Celtics (9-4) at Hawks (8-5) 11/22

[FLCeltsFan]

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Boston Celtics (9-4) at Atlanta Hawks (8-5)
Monday, November 22
7:00 PM ET
Game #14,  Road Game #8
TV:   CSNNE, SNET1, SPSO, NBA-LP 751/752
Radio:  WEEI,  WQXI
Philips Arena 



Probable Starters
  PG: Rajon Rondo 10.9 PPG, 14.9 APG .2.6 SPG

SG: Ray Allen 18.1 PPG, 2.6 APG, .445 3P%

  SF:   Paul Pierce   21.2 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 2.7 APG

  PF:  Kevin Garnett   15.6 PPG,  10.1 RPG, 0.5 BPG

C:   Shaquille O'Neal   10.3 PPG, 5.8 RPG,  0.3 BPG

Boston Bench Mob
Marquis Daniels
Glen Davis
Semih Erden
Luke Harangody
Delonte West 
Nate Robinson
Von Wafer
Avery Bradley 

Injured
Kendrick Perkins (knee) out
Jermaine O'Neal (knee)  out
Rajon  Rondo (hamstring) questionable





Probable Starters
  PG Mike Bibby 10.7 PPG  3.6 APG   0.6 SPG

  SG Joe Johnson 18.5 PPG  5.0 APG  .254 3P%   

  SF  Marvin Williams  9.4 PPG  5.1 RPG 1.4 APG

  PF Josh Smith  16.3 PPG  9.3 RPG  3.0 BPG 

C  Al Horford  17.4 PPG 9.7 RPG  0.9 BPG

Reserves
Jamal Crawford
Maurice Evans
Zaza Pachulia
Jeff Teague
Jordan Crawford
Jason Collins
Josh Powell
Etan Thomas 

Injuries
Pape Sy (back) out

Team Connections
Josh Smith and Rajon Rondo both attended Oak Hill Academy
Avery Bradley and Maurice Evans both attended the University of Texas
Doc Rivers played for Atlanta from 1983‐91
Rivers also holds the Hawks record for most assists in a career as a Hawk (3,866)
Celtics Assistant Coach Armond Hill played for the Hawks from 1976‐80 and also during the 1983‐84 season
Joe Johnson was originally drafted by the Celtics with the 10th pick in the 2001 draft
Maurice Evans and Kevin Garnett were teammates in Minnesota during the 2001‐02 season
Hawks Assistant Coach Lester Conner was an Assistant Coach with the Celtics from 1998‐2004
Josh Powell and Jermaine O’Neal were teammates in Indiana during the 2006‐07 season

Key Matchups
  vs 
Kevin Garnett vs Josh Smith
Smith is a very athletic and quick power forward and will be a tough matchup for KG, especially since he played almost 36 minutes on Sunday. 

  vs 
Ray Allen vs Joe Johnson
Ray played almost 41 minutes vs the Raptors on Sunday and it will be a tough matchup for him to have to face Joe Johnson who is athletic and quick and can score in bunches. 

Honorable Mention
The Point Guard Matchup
Rondo will once again be a game time decision for the Celtics and should he not be able to play, Doc should start Delonte at the point as he will match up better with Bibby than Nate would.  Bibby is a scoring PG and Nate won't be able to cover him.  If Rondo is good to go, this matchup should be in favor of the Celtics. 

Game Notes
Last Season  the Hawks won the season series 4‐0.  It marked the first time since 1998‐99 season that the Celtics had been swept by the Hawks and only the fourth time since the 1960‐61 season that the C’s had failed to win a game against Atlanta.  Paul Pierce led the C’s attack with an average of 24.8 points per game while Kendrick Perkins posted a double‐double with 12.0 points and 11.0 rebounds.   Joe Johnson led the Hawks with 24.8 points per game while Jamal Crawford averaged 20.3 points coming off the bench.

The Hawks are a young and athletic team and always give the Celtics problems.  What's more, the Hawks have had a day of rest while the Celtics are playing in the second of back to back games.  The Celtics are now 4-3 on the road and the Hawks are 3-4 at home.  Both teams are coming into this game off a loss with the Hawks losing their last game while the Celtics have lost their last 2 games.

Keys to the Game
Defense - This is the key to every game and to winning a championship this year.  The Hawks are a good 3 point shooting team as well as having the ability to get to the basket and so the Celtics must defend both the perimeter and the paint.  In their last two losses, the Celtics have allowed way too many easy baskets. 

