DECISIONS, DECISIONS: Boston only has a handful of decisions to make with the roster it now has. “In the playoffs, it’s important to put a crowd away and play well”. With that being said, none have been farther than the second round. This group of guys is something special.
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Everything about the playoffs is different. The Celtics defeated the Hawks 111-103.
The Hawks smothered Thomas for much of the series, but particularly over the final two games. Coach Brad Stevens rolled dice and re-inserted him, only for Crowder to be called for his fifth foul with 8:13 to play. The Hawks had another massive run in in the third quarter that gave them enough cushion to withstand the Celtics’ big fourth quarter comeback from a comfortable distance. Initially it was thought that Thomas would miss this game but the word is that he will indeed suit up tonight for the Celtics in this must-win game. “Other guys have to step up and make plays. We’ll evaluate the whole year and the whole two years with most everybody that we’ve had here, and we also have to evaluate the entire league at the same time”. They hadn’t won a game in Boston since 18 May 1988, in Game 5 of the Conference Semifinals.
Boston scored just 33 points in the entire first half and shot 36.2 percent from the floor throughout the game as it fell to Atlanta, 104-92, in Game 6 of the National Basketball Association quarterfinals at TD Garden.
Atlanta forward Mike Scott came off the bench to score 17 points, leading five Hawks in double figures. From 40 wins to 48 and a couple playoff wins. They didn’t shoot well all series either, however, they were able to make up for it. But they’re playing together as a team, sharing the ball and covering each other’s backs on defense.
The Celtics were down 58-to-41 and the game was getting out of hand quickly.
But following a sometimes worrying and inconsistent regular season, the Cavs are meshing better than they have in months. Players like Thomas, Smart and Crowder show up when all the chips are on the table. Still, he was limited from an individual standpoint in the later games as the Hawks sent more and more attention his way. 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.
Boston’s team leader (Isaiah Thomas) was completely shut down Tuesday night. The series got chippy all the way around but it escalated to another level between these two. In football, anything is possible in a one-game situation. Every top free agent will be pursued – beginning with Kevin Durant – and if stars like Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins or Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler shake free, the Celtics will be involved in discussions for any of them.
Head to head, the Hawks are 1-4 ATS in the last five meetings in Boston and the home team is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings overall.
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It’s true. Atlanta had a room for error against an inferior Boston roster that it won;t have against the Cavs. But it seems that we forgot how young and inexperienced this bunch is. “They’re better right now”, Stevens said.
