out Philips Arena, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. The
Celtics didn't win 66 games in the regular season by accident, and it's not like
they had much trouble winning at home last week. But the pressure is on them,
and it will be interesting to see how they react to it.
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Posted by: Micah Hart at 2:43AM EST on April 29, 2008
What a game. I'm sitting here at my apartment finishing up my postgame
duties, and I am just amazed at what has happened the past 3 days. From where we
were coming home after Game 2 to where we are now, it's just night and day. I'm
trying to think of an adjective to describe the win and the energy in the
building, but the Thesaurus is failing me, so I am forced to make up my own
words. It was spectnomenal. It was fantasterful. It was ricoculous.
I don't ever want to hear anyone questioning Joe Johnson's credentials again,
not that you'll hear much of that after tonight's performance. 20 points in the
4th? Against the best defense in the league with Defensive Player of the Year
roaming the middle? It's not like JJ was coasting for uncontested layups (though
he did hit a memorable 3-pointer after putting Leon Powe on the deck with a
crossover). As Kenny Smith said on TNT's Inside the NBA, those were Kobe-esque
shots he was hitting. But boy did he hit them, one after another until the game
was over and the scoreboard read Good Guys Some, Bad Guys Less.
You know what the best part of all this is? People are paying attention to
the Hawks. No one is talking about us in negative way, cracking jokes at our
expense, they are simply talking about the basketball being played on the court
and how the team is performing.
Let me share something with you. I have worked at TNT during the playoffs the last two seasons logging
postgame audio, and I watched literally every single press conference after
each game. Every game was basically the same - each coach would come to the
podium, and then one, two, or sometimes three players from each team would
follow if it had been really crazy.
After Game 1 of this series in Boston, Doc Rivers came to the podium, as did
a couple Celtics players, and Mike Woodson - but no Atlanta players. None. It
made me mad. I started asking people jokingly, "if the Hawks played in the
forest and no one was around, would they make a sound?"
Well guess what - people are paying attention now. We are it - we are the big
story in the NBA Playoffs right now. Check the front page of ESPN, SI.com, you
name it - we are the team everyone is looking at and trying to figure out where
they came from.
I'm not surprised the Hawks won tonight. They played well in Game 3, and with
yet another raucous crowd on hand, I didn't think a win was out of the question.
What did amaze me was the WAY they won. Between coming back from Boston's
opening 16-3 salvo (it didn't even take a quarter!), and then battling back the
way they did in the fourth, Atlanta showed some intestinal fortitude I'm not
sure I've seen from them this season and I am certain Boston didn't think they
had. Zaza Pachulia's dust-up with Kevin Garnett may not have lasted more than a
few seconds, but it perfectly encapsulated this series. The Celtics tried to
push the Hawks around, but Atlanta showed they weren't afraid to go toe-to-toe.
Success in the playoffs is a fickle thing. Boston leaves home after two
straight wins full of confidence, fully expecting to come to Atlanta and finish
the series. Now they head back to Beantown and they've got to be questioning
themselves just a little. Outside of the big three and Rondo tonight, no one
really stood out. Their bench gave them nothing save a couple threes from James
Posey, and the Hawks looked fresher, quicker, and more athletic.
Meanwhile the Hawks are the underdogs with nothing to lose. Getting one win
was already a victory - getting two? Forget about it. It's house money now. If
they can figure out a way to get something (anything) going early in Game 5, it
will be very interesting to see if that thought starts to creep into the Celtics
collective psyche - "What if we really did lose?"
It's far from over, and the Celtics have the homecourt advantage in their
favor. But it's much more interesting than it was a few days ago, isn't it?
Congrats to the Hawks on a huge win, and hopefully they can keep the momentum
rolling in Boston on Wednesday night.
-- Joe Johnson scored 20 of his career playoff high 35 points in the fourth (including 10 straight), and put the Hawks on his back, as Atlanta overcame a double-digit deficit in each half to beat the Celtics, 97-92, to even the series at 2.
-- Josh Smith was spectacular once again, swatting a Hawks franchise playoff record 7 shots, to go along with 28 points (12 in the final quarter), 6 rebs, 2 assts and 2 stls ... Mike Bibby scored all 18 of his points in the first half.
-- Ray Allen (21) and Kevin Garnett (20) led Boston.
-- The Hawks saw Boston jump out to a 16-3 advantage, before catching fire to take a 29-24 lead after one ... After a back-and-forth second quarter, Atlanta held a 51-48 lead, as Mike Bibby torched the nets for 18 ... The Celts defense was strong in the third, as they outscored the Hawks 27-14, to go up 10 (75-65) ... However, Atlanta saved its best for last, topping Boston, 32-17 in the fourth, to close out the win.
-- Atlanta had a big advantage from the foul line, hitting 29-33 compared to 10-18 for Boston.