Rebound -  The Celtics have been giving up too many rebounds.  With Horford and Smith inside, if the Celtics don't box out and get the defensive boards, the Hawks will get second chance baskets.  If the Celtics don't grab the offensive boards, the Hawks will get out on the break for easy baskets.      The Celtics were out-rebounded by the Raptors 41-36 and they were out-rebounded by the Thunder 37-31.  When they don't put out the effort on the boards, the effort isn't there in other parts of the game either. 

Focus and Effort - The Celtics have lacked focus and effort in their last two games and because of it, in spite of a run down the stretch, they lost 2 games against short handed opponents that they should have beat.   They must have better focus and put out more of an effort or this one will be a loss also. 

Make Free Throws - In the last two games decided by 5 points and 1 point respectively, the Celtics missed 10 free throws in each games.  They must make their free throws, especially down the stretch.  The lapses at the free throw line can also be attributed to a lack of focus. 

Odd Fact
The team's named was shortened from Blackhawks to Hawks upon moving to Milwaukee from the Tri-Cities region where the Blackhawk war took place in 1831.

X-Factors
Injuries and Fatigue
The Celtics definitely missed Rondo vs the Raptors.  No question that Nate is a shoot first PG and several times he took the shot with a wide open teammate calling for the ball.  Bibby is a very good PG and perhaps West can guard him, but Nate will struggle against him.  Also the shoulder injury is limiting Semih's production and with JO still out, it makes the Celtics thin up front.   With the injuries and back to back games, fatigue could also affect the outcome of this game.   

[Fafnir]

Back to back against the Hawks, ouch!

Lets see if the team puts up a better offering than the last two.

[Jeff]

in theory I still believe we're a better team, but I gotta admit, I'm kinda dreading this one - especially if we don't have Rondo

[Who]

I wouldn't mind seeing Avery Bradley partner up with Delonte West in the backcourt for the second unit against Jeff Teague and Jamal Crawford. I think they'd be good defensive matchups in the backcourt. Daniels on Mo Evans.

Try to keep Ray's minutes down (41 against TOR). He'll be having a tough enough afternoon defending Joe Johnson. If he's tired towards the end, Atlanta will have a much easier time getting baskets down the stretch.

[Prof. Clutch]

Try to keep Ray's minutes down (41 against TOR). He'll be having a tough enough afternoon defending Joe Johnson. If he's tired towards the end, Atlanta will have a much easier time getting baskets down the stretch.

Great call.  This is crucial.

[apc]

I wouldn't mind seeing Avery Bradley partner up with Delonte West in the backcourt

I am pretty sure you will have to wait for the next blowout game to see  Bradley getting some playing time.
I sure want this game to be a blowout, but I expect it to be a very tough close game.

[ACF]

I want grilled bird for dinner! 

Another GT, another TP. Go Celtics!

[Megatron]

Sorry to be a downer but this is going to be a bloodshed, no chance Celtics win this one, not with the way they are playing right now.

[Who]

If Rondo is ready to play, I consider the C's favourites.

If Rondo is out, then the Hawks should be favoured.

[Fafnir]

If Rondo is ready to play, I consider the C's favourites.

If Rondo is out, then the Hawks should be favoured.

Yeah, without Rondo we go from contender to an afterthought playoff team.

[Adelaide Celt]

If the Celtics manage to pull this one out today would it be our most unlikely victory since the upset of the Spurs in San Antonio on St Patrick's Day 2007?

Make it happen boys.

[xmuscularghandix]

Sorry to be a downer but this is going to be a bloodshed, no chance Celtics win this one, not with the way they are playing right now.

Celtics show up in the big games

Sleepwalk into the “easy” ones

I expect them to play really well tonight.

[Fafnir]

If the Celtics manage to pull this one out today would it be our most unlikely victory since the upset of the Spurs in San Antonio on St Patrick's Day 2007?

Make it happen boys.

I don't think the talent spread is that big.

[celticinorlando]

with the way boston continues to play lazy...this will be a loss

[Adelaide Celt]

If the Celtics manage to pull this one out today would it be our most unlikely victory since the upset of the Spurs in San Antonio on St Patrick's Day 2007?

Make it happen boys.

I don't think the talent spread is that big.

True but after the way we played against them last year and everything that's happened these last few days, just feels like this one has 'Loss' written all over it.

Quietly confident of a surprise, in the very least we should get a more solid and consistent defensive effort.