Apr

28

Johnson Helps Hawks Fly High Out Last Celtics 97-92

Posted by Jeff Sack under NBA PLAYOFFS 

Atlanta Hawks guard Joe Johnson was drafted by the Boston Celtics in the 2001 NBA Draft.? Forty eight games into his rookie season he was traded to the Phoenix Suns. A few weeks after that the Suns came to Cleveland to take on the Cavaliers. I spoke to the rookie, about his season, about adjusting to a new team more than half way through the season, and about the trade it self. He told me that he had been hurt and confused by the trade. Although he was pleased that Phoenix wanted him, he could not understand why Boston suddenly did not. What had changed, what had he done to make Boston think that he was so easily expendable. As he talked I could see the hurt in his eyes, the trade was a blow to his psyche. It turns out Johnson would get the last laugh on the Green Team, as Monday night he had a magnificent performance scoring 35 points, and leading his Atlanta Hawks to a 97-92 victory over Boston in game four of their first round NBA Playoff series. The win ties, the series at 2-2 with the two opponents heading to Boston for game five.

Celtics fans, you now have the right to be concerned, maybe even scared. It’s one thing to lose one game to a scrappy young team like the Hawks?in their first game in their home building. Especially when the franchise ?has not been to the Post Season since the Clinton Administration (1999.)? It’s quite a different scenario when you have now lost back to back games and are tied in the series. Do I still believe that Boston will ultimately prevail in this series, yes. However the air of invincibility that followed the Celtics through the regular season and into the Playoffs is now gone. The feeling of inevitability of the Green Team at the very least being a lock to win the Eastern Conference and possibly Title Number 17, that’s also a thing of the past. Boston right now looks vulnerable, not how they expected to feel in their march to the Finals.

For the second game in a row the Hawks came out as the more aggressive team to start the game, as they took a 29-24 lead at the end of the first quarter. Although the Celtics would outscore the Hawks in the second quarter, Atlanta still had the lead when they walked into their locker room at the half 51-48. The Celtics looked they were finally righting their ship in the third quarter, as they finally resembled the team that had played in games one and two and led going into the final 12 minutes, 75-65. But the Hawks got hot offensively in the fourth quarter, and more importantly they shut Boston down allowing the prolific Celtics offense just 17 points in the final quarter, and took the game with ease.

Johnson led all scorers with a game high 35 points, and he also dished off six assists, in the Atlanta victory. Josh Smith scored 28 points, an incredible 7 blocked shots, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, Mike Bibby scored 18 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal.

Boston was led by Ray Allen who scored 21 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block, Kevin Garnett scored 20 points, 9 rebounds, 6 steals, 1 assist. ?Paul Pierce scored 18 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, Rajon Rondo recorded a double-double, as he scored 14 points, 12 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals. James Posey scored 10 points off the bench, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block.? Wednesday night will be a day of reckoning for Boston, are they the team of destiny that they have portrayed as all season, or just a big tease?

? Copyright 2008 thesackattack.com



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