Back at it Friday Night
2012 NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFFS
Fri May 4, 2012 | 7:35 PM, EDT | ESPNTD Garden | Boston, Massachusetts
Game 35 ATLANTA HAWKS4 BOSTON CELTICS
(Series Tied 1-1)
These simply are not the C’s most folks are used to seeing
Weak Boston Offense?Celts WINNING on Road w/just 10 Made Rim Shots &Celts WINNING w/Starters making ONE 3-Pointer? & (3 Total?)Y.B.Y.S.A. these are the C’s
Boston once again, punched the gas at All-Star BreakOnly the Spurs were Hotter
The Difference is that Boston has done it w/DEFENSE first
Boston: #1 NBA Efficient DefenseBoston: Abnormally Low #22 NBA Offense
What has Celts newfound strategy has enabled Boston to do?Is survive low offensive outputs &Even persevere & actually succeed in a seemingly hopeless scenarioSuch as they faced in Game 2 in Atlantaw/Superb, intelligent & fundamental stay-at-home Defense
Moreover, this Vet-Savvy Boston TeamNow at Home, presumably w/ ½ of the Fab-4Back on the Court for C’s
It’s now the Hawks turn to question their realistic Road Game Options
The real issue for Atlanta?Not just questionable status of highly versatile, Josh Smith(Smith #9 PER* Power Fwd & C’s Matchup Nightmare)
One very misleading stat CAN be Points-in-Paint;Boston LOST this stat by a large 42-26 Margin in Game 2YET, The C’s actually pulled even when factoring in FREE THROWSBoston 31 FTA | ATL 20 (Boston +11)Atlanta FGA at RIM (+13)
Thus, Atlanta had a modest +2 edge
In Game 3, whether Ray Allen plays or not & even if not terribly effectiveAtlanta must prepare for Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, In other words: The good OLD C’s
Boston stole Game 2Safe to say, Atlanta was out-coached
We CANNOT FORGET HOW SHORTHANDED ATL was coming in to Series
w/o BOTH both ATL [5] Players
w/an Extra Day to prepareNo question the VET Boston team must have a huge advantage
In fact, The Celts will undoubtedly build on the last ⅓ of Game 2, When Atlanta was entirely handcuffed &Now, Atlanta w/o a healthy Josh Smith,w/o the luxury of preparing for a Rondo-less Boston Team
Rondo: not bad at harassing & matching ATL’s lightening quick, PG Jeff Teague
Atlanta could be in real troubleCelts could go for the throat here & should twist the knife
2 UNITATLANTABOSTON -8 (-105 | Sportsbook)
ALL THE BEST, GUYS ..
Way-Out-West, LLC ™ | INVIGORATING SPORTS ANALYSIS | stevebeav.blogspot.com | #Stevebeav"Winning is determined by ones appropriate response to Losing" | Sleep? OverratedBEAVER NATION: Powered by Orange | Overachieving Since 1868 | "Great Day to be a Beaver"
I take Hawks
Matthias Kasson creator of a new generation of television analysis for the Soccer betting.
Own fighting local matador from betting on matthiaskasson.pl
SINGLE DIME 3-2
DOUBLE DIME 2-1
Cannot always line-up..thank you, MK
gra
All set to take the 8 points but not if smith is not playing or if not 100%. hawks are 5-0 last 5 rd games,and the dog is 5 &1 the last 6.The under is 5&1 also. Don,t like the total either way though.Bottom line,hawks can,t win without a healthy josh smith,he,s been their best player.Celtics seem to have a way with just barely not covering but that,s usually when they are favored by 9 or more,wish I had followed with denver and the heat,yeah,took the lakers last game.Hawks are one of those teams that lose when they are susposed to win and vice versa,not this time.Celtics it is
Appreciate the work, Steven. Have a good one!
Excellent Analysis, the Hawks showed no signs of life in the last 1/3 of the game and now travel to Boston with a gimpy Josh Smith, that headcase is going to cause nothing but problems for his team. I say the Celtics sweep the Hawks at home and then the Hawks lay down like the team they are on Tuesday at home.
You bring up some good points, JV....ATL was truly better than most might think last 1/2 of the season vs Playoff-Bound Teams: 8 Losses, just ONE of them was by MORE than 10 Points (Thus, NOT the same old Mail-it-in Hawks). YET, Rondo makes a huge difference, the XTRA DAY off is immensely helpful for KG who relies on Leg-Rest more than almost any player, and BOSTON's 1 primary weakness (Interior Post Play), is just almost a non-factor vs the Post-less Hawks. Just see a cagey Boston Team in just the right spot to truly hammer ATL, and also see ATL likely to rest Smith after this one gets away and make the big push to play for a Game 4 Win & gain Homecourt Back w/a closer-to-full strength Smith.
Hawks' Josh Smith to miss Game 3
By Adrian Wojnarowski
Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith will miss Friday's Game 3 against the Boston Celtics because of soreness in his left knee, a league source told Yahoo! Sports.
Smith injured his knee during the Hawks' Game 2 loss.
Smith will try to play in Sunday's Game 4.
Just in case..