Question of the day.

[Diesel]

Were we really sparked by the crowd in the playoffs?

We were sparked by just being in the playoffs?

Were the Celts just a bad road team?

or

Did we match up well with the Celtics.

[AmishBoy]

I couldn't vote because to me there were a number of factor. We were a bad matchup for the Celtics. It didn't show during the regular season because we played much better in the playoffs due to being sparked by the crowd and being sparked by the playoffs. We won game 4 because of JJ. Also at times, Josh Smiths', Bibby's, and Marvin's stepping up made it possible to win.

[Diesel]

I couldn't vote because to me there were a number of factor. We were a bad matchup for the Celtics. It didn't show during the regular season because we played much better in the playoffs due to being sparked by the crowd and being sparked by the playoffs. We won game 4 because of JJ. Also at times, Josh Smiths', Bibby's, and Marvin's stepping up made it possible to win.

Well AB...

The one thing against the bad matchup for the Celtics is game 7. Didn't they beat us by 39?? In fact, they didn't have any problems with us at home?

[AmishBoy]

Well AB...

The one thing against the bad matchup for the Celtics is game 7. Didn't they beat us by 39?? In fact, they didn't have any problems with us at home?

I would say we were still a matchup problem for them even on the road, unfortunately no one but Joe and occassionally Al knew it. We were just a bad road team all season.

[frosgrim]

IMO, it was a combo of factors:

1) C's not taking the Hawks seriously (why should they have considering the regular season and the beat downs they gave the Hawks in Boston to begin the series)

2) The C's were bad on the road in the next playoff series as well. That seemed to be a function of Ray Allen being in a slump. Hitting 3s is a great way to take a home crowd out of a game. Ray wasn't hitting on the road, thus the home crowds became a factor.

3) Garnett had to learn to relax. He was relaxed in Boston, but the Hawks got to him in Atlanta.

4) The Hawks being a young team that can't win on the road, but was very good at home.

[Diesel]

IMO, it was a combo of factors:

1) C's not taking the Hawks seriously (why should they have considering the regular season and the beat downs they gave the Hawks in Boston to begin the series)

2) The C's were bad on the road in the next playoff series as well. That seemed to be a function of Ray Allen being in a slump. Hitting 3s is a great way to take a home crowd out of a game. Ray wasn't hitting on the road, thus the home crowds became a factor.

3) Garnett had to learn to relax. He was relaxed in Boston, but the Hawks got to him in Atlanta.

4) The Hawks being a young team that can't win on the road, but was very good at home.

There was fear in the faces of the Celtics after game 4. They were very serious in game 6 and couldn't get it done.

[Swish]

FWIW, I voted something else...it seemed to me that it was in fact some of the factors you mentioned but there was also just an edge that I can't explain...not necessarily excited enthusiasm but killer instinct from the boys....hm.

[LOL_Hawks]

I voted all of the above, because all of those factors contributed.

[Murat]

Marvin stepping up big in game 6 win caused the game 7.

Thank you Marvin we love you!

[EazyRoc]

The Crowd!

The Hawks knew that they had to put on a show for the fans, or else the stadium would be empty next year like this last one.

The Celtics beat us when we played them in Boston, but they really scrubbed us when they realized we had a chance to beat them in game 7. They really turned it on in game 7.

[DJlaysitup]

The crowd and the heightened excitement by our guy FINALLY being on Nat. TV was big - but also the Celts figured we were walkovers...and in the 99-65 final game showing we were...and we went out in the first round and the Celtics won the NBA Championship.

[LOL_Hawks]

The crowd and the heightened excitement by our guy FINALLY being on Nat. TV was big - but also the Celts figured we were walkovers...and in the 99-65 final game showing we were...and we went out in the first round and the Celtics won the NBA Championship.

But you could tell after game 6 that the Celtics (especially Pierce) wanted no part of the Hawks, the Hawks fans, or the city of Atlanta as a whole. They fell right into the snakepit.

[DJlaysitup]

But you could tell after game 6 that the Celtics (especially Pierce) wanted no part of the Hawks, the Hawks fans, or the city of Atlanta as a whole. They fell right into the snakepit.

I will certainly give you that LH....they were sick of the ATL.

[Fritzenheimer]

Our young legs and the enthusiasm of playing in a meaningful game at home in front of a charged crowd against a team that took us too lightly. The Celts are OLD and thought they could win by just showing up.

[High5]

It's obvious looking at the splits that the crowd was the biggest factor. Joe and Smith putting the team on their shoulders in games 3 and 4 helped.

[Gray Mule]

Several things, many of which you mentioned, contributed.

The fans! Yep. Being at home helped. Hot shooting certainly helped. We know that this part

of the Hawks game sure went cold in game seven.

Hawks were not intimidated by Boston.

There was one thing that wasn't listed that I have heard. If it's true, that could be a major factor

in the way the Boston lads played. We all know how rumors start and how they can spread.

Maybe this wasn't true at all. Maybe it was.

Party time! Not really being worried about the lowly Atlanta Hawks, many of the Celtics spent

way too much time living the good life in Atlanta! Did it happen? Who knows? May be just a

nasty rumor. They may have all been good boys and snug in their beds, getting all the sleep

they needed and cold sober. No females allowed within shouting distance.

Whatever happened, we know that the Celtics didn't really enjoy their time here in the three

games they faced the Hawks, at least they didn't enjoy the games. They found that they

couldn't intimidate and run over these young Birds.

:thumbsupsmileyanim:

[jhay610]

The Game 3 win was ours due to hangover. My boy works over at Justin's and he said that PPierce, Glen Davis and Sam Cassell were out getting str8 up hammered the night before the game. It's obvious they didnt take the Hawks seriously until Horf let em know we were gonna fight back.

[AtLaS]

We played much worse than our ability on the road, and we played a little better than we are at home. The crowd definitely had an effect. I think if we can actually get fans in the arena and create a homecourt advantage that we'd see a big spike in wins. Philips during the season is just never loud, at all. Remember the 1st game of the season last year vs. Dallas? That was sold out and we won it, our players were fired up.

On the road, we just couldn't keep our composure, I guess with a young playoff-virgin team that's pretty common. It was like every time Boston scored and their crowd roared, it just got into the players heads and they couldn't deal with it. But, at home when we scored and the crowd roared it hyped us up. It was obvious the crowd had a HUGE effect. You don't go from competing (and winning) at home to getting blown out 4 times on the road without it being something outside of the players, which in this case was the crowd.