-- The series shifts back to Boston for Wednesday's game 5 matchup (time TBD, FSN South, TNT, 790 The Zone).
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Posted by: Micah Hart at 10:15PM EST on April 28, 2008
11:01 - A great start, as the Hawks go inside to Al Horford who kicks it back out to Joe for an open three. It's the first time I've seen them do that this game, and not a moment too soon. After a stop, Josh Smith hits a jumper from the baseline, and just like that, it's back to a 5-point game. Celtics take a timeout to try to stall, but the crowd has come back to life. This thing ain't over yet!
8:35 - Ray Allen cools a 7-0 run by the Hawks by sticking another 3. I'd give anything to be able to shoot like him. It is one of the prettiest shots in the history of the league. 78-72 Celtics.
7:03 - Foul shots for both teams, as Josh Smith makes four but Paul Pierce makes only 1. It's 79-76 Celtics.
5:53 - Joe with a tough runner in the lane for 2, and after a stop, it's Hawks ball with a chance to take the lead. This is one of those times - you have a chance to take the lead in a game like this, with the crowd going nuts, and it's the launching point to a victory. Each possession here is so critical, and if you don't score you can only come back so many times. Take the lead here Hawks!
5:23 - The Celtics are blinking, ever so slightly. KG gets called for a travel on one end, then a defensive 3-seconds gives the Hawks a T to tie the game at 79. Josh Smith jumper (no no no no YES!) - Hawks lead 81-79.
4:33 - Signature moment of the series for Joe Johnson. JJ crosses Leon Powe over, Powe falls down, and Joe is left all alone to calmly sink a 3-pointer to give the Hawks a 5-point lead, 84-79. Joe has 11 points in the quarter. This place is going crazy. DEFENSE!
4:16 - KG goes to the line (and misses the first). I have just reminded myself who is on the floor for the Hawks right now. Mike Bibby, 4th Quarter Playoff Killer.
3:25 - Huge offensive rebound by Horford, and Joe sticks another basket to open it up 86-80. 13 for Joe in the 4th now...
2:15 - The Joe Show Fo Mo! Another trip, another deuce for JJ and the Hawks lead 88-82 as the Celtics are forced (well, I don't know if they were forced, but they did it anyway) to call their last timeout. I don't know if we will win or lose this game or series (win? please?), but hopefully this game will show the world what Joe Johnson is capable of. He has been on a mission this game - but it ain't over yet, not with shooters like Ray Allen and Paul Pierce on the court.
1:31 - Ummm, another JJ basket? By the way, the last 4 I think have all been at the rim. Where is KG? Where is the Celtics defense to keep Joe out of the lane? 90-84 Hawks.
1:11 - Posey hits a 3, and its a 90-87 lead. I am freaking out.
39.7 - Offensive rebounds have been absolutely crucial to the Hawks efforts in this game. Josh Childress just grabbed the biggest one yet, and a foul on Paul Pierce sends JJ to the line - he hits one, and its 91-87.
26.2 - The Celtics fail to convert as Pierce inexplicably loses the handle on his way to the rim. Josh Smith is fouled and hits em both to make it 93-87. Holy lord god, this may really happen...
18.7 - Ray Allen dunks, and it's back to four. Gotta avoid turnovers and hit some foul shots.
14.3 - Garnett fouls JJ - 1 down - 2 down. 95-89. Hawks still have a foul to give, and they use it with 10.9 left.
4.3 - Posey hits another 3, it's 95-92. One successful inbounds play, 1 free throw.
2.6 - Inbounds, check, Josh Smith goes to the line and he can finish it off. Hits the first! Game. Set. Match. 2-2.
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Posted by: Micah Hart at 9:46PM EST on April 28, 2008
8:00 - Marvin hits his first jumper of the game, and boy was that important. As well as everyone played in the first half, Marv took only 1 shot and had 2 points. The Hawks came out a little sluggish after the half, but fortunately the Celtics are still struggling from the field. 55-55.
6:50 - Josh Smith shows his diverse offensive repertoire, tossing in a left hook to tie the game at 57-57.
5:37 - Joe splits the defense with a crossover and finger rolls the Hawks back in the lead at 59-57. I don't really know what to think right now. On the one hand, if the Celtics could score at all (aside from Garnett that is, who has 6 of their 9), they might have a sizable lead on the home team. On the other hand, the Hawks have missed several wide-open looks at 3s, and if a couple of those had dropped, it might be Atlanta with a big advantage. Aaaaaah, I can't handle the swings!
4:27 - Marvin hits another jumper to regain the lead, 61-60, after another late 3 from the Celtics. They are hitting daggers in this series. You play good defense for 22 seconds, then they drop one in. It's very discouraging to me, but the Hawks seem to be handling it well.
