Celtics (3-1) at Hawks (1-3) Game 5 5/8

[mqtcelticsfan]

Is Chris Paul available this offseason?

I don't know is he going to make us rebound better

Chris Paul is closer. We need a closer badly

You're right. Chris Paul would have easily been able to get up a shot against Horford.

[Rondo_is_better]

Absolutely no rebounding or defense in the 4th quarter.

[crownsy]

Ugh tough game to lose, expect us to annihilate them in game six.

Also, anyone else start laughing when the confetti and streamers started coming down for a win in game 5?

i actually started laughing. mabey save that stuff for an elimination game atlanta

[SHAQATTACK]

We had it won early  and then let the Hawks back in the game....  

[Trifecta]

not much to say other than i would've liked to have gotten off a shot there. Oh well, game 7 is thursday, that's how this team needs to look at it now.

[Roy H.]

Absolutely no rebounding or defense in the 4th quarter.

Yeah, especially the defense.  I love Bass, but he couldn't cover Horford or Smith.

[bfrombleacher]

*Bites tongue*

Hell of an effort by Rondo on that play. Just not enough time and the two worst possible players for him to have to go against in Smith and Horford.

[birdwatcher]

hard to hang this one on Rondo--he single handedly put Boston on a 10-0 run in the 3rd, steals the ball and puts us in a position to win. No one came back for the ball after the steal, no one helped Rondo on that last position, other than KG at the last second.

[mqtcelticsfan]

A couple of subtle points.  Why take ray out of the game if we were just going to foul?  Second, rondo should have gone to the middle of the floor to give himself more options.  He ran himself into a corner.

Josh Smith, who is one of the best and most athletic defenders in the game of basketball, completely took away his passing lanes and the center of the court. Then, Horford, who is also athletic and long, smothered Rondo in the corner.

[Yoki_IsTheName]

If you didn't see that coming, you don't know this team.  As soon as Rondo stole it away, I knew he was gonna keep the ball, not even think to pass, and try and throw up a terrible shot.

I need to see a replay, but from what it looked like there weren't a lot of clear passing lanes for Rondo.  Smith smothered him, and the rest of the team wasn't looking for the ball. 

While typing this, I just saw the replay.  Yeah, nobody was even attempting to get open for a pass, or looking for one.  They had their eyes forward, running up court.

This. There was not enough time as well to execute a play. KG did not even set a pick when he could've. The steal unfortunately put us in a bad position as we are not prepared for it and the offense has no idea what to do. But i'd take the effort.

[Change]

26-35 bulls/sixers halftime score  

[ejk3489]

hard to hang this one on Rondo--he single handedly put Boston on a 10-0 run in the 3rd, steals the ball and puts us in a position to win. No one came back for the ball after the steal, no one helped Rondo on that last position, other than KG at the last second.

Agreed...not blaming this on Pierce, but I wish he came to take the ball away from Rondo after the steal.

[Clovertown]

I would like to see more Stiemsma.  The Celtics are 20-4 on the season when Greg plays 18 min or more.  That's a pretty telling stat.  Coincidence?

[Andrew Celtic Nation]

I can only imagine if Pierce came to take the ball from Rondo and missed a shot what the people on here would say, but yeah, I would have liked to see Paul be the one taking the shot too.

[thestackshow]

Hortford and Smith have been terrible matchups so far this series.

Smith and Hortford basically can have their way with our frontline.

We need to get this thing over with and pray PP gets healthy overnight.