Author Topic: Hawks (17-14) at Celtics (13-17) Game 31 12/31  (Read 51146 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Hawks (17-14) at Celtics (13-17) Game 31 12/31
« on: December 30, 2013, 10:25:19 PM »

Online FLCeltsFan

  • Kendrick Perkins #1 Fan
  • Author
  • Rajon Rondo
  • *****
  • Posts: 5280
  • Tommy Points: 11832
  • Marcus Smart Fan!
at
Atlanta Hawks (17-14) at Boston Celtics (13-17)
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
1:00 PM ET
Game #31 Home Game #17
TV: CSNNE, SportSouth, NBA-LP 752(DTV)/751,753(Xfinity)
Radio: WBZ, WQXI
TD Garden



Probable Starting Matchups
Point Guard

vs
Jordan Crawford vs Jeff Teague

Shooting Guard
vs
Avery Bradley vs Lou Williams

Small Forward
vs
Jeff Green vs Kyle Korver

Power Forward
vs
Brandon Bass vs Paul Millsap

Center
vs
Jared Sullinger vs Elton Brand



Celtics Reserves
MarShon Brooks
Kris Humphries
Phil Pressey
Courtney Lee
Gerald Wallace
Keith Bogans
Kelly Olynyk
Vitor Faverani

Injuries
Rajon Rondo (ACL)out
 

Hawks Reserves
Mike Scott
Gustavo Ayon
Shelvin Mack
Pero Antic
Dennis Shroder
Jared Cunningham

Injuries
DeMarre Carroll (thumb) out
Cartier Martin (ankle) questionable
John Jenkins (leg)  out
Al Horford (shoulder)  out

Key Matchups
vs
Brandon Bass vs Paul Millsap
Millsap has been playing very well this year for the Hawks, averaging 17.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game.  Bass's defensive strengths should make this a good matchup.

vs
Jared Sullinger vs Elton Brand
With Al Horford out, this could be a matchup that favors the Celtics.  Brand is a big body in the paint and a very good player, but he has also lost a step over the years. 

Honorable Mention
Jordan Crawford vs Jeff Teague
Teague has become a very good point guard and is averaging 17.0 points, 8.3 assists and 1.4 steals per game.  If Teague gets hot, we may see Avery on him and Crawford defending against Lou Williams.  It will be important to slow Teague down. 

Game Notes

The Celtics host the Hawks in the second of 4 meetings between these two teams this season.  The Celtics won the first meeting in Atlanta 94-87.   The Celtics have extra motivation to beat the Hawks in that they will more than likely own the Hawks' pick in this year's draft and every loss improves that pick. 

Atlanta is currently in the 3rd spot in the East, 6.5 games behind the Heat, who are in the second spot.  The Celtics are in 8th and 1 game behind the Raptors, who hold the 4th spot by virtue of leading the Atlantic Division.

The Hawks lost their center and best player when Al Horford went out with a shoulder injury.  Horford is a two-time NBA All-Star who is the Hawks leading scorer (18.6 points per game) and rebounder (8.4 rebounds per game).   Losing him was a major loss, but they are still a very tough team even without him.  The Celtics can't take them lightly. 

This is the Celtics second consecutive afternoon game.  They are 2-1 in matinee games this season.  Afternoon games tend to favor the home team.  Let's hope the Celtics have their minds on the game and aren't planning their New Year's Even celebrations.

Keys to the Game
Play 48 Minutes - The Celtics have been getting off to fast starts and big leads.  But, in the second half, they stop running, stop moving the ball, and stop going to the basket.  They have to keep doing what works right until the final buzzer.

Defend the Perimeter
- The Hawks depend on the three to score.  They are 3rd in the league, making 9.5 3's per game and are making 38.3% of their shots from beyond the arc.  They have several good shooters from distance and the Celtics must up their perimeter defense. 

Rebound
- The Celtics must crash the boards as a team, especially the guards.  Rebounding takes effort and the Celtics must be the team that wins the rebounding battle.

Set the Pace - The Celtics have to run on every possession.  Part of the reason they have given up big leads is that they stop running, stop pushing the ball inside, and stop moving the ball.  They have to keep up the pace for the entire game. 

X-Factors

Matinee and Focus
Matinee games usually favor the home team and that would be the Celtics in this game.  They should also get a boost from the home crowd.  Hopefully they will keep their focus in this game and not be thinking about their New Years Eve plans. 

Re: Hawks (17-14) at Celtics (13-17) Game 31 12/31
« Reply #1 on: December 30, 2013, 10:26:49 PM »

Offline slamtheking

  • NCE
  • Red Auerbach
  • *******************************
  • Posts: 31869
  • Tommy Points: 10047
let me be the first to give you a TP for the last game in 2013 FL.  spectacular job as always

Re: Hawks (17-14) at Celtics (13-17) Game 31 12/31
« Reply #2 on: December 30, 2013, 11:05:55 PM »

Online FLCeltsFan

  • Kendrick Perkins #1 Fan
  • Author
  • Rajon Rondo
  • *****
  • Posts: 5280
  • Tommy Points: 11832
  • Marcus Smart Fan!
Thanks slamtheking!   And a TP back at you for being the first comment on the last game thread of 2013. 

Go Celtics!!! 

Re: Hawks (17-14) at Celtics (13-17) Game 31 12/31
« Reply #3 on: December 30, 2013, 11:09:08 PM »

Offline Ogaju

  • Bill Sharman
  • *******************
  • Posts: 19479
  • Tommy Points: 1871
what result helps us tank in this game?

Do we need to win or lose to have a better chance at a lottery pick?

