Official Game Thread: Hawks at Celtics (6 PM Tip!)

[lethalweapon3]

“I got one more in me!”

 

The Boston Celtics have the best racecar in the NBA garage. Coach Joe Mazzulla commandeers a powerful engine with MVP-quality horsepower, supported with tires made of the finest Italian rubber. They also have the most dependable spare wheel.

Al Horford, the spare, is what makes the whole thing go.

The Celtics’ long-waged campaign for Banner #18 is off to a great start, and Horford, the former Atlanta Hawks’ All-Star, is the team’s Blarney Stone. He is also their keystone, and they will struggle to cross the checkered finish line in first place if they overuse him for the hairpin turns of the regular season.

Boston made plays to replace their oft-injured center Robert Williams with oft-injured elder center Kristaps Porzingis, and Marcus Smart with Jrue Holiday. Those maneuvers paid dividends right away as the Celts (12-4, 6-0 at TD Garden) surged to 11-2 atop the NBA East. But sustaining success is built upon keeping the 37-year-old Horford (career-low 25.1 MPG and 43.6 FG%, 4 starts) as a sixth-man up front.

He filled in at Orlando a couple days ago, for the injured Holiday (questionable, sprained ankle). Yet Boston’s supersized starting unit couldn’t keep up with the Magic’s Wagner – Mo Wagner, to be precise, as Orlando won in a 113-96 laugher. Porzingis re-injured his strained calf, too. Now Mazzulla will need to rely on Horford for heavy minutes against his original NBA team, this evening (6 PM Eastern, Bally Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, NBC Sports Boston), as the Winking Bums strive to avoid losing to a third-consecutive Dirty South Division squad.

Having rested in the fourth quarter of last night’s 136-108 win at Washington, it will be on Dejounte Murray and Clint Capela to try carrying the Hawks (8-7) to victory today. With Jalen Johnson (out, fractured wrist) unavailable for the foreseeable future, Atlanta will need more impactful minutes from Saddiq Bey and AJ Griffin.

Ultimately, to offset MVP finalist Jayson Tatum (27.8 PPG, 8.9 RPG), Jaylen Brown and Boston’s three-point-heavy offense, Capela and Onyeka Okongwu must dominate their matchups, especially versus the Luke Kornets and the Oshae Brissetts, and dare Mazzulla into wearing Horford thin.

There is only so much tread left on Al’s wheels, so Boston must tread carefully. After all, there is no such thing as a spare pec.

 

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2023/11/celtics-injury-report-2-starters-ruled-out-vs-hawks-sunday.html

Jrue's been downgraded to Out as well, so I suppose we'll get big doses of Payton Pritchard today. Two-way contractors JD Davison and Nathan Knight remain on Maine Red Claws duty.

Aside from Jalen (re-eval in 3-4 weeks), only the rooks remain out for the non-two-way members of the Hawks.

~lw3

[HawksNWaffles]

Let's gooo Hawks 

 

[Spud2nique]

32 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

against his original NBA team,

Booooooooooo!!!!

 

32 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

will be on Dejounte Murray and Clint Capela to try carrying the Hawks

Indeed

 

32 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Saddiq Bey and AJ Griffin.

Set this duo free. Love these cats! 

 

32 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Capela and Onyeka Okongwu must dominate their matchups, especially versus the Luke Kornets and the Oshae Brissetts,

It’s a MUST!

 

32 minutes ago, lethalweapon3 said:

spare pec.

 

 

Thanks lw3!

Vegas has Celts -7.5

 

 

Note: Mookie’s Hawk game high assist total was matched with 23 dimes tonight!!!! LETS GO TRAE ITS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BABY!  

Edited November 26, 2023 by Spud2nique

[hawkman]

It would be nice to top off the Falcons retaking the NFC South (for whatever that's worth) with a Hawks win against the Celtics tonight. They may have to score 150 to do it though.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

OMG!  Bally's is actually working for once.

( reverse jinx )

[terrell]

Why cant Murray and Trae shoot well in the same game? Geez

Gotta get Murray going again..

Edited November 26, 2023 by terrell

[bird_dirt]

This is the whitest Celtics lineup I’ve seen in a long time. Going back to their roots. 

[Peoriabird]

This is going to be an uphill battle if Clint is going to this bad on offense

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Good idea from DJ, but you have to know your personnel.  Clint is a bunny misser.

Let's not try to force feed offense to him, unless it's above the rim.

[benhillboy]

Is it me or is Clint a bit heavier than usual?

[terrell]

Show me something today AJ. Anything...

[TheNorthCydeRises]

These refs .  . I tell ya.

[hawkman]

Thanks refs. The Celtics really needed the free points.

[terrell]

1 minute ago, hawkman said:

Thanks refs. The Celtics really needed the free points.

No FT's so far for us other than Capela..smh

[benhillboy]

Trae’s energy is great on both ends.  I’ve never seen him stop a fast break by himself before tonight.  

[terrell]

Somebody needs to help Trae and Bogi out...

[TheNorthCydeRises]

I love the aggressive nature of Trae and Bogi in this game.

Keep putting offensive pressure on them.

[benhillboy]

Bruh.  Bogi giving Peak Klay vibes.

[Peoriabird]

This game will have to be won on offense!  Hawks will have to hit a lot of 3's to have a chance tonight even though Mathews is doing a great job on Tatum