2:55 - Ok, first real gut check time for Atlanta. The Celtics are on a 7-2 run, and have a jumpball upcoming between Kevin Garnett and Mike Bibby. The crowd noise has faded a bit, but one big basket will get them right back in it.
2:28 - Are you kidding me? Another jump ball between Bibby and Garnett? Can he get on Horford's back to get a fighting chance?
1:45 - Ok, this is not good. James Posey hits a three after another Hawks turnover and it's now 72-63 Celtics. The Celtics have shut down the Atlanta attack in the third, as the Hawks have only 12 points so far in the quarter. Some of the credit goes to the Boston D, but we aren't executing on offense either.
0:00 - 12 minutes to play, and the Hawks trail 75-65. I don't know why, but they have totally gone away from what was working in the first half. Mike Bibby was held scoreless in the quarter and took only 2 shots, and the team as a whole was 6-17 from the field. The defense is doing ok, but the offense has to get it going in the final stanza if the Hawks want to send this back to Boston tied.
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Posted by: Micah Hart at 9:42PM EST on April 28, 2008
What an entertaining half of basketball. Win or lose, you just can't ask for much more than what you are seeing tonight at Philips. A few thoughts:
The Celtics are shooting 40% from the field right now. Take out their fiery start when they broke out to a 16-3 lead, and it's even worse. I said in Boston I didn't think our defense was the problem, and it hasn't been in Atlanta either. Now that the offense is scoring, we are seeing much more competitive games.
Mike Bibby in Games 1&2 = 17 points total. Game 4? 18 in the first half. We are much better when he is on his game, there is no doubt about it.
Fouls - Pierce has 3 for Boston and Zaza has 3 for Atlanta. Several have 2 for each team.
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Posted by: Micah Hart at 8:43PM EST on April 28, 2008
11:15 - A great start here as well, as the Hawks hold fast on D and get a jam from Horford on the other end to push the lead to 31-24.
10:08 - Acie Law checks in for Mike Bibby - I'm hoping for a good game from him off the bench tonight. Al Horford takes it strong to the rack, gets fouled, and immediately flexes for the camera. Who is this guy? Al sinks them both, and the Hawks lead 35-26.
8:54 - I haven't really mentioned his name yet, but Josh Childress has been a huge factor in this game so far. Chills has but 2 points, but has 7 rebounds already (3 offensive) and 2 assists. For the game so far, he is +17. Paul Pierce hits a 3 at the end of the shot clock for the Celtics (man they do that a lot), and its back to six at 35-29 Hawks.
8:00 - Here is a subtle tweak the Hawks have made that I like - Acie Law is picking Cassell up full-court. It makes him work just a little bit harder.
7:24 - Well, things just got a little interesting. In the scramble for a rebound, Kevin Garnett appeared to just elbow Zaza Pachulia in the throat. Big Z took exception, and got right in Garnett's face (literally - they were head-to-head). Things escalated, but cooler heads eventually prevailed (sorta) and no blood was spilled. Zaza, Garnett, Cassell, and Joe Johnson all picked up techs, but no one was ejected. It is getting really, really physical down in the trenches.
5:33 - A high risk/high reward play that pays off with a high reward. Ray Allen hit a wide-open 3 from the corner to cut the Hawks lead to 37-36, but on the inbounds Josh Smith fires it the length of the court to Joe Johnson for a lay-up to push the lead back to 39-36. A big play to stop some momentum that was gathering for the visitors. Lang Whitaker is next to me again tonight, and he made a comment that I agree with - the Celtics look tired right now. It may not mean anything, but right now I definitely think the frenetic pace of this game favors Atlanta.
4:37 - A turnover by the Hawks, and the Celtics give it right back. Both teams seem a little shaken by the near altercation right now.
3:31 - Bibby takes it strong to the hole and gets fouled by Kendrick Perkins, and I notice as he sinks his two FTs the huge edge the Hawks have in foul shots so far. Right now Atlanta is 14-16 from the line, while Boston is just 3-6.
2:56 - Afroooooooooo Power! Josh Childress brings the house down with a dunk off a pass that reminds me of J-Smoove's dunk in Game 3 - when he took off, I was like there is no way he gets to the rim from there. I guess I need to stop judging their athleticism using my own as a reference point. It's back to a five-point Hawks lead at 46-41.
2:33 - JJ is on fire, which I may not have mentioned to this point yet either. I would rather have him getting some open looks, but he is at least making the high-degree-of-difficulty shots he is taking.
53:5 - Paul Pierce reaches in on Bibby and picks up his 3rd foul, and Mike makes 1-2 from the line to give the Hawks a 51-46 lead. I would really like to see the Hawks take a lead into the half, as long as anyone is taking requests.
