Hawks pull out the broom, sweep season series with Celtics

By Matt Winkeljohn, for NBA.com
Posted Saturday January 30, 2010 12:17AM

ATLANTA (Exclusive to NBA.com) -- If the Hawks indeed took the Celtics' best shot Friday night as Jamal Crawford suggested his team did in a pugnacious third quarter, then there is growing evidence that the pecking order has changed in the Eastern Conference.

Crawford scored 18 of his 28 points in the first half, and Joe Johnson's dazzling 16-point fourth quarter triggered a 100-91 win that gave Atlanta a 4-0 season sweep of Boston and bumped the Hawks (30-15) into the No. 2 spot in the East ahead of Boston (29-15) and Orlando (30-16).

No wonder players hung around on the Philips Arena court a little longer than usual after the game, bumping fists and celebrating before a rare sellout crowd of 18,732. It was Atlanta's first four-game sweep of Boston since 1995-'96.

"We won't stick our chests out yet, but we can stand straight up and look them eye to eye," Crawford said after the Celtics pulled within 74-73 by the end of the third quarter only to have the Hawks answer resolutely in the fourth. "It shows we don't fear anybody. I think it shows our growth that we can take a team's best punch and come back and win."

Boston's second straight loss following a slip-up one night earlier in Orlando made it clear that while certain elements of the Celtics remain similar, the Hawks are different from the team Boston swept in the past two regular seasons.

"I don't know if we could have won the game tonight with the way the Hawks were playing," said Boston coach Doc Rivers, who saw his team outscored 25-3 in fast-break points in the first half while falling behind 53-41. "No one likes to get swept, but . . . it doesn't mean anything for the playoffs."

After trailing by 12 at halftime, the Celtics played brute ball, bulling their way to the free-throw line 20 times in the period, making 19 to make it a one-point game. Paul Pierce led the way, driving repeatedly on the way to a 14-point third quarter that included 10 for 10 at the line.

"[It was like] a playoff game," said Atlanta coach Mike Woodson of a contest that saw two technical fouls called upon each team, and a flagrant fouled whistled against Atlanta's Josh Smith. "Everybody was banging and bodies were flying around."

Once upon a time, if you shut down the Hawks' transition game and muscled them around a bit, they were usually done.

Tonight they scored just two fast break points in the third as that 12-point halftime edge slipped to a point.

Here's the difference: Atlanta scored just two fast-break points in the fourth quarter, too, but still pulled away as Johnson hit 7 of 9 shots. The offseason addition of Crawford in a trade with Golden State has diversified the Hawks' offense in a big way, making them much harder to guard.

A pair of free throws by Rasheed Wallace with 1:34 left in the game shrank Atlanta's lead to 93-88, yet the Hawks pushed tempo next time down the floor, and Johnson nailed a running seven-footer off the backboard nine seconds later for a seven-point lead.

There was still more than a minute to go, and after Wallace missed a 3-pointer, Rajon Rondo grabbed a rebound and whipped the ball outside to Ray Allen for what looked like an open 3-point attempt.

Problem was, Crawford anticipated the pass perfectly from the wing, intercepted it and dunked uncontested for a 97-88 lead with 1:05 left.

Pierce countered with a 3-pointer, but Johnson added a trey right back and that was that.

"You don't want to lose," Pierce said after scoring 35 points. "Psychologically if we play this team again in the playoffs . . . they'll feel like they have an edge. Give them all the credit; they played hard."

Kevin Garnett scored 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds in his third game back after a lengthy layoff with a hyper-extended knee, but he and Pierce were Boston's only double-digit scorers. Center Kendrick Perkins, who scored just once in the loss at Orlando, was good for just a pair of field goals Friday.

The Celtics will try to sort themselves out Sunday when the Lakers visit Boston.

The Hawks will be tested Saturday in a trip to Orlando to face a Magic squad that has twice walloped them this season.

For a few more minutes than usual, however, the Hawks savored Friday's win.

"We do pose some disadvantages for [the Celtics]," Josh Smith said after scoring 12 points and grabbing nine rebounds. "We're a young team, and we get out and have fun, and run and get transition points. It was only a matter of time for us maturing and learning how to win."

• Celtics: Daniels, Giddens
• Hawks: Morris

• Celtics: Perkins, Wallace
• Hawks: Pachulia, Woodson

• Lead Changes: 3
• Times Tied: 3

• Arena: Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA
• Officials: #25 Tony Brothers, #46 Matt Boland, #64 Eli Roe
• Attendance: 18732
• Duration: 2:31