North Station Sports

This game is dangerous to the Celts because it is so much more important for the Hawks. They have lost nine in a row in Boston and are desperate to be thought of as contenders in the East.

- NSS Writer Matt Golden in his Pre-Game Preview

The Celtics Weaknesses Exposed…

The C’s early difficulties continue to lie with the young, run and gun, teams. First the Phoenix Suns (110-103) and now, the Atlanta Hawks. Both losses at the Garden and both teams used speed and athleticsm to run the ball at every opportunity.

Coincidence? I say no.

The Celtics were dominated last night by a more athletic, younger and more passionate performance by a team desperate to prove that they can compete with the Eastern elite. The Celtics (8-2), were well rested and yet seemed to play with a hangover from a home stretch that included just 1 game in 6 nights. Their were points in last nights contest that were simply painful to watch. Such as, the Atlanta Hawks dominance over the boards (47-29). The rebounding figures in the box score do not do the Hawks any justice. Atlanta’s front line made their Celtics counterparts look like senior citizens. Josh Smith (7 rebounds), Al Horford (13 rebounds) and Zaza Pachulia (4 rebounds) out-rebounded and out-hustled Kevin Garnett (5 rebounds), Kendrick Perkins (9 rebounds) and Rasheed Wallace (3 rebounds). The Celtics front line looked so out of sync that, at times, there failed attempts to grab the boards resembled more of a volleyball game then a NBA game.

“It was the second shots that really killed us,’’ Pierce said. “Obviously, the turnovers [15] really hurt. But I thought, initially, we stopped a lot of their plays and it was just all about controlling their one-on-one game . . . and I think, for the most part, we didn’t do that. We’ve got to do a better job of just staying in front of our man. I think team defense was initially good but we’ve got to play better one-on-one defense.’’

After Atlanta blew out to an early lead, the Celtics 2nd unit again came into to stabilize the game. Marquis Daniels (9 points) and RasheedWallace (7 points), led the charge that closed the Hawks margin to 2 points (24-22) at the conclusion of the fourth quarter. The secondunit’s success continued into the second quarter as Sheed’sthree pointer with the shot clock running down, gavethe Celtics a 25-24 lead, early in the second. The combination of Shelden Williams (2 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal), Rasheed, Daniels and Eddie House with Ray Allen (10 points, 5-8 FG) spread the lead to 32-38 before Doc started to trickle the starters back into action.

Is the green team that good or are the starters that out of sync?

“I just think we have to get off to better starts,’’ Pierce said. “I think we’re setting a trend to really not getting off to good starts. It’s been about four or five games where we’ve been down in the first quarter. It’s up to the starters to come out and really set the tone. We’ve got to do a better job to start out the ballgame.’’

In what’s becoming a trend, the second unit closed the gap again from a strong start from the Hawks. Mid-way through the second quarter, with the C’s up 32-38, Doc Rivers started to re-insert his first unit. The Hawks again exposed the front line of the Celtics first unit and closed the gap to one point (42-41) at the half.

The Celtics were out-scored in the third (31-28) and fourth (25-16) as the rebounding disparity became more apparent. With nearly 3 minutes remaining in the third quarter, Paul Pierce got banged up on an apparent missed call by the officials as he drove to the basket. Pierce ended up, lame, on the parquet floor. The Garden gasped as Pierce tried to play through apparent pain in his knee. Shortly after, Pierce was escorted to the locker room by trainer Ed Lacerte.

Doc again inserted the second unit (+Ray Allen), as the Hawks had expanded their lead to six (72-64). The reserves again stabilized the team and closed the gap to 72-70 at the end of the third quarter.

A sigh of relief followed by a louder grown…

No doubt their was a collective exhale at the Garden as Pierce re-entered the game with a knee brace in the fourth quarter. It seemed Pierce was too late. In the opening two minutes of the final stanza, the Hawks again went on a 10-2 run. After a failed attempt at a comeback, Doc began to exile the starters to the bench.

What was more unsettling? The Hawks ability to control the game with passion or the Celtics lack thereof?  It’s so rare that Kevin Garnett (14 points, 5 rebounds) and company show a lack of passion in their pursuit of victory. In stretches the C’s played aggressive but, for the most part, last night’s team seemed to be running on a treadmill. Their several runs at grabbing the lead were countered with their own willingness to give it back to the Hawks by complaining about calls, not getting back on defense, not boxing out, turning the ball over, missing free throws (68 percent) and relying on the three point shot in crucial situations.

The Celtics have 2 losses, both at home, both playing from behind, both to athletic fast breaking teams… Coincidence or not?

Noteworthy:

-   Paul Pierce’s injuryis not expected to be serious but will be re-assessed before tonight’s match-up in Indiana.

-  The Lakersgot blown out by the Nuggets, 105-79. The Lakers drop to 7-2, keeping the Celtics tied with the Suns (???) for best record in the NBA.

- The Hawks (7-2) are now only a half game back in the standing with the Celtics.

(photos and quotes courtesy of boston.com & bostonherald.com)