The Atlanta Hawks look to end a three-game losing streak Monday night against the Boston Celtics.
The Atlanta Hawks have hit another rough patch in their season. The Hawks have now lost three consecutive games, dating back to their Feb. 15 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers in their final game before the All-Star break.
The “second half” of their schedule has not started the way anyone affiliated with the organization would have hoped. First, they fell to the surging Miami Heat 108-90 in Phillips Arena. The following night they were blown out by the Orlando Magic 105-86.
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Things don’t get any easier tonight. Their next opponent is the 38-21 Boston Celtics, a team that currently has a firm grasp on second place in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks and Celtics have played once before this season, back on Jan. 13.
It was Al Horford‘s first game back in Atlanta since leaving for Boston during the summer of 2016. Horford’s Celtics would triumph over his former squad, winning the game in dramatic fashion.
The score was tied in the waning seconds of regulation when Isaiah Thomas calmly knocked down a midrange jumper that would end up being the game-winning basket.
Thomas played hero and led all scorers with 28 points. He unleashed one of his famous fourth quarter explosions, 13 of his 28 points came in the game’s final quarter. Kelly Olynyk also shined, making 4-of-5 three-point attempts to finish with 26 points. Atlanta kept giving him open three-point looks and Olynyk kept knocking them down.
Horford put up a modest 10 points, six rebounds, and six assists in his return to Phillips Arena. Hawks fans showered him with boos during introductions, but gave him a warm ovation during a video tribute.
Paul Millsap carried the load for a struggling Hawks offense. His 23 points kept them in the game. Malcolm Delaney also turned in a solid performance, pouring in 17 points on 6-for-12 shooting. In the end there was just too much Thomas.
Thomas is the biggest story of the season for Boston. Well, the biggest on the court story. He’s wedged his way into the MVP conversation by averaging 29.7 points and 6.2 assists per game on 46.5 percent shooting and 38.5 percent from three-point range. He won’t win the MVP, James Harden and Russell Westbrook make that impossible, but it’s impressive that he’s even in the conversation.
His budding rivalry with Dennis Schroder will be something to watch for tonight and in the future. Schroder maintains that Thomas’ trash talk crossed the line during their last meeting. Thomas denies Schroder’s assertion. Will their feud boil over into conflict tonight?
Al Horford has had a solid first season in Boston. He’s averaging 14.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game on 45.2 percent shooting and 34.5 percent from deep. Hawks fans would likely argue that he’s overpaid for that type of production, but Horford has proven to be a valuable piece for this Celtics team.
Boston’s depth and versatility is what makes them such a dangerous team. They may not have much star power, but they’ve got an assortment of talented role players. Jae Crowder is a reliable “3 and D” wing and small-ball power forward.
Marcus Smart is a tenacious defender off the bench (and occasionally as a starter). Jaylen Brown is an exciting rookie with high upside. Terry Rozier is a good, high-energy guard off the bench. Everywhere you look there is solid contributor.
Their second leading scorer is shooting guard Avery Bradley. Bradley has been out of action since Jan. 18 due to an Achilles injury. Once he returns they will be even deeper.
The Celtics stayed quiet at the Trade Deadline. They elected not to trade from their depth and arsenal of draft picks to acquire Paul George or Jimmy Butler. It left some folks scratching their heads.
Boston’s hesitance is understandable. It’s hard to accelerate your timeline when LeBron James is still in his prime. The Celtics don’t want to give away the future to gamble in the present. Even without a major upgrade to their roster, the Celtics are still one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.
One of Boston’s biggest weaknesses is rebounding. They rank 27th in the NBA in rebounds per game. Atlanta’s best path to victory may be to dominate the rebounding battle, limiting second chance opportunities for the Celtics, and gobbling them up for themselves on the offensive end. Dwight Howard will need to make his presence felt.
There will be a change to the starting lineup for the Hawks tonight. Thabo Sefolosha is back in the starting five, replacing Tim Hardaway Jr.
Thabo Sefolosha returns to Hawks' starting lineup.https://t.co/jI15VF8fk3
— Chris Vivlamore (@CVivlamoreAJC) February 27, 2017
Hardaway has started 11 games in a row, most of which came during a period when Sefolosha was out with a groin injury.
Mike Budenholzer has to hope this change jump-starts their struggling defense. They have been a top five defense in terms of defensive rating for most of the season, but they have been shaky for a few weeks now. Returning Hardaway to the bench also gives their second unit an offensive infusion.
Beating a talented Boston team would get the Hawks back on track. They have committed to winning this season by keeping their team together at the Trade Deadline. If the losses continue to pile up, their seeding in the Eastern Conference could be damaged. A first round exit would be viewed as a disappointment by the team, the front office, and fans.
Next: Should The Hawks Have Rebuilt At The Trade Deadline?
Who: Atlanta Hawks (32-26) @ Boston Celtics (38-21)
When: 7:30 PM EST, Monday, February 27th, 2017
Where: TD Garden
How: Fox Sports Southeast
Prediction: Hawks 93 Celtics 103