The key matchup in the Celtics-Hawks series

[KGs Knee]

I fully expect the Hawks to use a line-up of Teague, Johnson, and Williams together quite a bit.  It's thier best line-up.  Hinrich has been mediocre at best this year.

This puts Bradley in a tough spot.  Defending JJ will be difficult for him.  Rondo won't have much success either likely.  I expect, if Ray can't play or is limited, we'll see a good bit of Pietrus guarding JJ.

[Fafnir]

I fully expect the Hawks to use a line-up of Teague, Johnson, and Williams together quite a bit.  It's thier best line-up.  Hinrich has been mediocre at best this year.

This puts Bradley in a tough spot.  Defending JJ will be difficult for him.  Rondo won't have much success either likely.  I expect, if Ray can't play or is limited, we'll see a good bit of Pietrus guarding JJ.

Well during the game in April he didn't take advantage of it too much, it'll be something to watch.

I do wonder if they'll go small against us, they really don't have good options to cover KG at C.

[CelticG1]

Williams is listed 2 inches taller and 5 pounds heavier than JJ. Id rather have atlanta try and beat is with Williams going against ab than JJ. Didn't AB do pretty well on Paul George a couple weeks ago another giant mismatch? Plus wouldn't AB pose a matchups problem on offense for us? No way those guys will stay with him running around like honey badger.

Either way I think this is a none issue. The 2-3 is our deepest position AB, Ray, MP, Sasha, Quis. Even if Ray and MP couldn't play id actually feel alright platooning Sasha and Quis for this series. Both can at least play respectable D and they would be adequate on offense. I think ray and MP will play tho

[clover]

Pietrus and Sasha could both be important in neutralizing Johnson. 

I'm okay with Bradley playing primarily as Rondo's backup and when Johnson isn't in the game if that's what it takes to keep Joe in check.  Either Pietrus or Sasha could start going forward if Joe proves problematic in game one for Bradley.

[Fafnir]

I think many things when I watch Daniels/Pavlovich play, adequete on offense has never ever been one of them.

[KGs Knee]

I fully expect the Hawks to use a line-up of Teague, Johnson, and Williams together quite a bit.  It's thier best line-up.  Hinrich has been mediocre at best this year.

This puts Bradley in a tough spot.  Defending JJ will be difficult for him.  Rondo won't have much success either likely.  I expect, if Ray can't play or is limited, we'll see a good bit of Pietrus guarding JJ.

Well during the game in April he didn't take advantage of it too much, it'll be something to watch.

I do wonder if they'll go small against us, they really don't have good options to cover KG at C.

I think the key to defending Johnson will ultimately be taking a team approach.  Whoever guards him will have to stay up on him (limiting his space to get off open jump shots) and funnel him into spots where our bigs can pick him up and limit his drives into the lane.

As far as Atlanta going small (assuming this means a line-up of Smith, Williams, Johnson, Hinrich, Teague), it may be their best line-up, but it would seemingly play right into our hands.  This allows Bradley to guard either Hinrich or Teague and puts Pierce on Johnson.  We could also match and go small ourselves (if Bass on Williams proves to be a difficult match-up), and have Pierce on Willams and Pietrus on Johnson.  Advantage us again.

[alajet]

Aren't Williams and JJ pretty much the same size?

Marvin Williams is 6' 9" or 6 10"

A good deal taller than Joe Johnson and he's been thriving on 3s, something that a small guard would have trouble contesting. I wouldn't be shocked if Williams would feel rather comfortable posting Bradley up as well.

You're right. Marvin Williams can post up and although he isn't a scorer like JJ, you can't let him have a go at it in offense, because when he starts to knock down jumpshots, he is well capable of scoring.
To be honest, both are horrendous matchups for Bradley in terms of size. But the way JJ plays, he can easily go for 30 in such a matchup, so, I don't know.
Let's just hope Atlanta puts Hinrich in backcourt. He has a slow step and is a favorable matchup against Bradley.

And no. A couple of good games against an out of rhythm Wade don't completely convince me that Bradley can defend every other big SG in this league.

[Mr October]

Atlanta doesn't have anyone who can guard Rondo, Pierce or KG. The Celtics are going to shred this Hawks team.

There's a reason the C's weren't that concerned with home court vs this group.

Joe Johnson may get crazy hot enough to win the hawks 1-2 games, but I doubt it.

[Mr October]

Also, I'm not too worried about the Bradley Joe Johnson matchup. Ray still can't guard Joe anyway. JJ is going to need to score 30 per night just to keep the games competitive.

This year feels so similar to 2010. The C's records are even near identical.

Go Celtics!!

[Eddie20]

With Pachulia and Horford out, the key to the series is what, if anything, the combination of Ivan Johnson and Jason Collins could do vs KG. We should be able to generate offense consistently by running everything through KG.

[Fafnir]

Also, I'm not too worried about the Bradley Joe Johnson matchup. Ray still can't guard Joe anyway. JJ is going to need to score 30 per night just to keep the games competitive.

This year feels so similar to 2010. The C's records are even near identical.

Go Celtics!!

Probably the biggest difference is that 2010 was better on the road than at home for some weird reason.

[Fafnir]

With Pachulia and Horford out, the key to the series is what, if anything, the combination of Ivan Johnson and Jason Collins could do vs KG. We should be able to generate offense consistently by running everything through KG.

The Hawks fans have a very high opinion of Ivan Johnson. They seem to think he'll get a full MLE offer as a RFA under the Gilbert Arenas rule.

I don't see it.

[Mr October]

Also, I'm not too worried about the Bradley Joe Johnson matchup. Ray still can't guard Joe anyway. JJ is going to need to score 30 per night just to keep the games competitive.

This year feels so similar to 2010. The C's records are even near identical.

Go Celtics!!

Probably the biggest difference is that 2010 was better on the road than at home for some weird reason.

Yup, and Wallace turned into an excellent weapon on the bench in the post season. Nobody on the Celtics bench comes close to that post season version of Sheed.

[Fafnir]

Also, I'm not too worried about the Bradley Joe Johnson matchup. Ray still can't guard Joe anyway. JJ is going to need to score 30 per night just to keep the games competitive.

This year feels so similar to 2010. The C's records are even near identical.

Go Celtics!!

Probably the biggest difference is that 2010 was better on the road than at home for some weird reason.

Yup, and Wallace turned into an excellent weapon on the bench in the post season. Nobody on the Celtics bench comes close to that post season version of Sheed.

Ray Allen if he can come back and replicate his regular season play gives us a bigger impact than Sheed did that year.

Though 2010 team had a fourth big we could use, this team only has 3 which is a huge problem.

[Eddie20]

With Pachulia and Horford out, the key to the series is what, if anything, the combination of Ivan Johnson and Jason Collins could do vs KG. We should be able to generate offense consistently by running everything through KG.

The Hawks fans have a very high opinion of Ivan Johnson. They seem to think he'll get a full MLE offer as a RFA under the Gilbert Arenas rule.

I don't see it.

I guess then Hawks' fans would love to have matched the offers for Chuck Hayes, Maxiell, Baby, and every other undersized and overpaid PF because I don't see it either.