With their current core intact with Avery Bradley, Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Marcus Smart and Kelly Olynyk all under contract next season, the Celtics can sell to Durant that he is moving to a team that is a title contender if he joins them in the offseason.
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The Celtics were already down 31 points in the fourth quarter of Game 5 in Atlanta when Thomas went up for a layup and rolled his ankle on the way down, effectively ending his night at seven points on 3 of 12 shooting in the 110-83 setback. Cleveland also swept Atlanta in four straight when the two teams met in last season’s National Basketball Association playoff semifinals. They didn’t have the easiest road to the playoffs yet they are here. But if the Hawks can steal one in Cleveland next week and take an early lead in Atlanta in this series, the pressure will ramp up on James and the Cavaliers.
Crowder was a revelation for the Celtics last season when he arrived from Dallas as part of the Rajon Rondo trade, and they happily signed him to a $35-million contract during the summer for keep him in Boston for five years. On Thursday, the Hawks had as many as six players in double figures to ensure a Game 6 win.
“We just have to have this same type of mentality, same type of effort and take it on the road”, Hawks Coach Mike Budenholzer said after Tuesday’s Game Four. But, again, it’s not so much the result as much as we just… we had some great moments in the series, we just had a lot of droughts. “So it is a big challenge for us”. We felt like we had our chances in Games 3 and 4, and just execution wasn’t good and a couple mental mistakes.
Scott thinks he knows how can duplicate his Game 5 output. He (Thomas) is a one-man wrecking crew. The scrappy Celtics did their best to claw their way back in the fourth, but the lead proved insurmountable, as the C’s were coulnt’ get within 10 points.
For all the heart and determination the Celtics had, they simply ran out of gas against a team that is more talented.
The visitors went on a 14-3 run in the first 3:06 of the third quarter.
But most of the damage was done much earlier. “I think our identity is more on the defensive end than the offensive end this year”.
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Last night they had a ton yet missed 34 of the 47 shots they took in the first half, as they fell behind by eight, and 60 of the 94 they took for the night. The Hawks are on the verge of getting into the next round with a win. But I’m excited about the group of guys we have here. “They’re better right now”, Stevens said. I’m playing no matter what. That’s just kind of how my world works. There’s a scoreboard and if you’re on the losing end, you’re not as good as the other team that wins. Cleveland’s history of postseason failures not withstanding, this Celtics team as constructed would’ve had no chance against the Cavs. This team has a competitive edge like none other in the league and with Brad Stevens at the helm this team is going to shock not only the Hawks but Celtics nation as a whole. While Atlanta may have the upper number with both Jeff Teague and Dennis Schroder, Boston’s Isaiah Thomas was an NBA All-Star this season for a reason. Yankees infielder Alex Rodriguez also made an appearance, and could be seen taking pictures near the court before the game. The Red Sox host NY for a weekend series beginning Friday.