Re: Hawks (17-14) at Celtics (13-17) Game 31 12/31
« Reply #4 on: December 31, 2013, 12:06:50 AM »

Offline celticslove

  • Don Chaney
  • *
  • Posts: 1760
  • Tommy Points: 188
TP for the all year all season great job!

Re: Hawks (17-14) at Celtics (13-17) Game 31 12/31
« Reply #5 on: December 31, 2013, 01:36:57 AM »

Offline LatterDayCelticsfan

  • Bailey Howell
  • **
  • Posts: 2195
  • Tommy Points: 171
  • Community Text
We need to lose for the sake of our own pick but win for the sake of the pick due to us  from the DJ White trade which might end up being the Atlanta one. While I'm here, BOLD PREDICTIONS: Rondo makes shock return to the team in the 4th quarter, Wallace makes it to 20 points from off the bench, and Sullinger single handedly eats the Hawks front court alive.   
Banner 18 please 😍

Re: Hawks (17-14) at Celtics (13-17) Game 31 12/31
« Reply #6 on: December 31, 2013, 07:18:21 AM »

Offline Boston Garden Leprechaun

  • Dennis Johnson
  • ******************
  • Posts: 18464
  • Tommy Points: 1550
LET'S GO CELTICS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LET'S GO CELTICS!

Re: Hawks (17-14) at Celtics (13-17) Game 31 12/31
« Reply #7 on: December 31, 2013, 11:15:26 AM »

Offline Boston Garden Leprechaun

  • Dennis Johnson
  • ******************
  • Posts: 18464
  • Tommy Points: 1550
HERE'S MIKE AND TOMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    ;D
LET'S GO CELTICS!

Re: Hawks (17-14) at Celtics (13-17) Game 31 12/31
« Reply #8 on: December 31, 2013, 11:55:53 AM »

Online letsgoblue86

  • Ray Allen
  • ***
  • Posts: 3620
  • Tommy Points: 279
We need to lose for the sake of our own pick but win for the sake of the pick due to us  from the DJ White trade which might end up being the Atlanta one. While I'm here, BOLD PREDICTIONS: Rondo makes shock return to the team in the 4th quarter, Wallace makes it to 20 points from off the bench, and Sullinger single handedly eats the Hawks front court alive.
I honestly don't know which one is more possible: Wallace scoring 20 or rondo returning.

Re: Hawks (17-14) at Celtics (13-17) Game 31 12/31
« Reply #9 on: December 31, 2013, 12:14:43 PM »

Offline hwangjini_1

  • Kevin Garnett
  • *****************
  • Posts: 17837
  • Tommy Points: 2661
  • bammokja
what result helps us tank in this game?

Do we need to win or lose to have a better chance at a lottery pick?

good question. if we ONLY look at this in terms of draft positioning, a hawk win is probably better than a celtic loss...slightly.

it seems that the hawks will make the playoffs regardless of the result tonight since the eastern conference is reaching historic levels of suck. so, a loss by atlanta MAYBE would change the draft position by one slot for the celtics, maybe getting #18 instead of #19, that sort of change.

on the other hand, a loss by the celtics helps keep them in the hunt for the lottery.  ;) for the celtics, each loss not only gives them a better draft position, it also increases their chance of "winning" a top spot in the lottery.

another loss MAYBE would change the celtics' draft position from, let's say, #8 to #7 or something like that. small shift in location, but a potentially large advantage in terms of talent available to choose from.

so, in the final, dismal, depressing analysis....a celtic loss benefits the team more in terms of draft positioning.

but having said all that, i must absolutely now say.... gooooo celtics!!  ;D

p.s. happy new year everyone! i wish you all a healthy and happy new year.  :)
I believe Gandhi is the only person who knew about real democracy — not democracy as the right to go and buy what you want, but democracy as the responsibility to be accountable to everyone around you. Democracy begins with freedom from hunger, freedom from unemployment, freedom from fear, and freedom from hatred.
- Vandana Shiva

Re: Hawks (17-14) at Celtics (13-17) Game 31 12/31
« Reply #10 on: December 31, 2013, 12:44:37 PM »

Offline DesertDweller

  • Jaylen Brown
  • Posts: 623
  • Tommy Points: 92
I thought I was explicitly clear about this!!!


Re: Hawks (17-14) at Celtics (13-17) Game 31 12/31
« Reply #11 on: December 31, 2013, 12:47:29 PM »

Offline timobusa

  • Ray Allen
  • ***
  • Posts: 3415
  • Tommy Points: 284
  • Bleed Green, Die Green
Bold Prediction

Jared Sullinger eats Elton Brand alive with 20 points 17 rebounds


Re: Hawks (17-14) at Celtics (13-17) Game 31 12/31
« Reply #12 on: December 31, 2013, 01:07:15 PM »

Offline danglertx

  • Bailey Howell
  • **
  • Posts: 2015
  • Tommy Points: 210
It feels like they've played two games in a month, ready for some C's basketball!

Re: Hawks (17-14) at Celtics (13-17) Game 31 12/31
« Reply #13 on: December 31, 2013, 01:08:01 PM »

Offline celtic -_- pride

  • Jaylen Brown
  • Posts: 676
  • Tommy Points: 60
  • Stuff & Things
Jarred sullinger will eat a tuna fish alive tonight with
21 points and 8 rebounds. Jarred sure does like his tuna fish
[img width= height=]http://s7.postimg.org/jsyw5qrez/banner.jpg[/img]

Re: Hawks (17-14) at Celtics (13-17) Game 31 12/31
« Reply #14 on: December 31, 2013, 01:12:19 PM »

Online letsgoblue86

  • Ray Allen
  • ***
  • Posts: 3620
  • Tommy Points: 279
Bradley is too quick for Korver.  I'd like to see him try and take it to the hoop