It is a shut out.
The Celtics lost to the Atlanta Hawks by 100-91.
More important, the Boston Celtics were just swept in their season series with division rival Atlanta Hawks 4-0.
Boston started strong, lost an early lead, got down around 10 points, came back to within one point and faded….and lost….again, 100-91.
Jamal Crawford has become the new Celtic killer, scoring 28 points in 39 minutes off the bench. With Crawford averaging 20 points against them this year, it appears that the Celtics haven’t figured out a way to guard him.
Joe Johnson saved the best for last, scoring 16 of his 27 points in the decisive 4th quarter as the Hawks overcame a pretty good Celtic defense to pull away for the win.
There are all kinds of reasons why it happened and most of them are valid. But it is getting to be an old story at this point.
Multiple Choice
The reason(s) the big Green Machine is sputtering this year and even when healthy, are that they are:
1) maddeningly inconsistent.
2) too full of themselves
3) too confident in relation to their abilities
4) too injured to tell anything real
5) infected with Detroit-itis.
6) All of the above
But they haven’t been healthy for very long this season. The question is…When will they be? Kevin Garnett is putting on a bold front and had a healthy line score tonight. He is active on the court and makes the Celtics a better team. But he is not whole. He can’t play 40 plus minutes anyway.
Before anyone gets too riled up, the Celtics starters out scored the young athletic Hawk starters, and they outscored them by 10 points when Garnett was on the floor. Let that set in before you declare wholesale changes are in order. On the other hand…
Boston…We Have a Problem
Games like these can actually be a good thing.
It lets you know a few things much more clearly. Does this sweep mean anything come playoff time?
Contrary to what the Celtic players will tell you, it can and most likely will…at least to the Hawks. Making whatever excuse you want about the first three games this year, winning 4 in a row against a feisty Celtic team and controlling the game as well as they did in this contest means something.
I won’t call Jamal Crawford the new Andrew Toney or Vinnie Johnson,…yet. But he has become something of a modern Celtic killer. If you think his game is one dimensional, as it can be at times, try 6 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals and yes, I think I also caught him playing some defense out there. We have the tape to prove it.
The Hawks were a ridiculous +20 during Jamal’s 39 minutes in the game. He not only scored against the Celtics’ futile bench in this contest, he scored plenty against the starters as well.
Crawford has scored 18, 17 18 and 28 against the Celtics. If you are wondering what would happen if Marquis Daniels were here, Daniels played in the first game when Crawford scored 18.
Still, I’d like to see what happens with a healthy Marquis Daniels back.
When in Rome
Taking a page out of Mike Woodson’s book, Doc went exclusively to Paul Pierce early in the 3rd period. As in the old days, (like last year even) Pierce went to work one on one to great effectiveness. He finished with a season high 35 points on 11 of 15 shooting, 1 of 1 three pointers, and paraded to the line like the old days, making 12 of 13 free throws.
Paul scored 14 3rd quarter points for 28 total points heading into the 4th quarter.
But only Garnett supported in double figures with 15 points. KG added 7 rebounds, a block and a steal. His defense was active, if not always quick. Getting better, but still not what he assume to get from Garnett.
The Hawks ran often in the first half scoring 22 points on breaks. They finished with 29 to the Celtics 8 on the run.
The other big discrepency was in points off turnovers. The Hawks had 24 points (off 16 TOs) to the Celtics 10 (off 14 TOs).
The Celtics shot just .419 on the evening to the Hawks .474. Free throws are about even (Celtics advantage, 30-27) as were rebounds (Hawks advantage, 39-35)
Kendrick Perkins had 12 rebounds and 8 points in 24 minutes.
Ray Allen was just 4 for 13 for 9 points in 36 minutes with a rebound, 2 assists, a steal and two blocked shots.
Rajon Rondo did not attack the middle for extended portions of the game, probably because of 3 of 13 shooting, but handed off or passed off after crossing half court. He finished with 8 assists, 5 rebounds, a steal and 4 turnovers. He did not get to the line and had 4 turnovers on the evening.
Rasheed Wallace, Tony Allen, Eddie House and Glen Davis were on the floor for much of the Hawks damage. Center Zaza Pachulia gave the Hawks a big lift as well with 9 points on 4 of 5 shooting, and some physical play inside, while grabbing 6 rebounds.