0:00 - Ladies and gentlemen, Solomon Jones! Solo, who played the last 3:30 of the first half to protect Horford from foul trouble, blocks Rajon Rondo on a lay-up attempt at the buzzer to preserve a 51-48 lead at the break. Everyone is pitching in tonight - it is just amazing.
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Posted by: Micah Hart at 8:15PM EST on April 28, 2008
9:05 - The Celtics come out angry and strike first. We knew Ray Allen and Paul Pierce would want to make up for their poor shooting performances in Game 3, and so far they are doing it in a big way. Boston's Big Three has all 13 points for the Celtics so far, as they lead 13-3 early on at Philips. The Hawks need to stay calm, and let the crowd help them get back into this thing.
8:11 - Many people claimed Boston didn't bring their A game defensively Saturday night. I personally think the Hawks helped make it look that way, but either way they have definitely stepped it up so far. The Hawks are oh-fer in the game from the field, and the Celts have kept them from getting a single clean look at the basket.
5:49 - Mike Bibby takes and makes his first shot of the night. He hasn't had a good shooting night yet - I say tonight's the night. 18-9 Celtics.
3:38 - Philips Arena comes alive! A terrific stretch for the Hawk s as Josh Smith makes a tremendous block on a Rajon Rondo layup attempt. Joe Johnson dropped in a little floater in the lane, the Hawks got a stop, and then Bibby drained a three right in Rondo's face. The Celtics take a timeout as the fans roar their approval, and it's 21-14 Celtics.
3:30 - Big possession here - Paul Pierce goes to the bench with two fouls...
1:59 - Oooooooh boy - Josh Smith just made Kevin Garnett look silly. He gave him a pump fake at the rack that had Garnett off his feet and nearly out of his shorts, then scored on an up-and-under plus one to cut the lead to 23-21.
1:18 - This just in - Bibby is on fire - he hasn't touched the net yet, and has 10 points on 2 three's, a J and two FTs. Tie ballgame, 24-24, and the Hawks are on a 21-8 run.
48.1 - You just can't believe how much the fans are affecting this game right now. Boston, 66 wins and all, is rattled. Josh Childress tips in a Horford miss, and the Hawks lead 27-24!
0:00 - This is in-sane. It is unbelievable in here right now - Joe Johnson just crossed James Posey over twice at the end of the quarter and sank a fallaway jumper in his face to give the Hawks a 29-24 lead at the end of one. I didn't think it was possible, but it's true - this place is louder now than it was on Saturday. Hawks fans are totally killing it tonight. And if I may mention this again, the Hawk took a timeout down 16-3 at the 8:32 mark of the first quarter. From that point on, the Hawks outscored the Celtics 26-8 the rest of the way out. What a performance so far by the team - they deserve a ton of credit for taking the opening shots from Boston and coming right back. As we go to the second, Garnett, Pierce, and Rondo each have 2 fouls.
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Posted by: Micah Hart at 8:04PM EST on April 28, 2008
The key to tonight - don't let up. Whatever it was we did differently in Game 3, we need to replicate it tonight. Josh Childress said it today at shootaround - he doesn't expect the Celtics to do too much countering - they are confident enough in themselves to just come out and play the way they play and that will be enough. So if we go inside, push the pace, and take care of the ball, who knows? We could be heading back to Boston 2-2.
The crowd is here just like it was on Saturday - way to bring your A-Game ATL. Let's get this thing done tonight, what do you say?
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Posted by: Micah Hart at 4:13PM EST on April 28, 2008
This is written on the whiteboard in the Hawks locker room - it went up straight after the Hawks 102-93 win on Saturday, as a reminder that the series has only just begun.
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Posted by: Micah Hart at 2:57AM EST on April 27, 2008
It's 2:20
am, and I'm just finishing up postgame work from Game 3. It's late, but it
doesn't feel that way - my adrenaline is still pumping.
The way the Celtics won the first two games of this series, I have to be
honest, I didn't have a ton of confidence going into Saturday night. Shows me
what I know. The Hawks showed tremendous heart in winning this game, basically
taking everything they didn't do well earlier in the series and turning it
around.
Can't shoot well? The Hawks shot 47.4% tonight, which is pretty solid when
you are playing the NBA's number 1 defense.
Not getting open shots for your teammates? The Hawks had only 10 assists all
game in Game 2, but had 10 on their first 11 baskets tonight on their way to 28
in the game. 4 Hawks had 6 assists or better.
Getting outrebounded? Atlanta took that title 43-35 overall and grabbed 12 on
the offensive end after only 5 in Game 2.
3-pointers not falling? The Hawks were 10-18 from downtown, including 5 from
Joe Johnson and 3 from Josh Smith.
Everyone contributed, but I have to go back to the guy I've been touting all
season for Rookie of the Year, Al Horford.
