Official Game Thread: Celtics at Hawks

[lethalweapon3]

“Didn’t I warn you to stay away from Big Baby’s Superb Owl Seven Layer Dip?”

 

Welp, too much of a football-party coma to do any fancy-schmancy write-up for today’s game at State Farm Arena, with the Boston Celtics in town to deal with the Atlanta Hawks (7:30 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, NBA Sports Boston).

Instead, please, just mark the date and time, because it isn’t very often that I get to show my appreciation for a Celtic on the Interwebs. Three cheers for Jaylen Brown! Hip Hip! Hooray!

New rule: if you are below the age of 30, you do not get to whine about how The Game Done Changed just because you didn’t get your coveted invite to The Big All-Star Dance. You all Devin know the suspects, so there’s no need to call them out Booker by name. Instead, let’s let the Pride of Wheeler High (one of them, anyway, since there’s Shareef, too), demonstrate how to show some class, Marietta-style.

“I think there’s a lot of guys to choose from,” Brown told NESN after he was among the players on the outside looking in at the All-Star reserves. “a lot of guys having a good year. It is what it is. Just start gearing your mind, getting ready for the playoffs and stuff like that, building good habits.”

It helps a little that teammates Kemba Walker (out tonight, sore knee, along with center Robert Williams) and Jayson Tatum will be headed to Chi-town. Also, that the Celtics (33-15, 3^rd in NBA East) are all but assured of a return to the postseason, so the so-called snub can’t use the news Bradley as de-motivation to suddenly now start caring Beal about his team barging their way in as some sort of revenge. Not thinking of anyone in particular.

“I try to look at anything and everything as motivation,” said Jaylen, not biting as the media prodded and poked for just a dash of pettiness. “Keep working and getting ready for the playoffs – that’s the stage you want to be in.” The high-minded Brown would rather let his play do all the smack-talking.

He scattered and covered the Warriors after last week’s All-Star reserves announcement, then put up a team-high 32 points (despite 1-for-10 3FGs) and 9 rebounds to help Boston smother the 76ers this past weekend without Kemba available. “I thought that Jaylen handled it great,” said Celtics coach Brad Stevens. “Not being named, came out of the gates playing great.”

In addition to Walker and Williams (hip edema), Enes Kanter (hip contusion) missed the Philly game and is questionable, while Marcus may make like John Krasinski and Smaht Pahk after sustaining a quad bruise on Saturday night.

Unfortunately, the Hawks (13-37) are too inexperienced and not cohesive enough for it to matter much when opponents are missing key players. Particularly those who have a plethora of shooter options and a multitude of defensive looks they can throw in the direction of Trae Young (upgraded to probable, sprained ankle). That was the case in Dallas, as Jalen Brunson, Seth Curry, Dorian Finna-Score, and Maxi Kleber all had a field day from the field, while the double-teamed Young couldn't get into gear until it was too late.

Look for Kevin Huerter (6-for-10 3FGs @ DAL) and two-way player Charlie Brown to try and fill the void on the wing with rookies Cam Reddish (concussion) and De’Andre Hunter (sprained ankle), plus DeAndre’ Bembry (neuritis) all on the shelf. The Celtics are strong enough at those positions that Brown, Gordon Hayward (1-for-11 FGs vs. PHI) and Jayson Tatum (7-for-19 FGs vs. PHI) can have off-shooting nights but still win handily if they get to the free throw line a lot (80.3 team FT%, 5^th in NBA) while also making defensive stops (BOS 8^th in SPG, 6^th in BPG, 4^th in opponent FG%).

Boston gets away with Hayward as the default starting power forward, so opportunities abound for John Collins (last 10 games: 22.9 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 62.5 FG%, 35.5 3FG%, 85.7 FT%, 1,2 BPG, 4.6 fouls/game) to have another monster night on the boards if he and Damian Jones can avoid foul trouble. As far as being close enough to win the game late, as they nearly did in Boston last month but for Daniel Theis’ heroics, without the rookie swingmen or Bruno Fernando (strained calf), Alex Len (hip flexor) and Jabari Parker (impinged shoulder) available? We’ll just have to see what tricks Atlanta has up its sleeve.

 

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

~lw3

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

Word to your fiancee.

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

 

~lw3

[Buzzard]

4 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

~lw3

~lw3

We might be trying to get that Teague trade value up also. Lord I'd never thought that Trae and Teague would be starting on the same team.

[enrique]

I just saw that Cam and Hunter are out too. 

I guess our team alone is keeping Emory Healthcare in business. 

[KB21]

The Hawks bench tonight will consist of Treveon Graham, Vince Carter, Brandon Goodwin, Charlie Brown and Evan Turner.

You can’t make this up.

[lethalweapon3]

^ Gosh, I forgot completely about Treveon, who may play also quite a bit tonight out of necessity. Sorry, TG!

~lw3

[High5]

14 minutes ago, enrique said:

I just saw that Cam and Hunter are out too. 

I guess our team alone is keeping Emory Healthcare in business. 

Yeah, Jaylen Brown is scoring 50 tonight.

[terrell]

25 minutes ago, KB21 said:

The Hawks bench tonight will consist of Treveon Graham, Vince Carter, Brandon Goodwin, Charlie Brown and Evan Turner.

You can’t make this up.

Whoa.......

[Dnice]

Hawks are toast. 

[JayBirdHawk]

This won't be pretty.

[terrell]

Trae Teague Huerter Collins JOnes

Celtics might score 200...

[terrell]

2 turnovers already. Damn

[kg01]

Big game coming from Trae.

Explosion vs Washed-ington was no coincidence.  Had to show them foo's what an all-star play like.  Clearly the zard faithful is confused in that regard.

[GameTime]

Goodwin at this point is a rich man's Teague.

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

Evan Turner at the buzzer!

[AHF]

5 minutes ago, GameTime said:

Goodwin at this point is a rich man's Teague.

Glad for him to get the chance to get some real burn.

[JayBirdHawk]

7 minutes ago, PSSSHHHRRR87 said:

Evan Turner at the buzzer!

Trade showcase. Can we get a 1st round pick for him 

[GameTime]

See this is how I like Huerter. Use him like JJ Redick/Klay Thompson. Give his some screen plays. Stop this secondary ballhandler project.