Mike Bibby was on the floor for just 8 plus minutes with 4 fouls, zero assists and 2 points.
Josh Smith and Al Horford were solid at the defensive end and Smith had 4 blocks, in addition to solid defense in the middle.
It is beginning to smell like a rivalry to me.
It was a testy game with a number of hard fouls, some woofing on both sides, and 3 technicals called.
Things can change quickly in this league and often do. But it looks more and more like this team needs something to change the continuing losses to teams that they could be beating.
That is not to take anything away from the Hawks. They are looking better and better. But the Celtics bench could use some reinforcement, or at least some improvement in order for this team to be able to confidently compete for a title this season.
Rasheed is up and down. Davis isn’t playing very well yet. Eddie is up and down. Only Tony Allen has surprised in a pleasant way.
Their next game is Sunday afternoon against the Lakers in Boston. Even more will be learned in that game.
We just can’t beat good teams. Except for 2 games that I can think of (opening night vs Cleveland and Christmas vs Orlando) we’ve lost every game to teams competing for their division. Couple that with our struggles at home and it is hard to see a playoff run this year. We are the 4th best team in our conference and 6th or 7th best team in the league. Not exactly what we were hoping for.
Unless there is a dramatic turn-around in how we approach and play the game, this season is lost. It would be very sad to have to so soon start yet another rebuilding project.
Comment by Mauricio (aka mev17) — January 30th, 2010 @ 1:03 am
It will be interesting to see how they respond from here, Mev.
I do hold out hope of an enlightenment, but like everyone else, I see the play this season as disconcerting up to this point.
Comment by Thomas Halzack — January 30th, 2010 @ 7:38 am
** Things can change quickly in this league and often do. But it looks more and more like this team needs something to change the continuing losses to teams that they could be beating.
That is not to take anything away from the Hawks. They are looking better and better. But the Celtics bench could use some reinforcement, or at least some improvement in order for this team to be able to confidently compete for a title this season. ** (Tom)
**************************
Indeed. Here is some “calculator scrabble” . For those, and I’d guess those are many-and growing, who think Coach does not use his bench near enough , last nights Hawks game out of the whole 48 minutes, for the bench players of both teams total bench minutes, well, the Hawks bench was in the game approximately 50-some percent of the time, and our bench was in 40 percent of the time.
Now, the Hawks bench put up almost twice as many shots, as the C’s bench . Since opportunity governs as a dynamic, as to if and when a player gets to shoot, one has to decide
more than one thing. Never can we leave out the importance of “athletic ability”, in all these parameters. Also in this parameter we have to add in the quality of defense being played, which again, has to go to the factor of athleticism. Thus, one has to conclude that part of the issue here, in getting and taking shots, has already been answered. Also, age (and lengthy league careers), figures into the athleticism. My opinion is the Cs have not NEAR done all the building of their bench, as is mandatory. Naturally, adding into this “my” fave thing to offer here, is, the need for the backup (to Rondo) point guard. Its the play making guard (another example of athleticism) , who often can see to it about players getting good shot opportunities.
Adding another thought about athleticism, in basketball, is length (how the player is ‘built’, and how well his skills are with speed, footwork, vertical playing, leaping, aggressiveness , etc).
In this game the Hawks bench made shots for a percentage was 50+ % group average, with the Cs bench made shots 34%, for same. AND about free throws, the Hawks bench went to the line twice as many times as the Cs bench. Right here, read that there is some portion of skill which again will correlate in a certain way to athletic skills, in the consideration of who plays, with also plays, with shooting but also with “getting fouled, when shooting”. (Read here -a player like Paul Pierce, Ray Allen , for career)..
(EARLY spring trading acquisitions for improving the Cs bench (plus others), just better happen, in my opinion, BUT this is tough, when one figures “who” (plural maybe), does “some other team” want ? Plus-which athlete do we want . There has to be a solution, here)
Joe
(mustyceltic)
Comment by Joe Moriarty — January 30th, 2010 @ 12:32 pm
Thoughtful thoughts Joe,(said Mr. Redundant).
One point you hit on re: Eddie House. It isn’t so much about him not being able to handle well. It is about having someone who can really set up the rest of the unit on the court….and give Rondo a real rest without losing too much.
Again, we will see.
thanks,
T
Comment by Thomas Halzack — January 30th, 2010 @ 7:50 pm