Official Game Preview: Hawks at Celtics GAME 4

[lethalweapon3]

 

“How am I feeling? Slap happy!”

 

Fuh-nool? Fah-neel? Feh-noil? Fan-wheel?

As long as I can recall, I’ve been advised how to properly pronounce Faneuil Hall, and I still forget. Besides the marketplace, though, Boston has plenty of wonderful sites to see: the USS Constitution, Paul Revere House, Bunker Hill Monument, JFK Museum, Fenway Pahk… all in all, it’s a splendid place to visit. Once.

The Atlanta Hawks have seen enough of New England in the springtime. There is no reason to plan a return trip anytime soon. That is, unless they slip up again in Game 4 of their first-round series with the Boston Celtics (6:00 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Southeast, CSN New England, TNT if you can stomach it).

Advancing in the playoffs gets done quicker when you can prove yourself capable of beating teams in their own gym, in front of their rabid crowd. The 2015 Hawks managed to do it three times, despite blowing their own homecourt advantage, in order to earn their maiden voyage to the conference finals, however much by the skin of their beak. Every year since 2009, a visitor prevailed at Philips Arena along their path to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Getting the job done in Game 4 obviates the need to do it in Game 6, and maybe the need for a Game 6 to even occur. Alas, Atlanta’s performances away from the Highlight Factory, without Sir Foster on the 1s and 2s, Harry the Hawk scrambling his eggs, or Ryan Cameron rocking the mic, have lately left much to be desired, to say nothing of their season-long results versus shorthanded teams like the Celtics (missing Kelly Olynyk and Avery Bradley) in Game 3.

On March 28 in the Windy City, the Hawks allowed 31 first-quarter points, then surged ahead of the Bulls by 15 points midway through the third period, only to find themselves needing to hit free throws in the final four minutes just to win by two. A couple nights later in Toronto, the Hawks were outpaced for three quarters by the Raptors, before Atlanta's bench players came alive and kept the outcome from becoming a complete laugher.

Coming off a successful homestand, the Hawks played a valiant game in Cleveland for all of one quarter before letting LeBron and Kyrie pull the ripcord. Two nights later, they mailed in their chance at a division title, falling flat against a Washington team fielding half of its players with little precious left to play for beyond pride.

It only took one win after seven straight playoff losses, but Celtics Pride was revived on Friday night, as Isaiah Thomas (42 points, 5-for-12 3FGs, 7-for-12 2FGs) asked the Hawks’ defense what the five fingers said to the face. After the Celtics could muster just 15.5 free throw attempts per game in Atlanta, Thomas used the favorable whistles at TD Garden to his decisive advantage, getting 15 of Boston’s 33 free throw shots, and making 13 of them.

Thomas will return for Game 4 despite whacking Dennis Schröder (8-for-10 2FGs, 20 points) across the mug, which is actually good news for a Hawks team that would allow air to get a triple-double. The Celtics wanted to make this series more physical, and pump-faked, flopped, and pimp-slapped their way back into contention, baiting the Hawks into their preferred style of play.

Brad Stevens’ inclusion of two catalysts into the starting lineup, Evan Turner (five steals, 17 points, seven assists, five TOs in Game 3) and Jonas Jerebko (12 rebounds, four assists, in Game 3) also allowed the Celtics to shift the tone of the series. Benching slower-of-foot Jared Sullinger allowed the older but spryer Amir Johnson (7-for-8 FGs in Game 3) to have a field day around the rim and put more defensive pressure on Al Horford (4-for-7 2FGs, 0-for-3 3FGs in Game 3).

Do-some-but-not-all-Paul! We’re now three games into the offensive black hole that has been Playoff Paul Millsap (3-for-8 2FGs, two O-Rebs in Game 3). The Hawks’ leading scorer, rebounder, ball-stealer, shot blocker and frontcourt assist-maker in the regular season hasn’t led Atlanta in much of anything in this series (31.3 FG%, 12.5 3FG%, 6^th among Hawks in PPG, 3^rd in RPG, 4^th in APG, 3^rd in SPG, 2^nd in BPG).

Credit the Boston defensive game plan for neutralizing Millsap’s availability as a scoring option on many possessions. But the Anchorman’s sinking contentment with being relegated to role-playing (specifically, staying back for rebounding and transition defensive purposes) is overtaxing the Hawks in many ways on the floor.

Kyle Korver (5-for-9 3FGs, fouled out at critical juncture of Game 3) finds himself swiping and grasping at everything within reach. Kent Bazemore (8-for-19 FGs in Game 3) takes it upon himself to lead the team in jumpshots. Horford (team-high 6 assists, probable for Game 4 despite a groin strain) becomes the Hawks’ floor leader. Mike Muscala comes in for two minutes and is immediately jacking up shots. Isolation plays, and dribble-drives into the teeth of the Celtics defense without open outlets, become the order of the day.

A lot of this extra activity is related to Millsap’s reluctance to improve his own positioning, to roll to the hoop on screens, and to demand the ball to make plays in the post. With any of Bazemore, Korver, or Thabo Sefolosha on the floor, the Hawks have ample transition defenders and help rebounders, allowing Sap more room to roam at the offensive end. It’s past time for Atlanta’s jack of all trades to show he’s a master of something beyond being a defensive pest.

Whenever Thomas or Marcus Smart (2-for-4 3FGs in Game 3) hits a big shot, and the Garden crowd goes wild, the immediate impulse by Jeff Teague and Schröder (7 combined assists, 6 TOs, 0-for-8 3FGs in Game 3) is to go back at him or their individual defenders on the offensive end.

The Hawks guards need to remain committed to setting up the team’s optimal shots rather than the payback shot, moving the ball and putting Thomas to work defensively. Persistent motion from the Hawks’ bigs can keep the Celtics’ interior defense guessing, but it’s up to Atlanta’s ballhandlers to find them and feed them.

No matter their role in the offense, all of the Hawks have to finish when they get the ball in the paint. After a power-outage in the first-quarter of Game 3, the Hawks surged ahead only to flounder in the fourth quarter. Scrambling back into contention, and gaining the lead, after falling behind by 20 points, can bring on fatigue, but that is no excuse for missing 7 shots within six feet of the rim in the final quarter of the game. In Game 2 back home, Atlanta made six of seven shots from that close range. That Celtics may be able to slap and flop at will, but they’re not moving the rim.

If the Hawks prevail in this series, that likely concludes the homecourt advantage going forward. Any success that follows hinges on Atlanta’s resolve when playing away from their home nest. The Hawks need to show better maturity, poise, and balance to make Game 4, not Game 6, a farewell party at the Garden for the Celtics.

 

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

 

View full record

 

[turnermx]

great work as usual lw3! Millsap is key need to get him going early. and I would like to see Bud get more creative with Teague-Al pick and roll, and maybe just maybe we will see a little Hump action?

[Gray Mule]

Who will the mighty Celtics choose, on the Atlanta team, to put out of all playoff games tonight?

You just know they would love to break a Hawk arm or leg. 

Keep watching because it's coming, I believe.  Maybe not intentional, but watch for it.

[Lurker]

I may be a bit of a broken record, but the number one key to this game is don't get off to another slow first quarter. There's a couple adjustments that need to be made, but that first quarter was the main reason why Atlanta lost.

[Guest]

Awesome preview as usual lw3!!! All business today, let's get them! HAWKS!!!!'

[ATLHawks3]

Paul Millsap with 26 points at the half.

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, ATLHawks3 said:

Paul Millsap with 26 points at the half.

Awesome! Now get Horford a bit involved on the inside.

[TheTruth]

I guess Millsap got tired of people calling him a chump for his play in the playoffs this year and last.

Curious to see how he plays in the second half.

[Jdawgflow]

Do we try to lose at the end of games?  That is the worst end of game play possibly ever.

[AUhawksfan]

Teague under 2 minutes = clutch

Teague under 2 seconds = useless 

[AUhawksfan]

Why oh why did we continue to jack 3's in overtime and go away from Millsap?

That was straight up terrible to watch.

[thescout5]

Hawks just choked. Terrible shot selection in overtime and once again last position in regulation look like a deer in head lights not knowing how to set up a winning shot.  

[asl9622]

2 minutes ago, AUhawksfan said:

Why oh why did we continue to jack 3's in overtime and go away from Millsap?

That was straight up terrible to watch.

No idea. Hawks panic in pressure situations. They start running ISO and throwing 3's. 

[Trout7]

Great game Paul.  I cannot come up with words for that last play in regulation.

[turnermx]

I don't want the Hawks to win this series in 7 just to get swept by the Cavaliers. And the Hawks have given this Celtics team life if they steal game 5 in Atlanta they will win series I feel.

[High5]

If we don't have a lead with under a minute left in the game then it's a wrap. I've never seen a team so determined to never do anything right at the end of a game. Teague hits those unreal 3's and then with a chance to win the game he literally DOESN'T MOVE for 10+ seconds and then for the 2nd time this month he doesn't even get a shot off. I've said this a million times now and these game-winning attempts somehow get worse. I just don't understand it. Bud has great calls out of timeouts for the first 47 minutes, but whatever we do after that is just embarrassing. And we're 0-6 in OT now. That's just an extension of those final regulation moments. 

[thescout5]

Keep the same pieces as last year you get the same results during the clutch. No ball movement at all and what was Teague thinking letting 10 seconds go off the clock so he could do his head fake jump shot which he didn't even get it off. TERRIBLE clutch play by the Hawks and Teague. You battle all game to end up like a deer in head lights when it matters most. CAN WE PLEASE GET SOME BETTER PLAYERS.

[Gray Mule]

Game was tied at the end of regulations.  Atlanta missed 4 free throws.  That's the real difference.

Hit all your free throws, win the game and go home 3-1.  But no.  Hawks miss 4 and go home tied, 2-2..

That last play of regulation was a stinker.  Too many shots missed by too many Hawks, exception

being Millsap but Hawks can't win at all in overtime.  0-6 this season.

Gotta win two home games now if we want to advance. 

[Plastic Man]

No killer instinct. Pansies!  Someone should have knocked IT's teeth out by now, or at least go at him at the end of regulation TEAGUE.

[mtnbayou]

12 minutes ago, Trout7 said:

Great game Paul.  I cannot come up with words for that last play in regulation.

Teague.  Dudes a mental dumpster fire.