Celtics-Hawks Preview

By PAUL NEWBERRY
Posted Apr 30 2012 11:03PM

ATLANTA (AP) Rajon Rondo lost control in the final minute of Game 1, and that means he won't be on the court for Game 2.

The NBA announced Monday that the Boston Celtics' star point guard has been suspended one game without pay in the opening-round playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks.

Rondo will miss Tuesday night's contest in Atlanta after sticking out his chest to bump referee Marc Davis while disputing a foul call with 41 seconds left in Boston's Game 1 loss. Speaking during a playoff game in Indiana, NBA Commissioner David Stern said the league had no choice other than to suspend Rondo.

"I can't allow that," Stern said. "If we don't protect our officials in this fast-paced game with very large players, we've lost a lot in my mind."

The league's assist leader scored 20 points and dished out 11 assists before he was tossed, leaving Boston with a huge hole in its lineup. This is Rondo's second suspension of the season, following a two-game ban in February for throwing a ball at an official.

"That's part of the package with our team. We're a volatile team in a lot of ways," coach Doc Rivers said during a practice at Georgia Tech. "Rondo is an emotional player. ... I like his fire, but sometimes he burns you."

Boston lost both games while Rondo was suspended, but the team is 8-5 overall in games he missed this season.

"This is a resilient basketball team," Rivers said. "That's what we've been all year. Sometimes, it takes this stuff, for whatever reason, to snap us into playing the right way. I don't know whether we're going to win or lose, but I can guarantee you we'll be ready to play."

Rondo was about the only bright spot for Boston in the series opener. He was the lone player hitting consistently from the outside, knocking down 10 of 18 shots, and he did his usual superb job as a floor leader. It was his 24th consecutive game with double-figure assists, and he turned it over only one time.

Then, with the Celtics having trimmed a 19-point deficit down to just four, Brandon Bass went to the court tussling for a loose ball with Atlanta's Josh Smith. Boston thought it should've been a jump ball, but Davis called a foul on Bass. Rondo was outraged, screaming something that immediately drew a technical. With Davis' back turned, the guard jutted out his chest to make contact with the official.

Davis signaled another technical and ejected Rondo from the game. The Hawks held on for an 83-74 victory.

"This was a loose ball foul. Period," Stern said. "The foul called was a clear foul. It was a loose ball foul. Rondo missed it, he got very upset and he lost it. He got a `T' for one and then he bumped the official."

In Stern's opinion, there was nothing accidental about the bump.

"When you put yourself in position to bump somebody, it's intentional," the commissioner said. "If you're asking if the ref bumped back into Rondo, no. "

Atlanta won't have to worry about Rondo at all in Game 2.

"Certainly it changes things a little bit but, with or without him, they've shown they can win," Hawks coach Larry Drew said. "They are a veteran ballclub. They've been in those situations where they've had players out. Certainly whether he is there or not, we can't let our guard down."

Second-year player Avery Bradley, who's been starting at shooting guard for the Celtics, will likely shift over to the point to take Rondo's place. The youngster had a rough playoff debut, getting into foul trouble and scoring just 10 points on 4-of-12 shooting.

"He pressed," Rivers said. "I thought he was looking for things. He was looking to shoot instead of cut. When your mind gets too active, it's usually hurts you. I always tell our guys that as a joke, but last night, that probably hurt Avery. He was thinking about what he wanted to do instead of just allowing the game to dictate what he should do."

The 21-year-old Bradley, a first-round pick in 2010, spent time in the D-League during his rookie year but took on a much greater role with the Celtics this season, especially with Ray Allen battling injuries.

Allen missed the final nine games of the regular season and the playoff opener because of an ailing right ankle. He would've undergone surgery if it was earlier in the year, but is trying desperately to make some kind of contribution in the playoffs.

So far, the ankle just isn't responding, and it seems highly doubtful that Allen will be able to go in Game 2

Under no circumstances will Rivers rush the 36-year-old guard back before he is fully recovered - no matter how badly the Celtics need him with Rondo suspended.

"There's nothing we can do about it," the coach said. "If Ray is not ready, he's not ready. That's one thing I don't do, and I'll never do it. Maybe I'm wrong about it. But I will never put a guy out there if he's not ready. If Ray told me he could play and Eddie (head trainer Ed Lacerte) says he didn't think he could play, Ray would not play. That's just the way it is. He says he feels a little better, but I just don't see it right now."

The Hawks have their own injury problems, with center Zaza Pachulia still trying to come back from a sprained left foot. The Hawks already played most of the season without their top center, Al Horford, so third-stringer Jason Collins started Game 1 and did a solid job (six points, five rebounds).

But Atlanta would not have won if not for Josh Smith, who scored 22 points and grabbed 18 rebounds. The Hawks' other key player, Joe Johnson, had a miserable night - 11 points on 3-of-15 shooting, including 0 of 9 from 3-point range, not to mention four sloppy turnovers - and it nearly cost the team home-court advantage.

After scoring 31 points in the opening quarter, the Hawks were downright frigid the rest of the way. They made only 19 of 54 shots over the final three quarters.

Fortunately for Atlanta, Boston had its own problems. Paul Pierce went 5 of 19 from the field and totaled just 12 points, missing several open looks that might have completed the comeback. Kevin Garnett had a rough first half, going 1 for 9, though he did bounce back over the last two quarters to finish with 20 points and 12 rebounds.

"We needed more scoring from me last night. My shot was off," Pierce said. "Not only do I have to step up, but a number of guys have got to step up."

The Hawks insist they won't let up just because Boston will be without one of its best players.

"They've won games without Rondo this year," Hawks point guard Jeff Teague said. "We don't take anyone lightly or take a step down."

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AP Sports Writer Cliff Brunt in Indianapolis contributed to this report.

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Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963

Pierce leads Rondo-less Celtics past Hawks, 87-80

By PAUL NEWBERRY
Posted May 02 2012 4:33AM

ATLANTA (AP) Maybe they'll start calling it Piercing.

Paul Pierce certainly ripped apart the Atlanta Hawks.

Almost single-handedly, Pierce wiped out an 11-point deficit in the second half, scoring 36 points to carry the Boston Celtics to a stunning 87-80 win Tuesday night in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference playoffs, even with Rajon Rondo serving a suspension and Ray Allen sidelined again by an ailing ankle.

"The only way we were going to win a game like this without Ray and Rondo," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said, "was if Paul had a game like this."

He also had a game-high 14 rebounds and, for good measure, threw in some Tebowing.

After making a couple of foul shots with just over a minute remaining to clinch it, Pierce paused on his way back to the bench to copy the move named after NFL quarterback Tim Tebow, sinking to a knee and bowing his head for a brief prayer in the middle of the court.

"It wasn't pre-scripted," Pierce said. "It just came to me."

Boston heads home for Game 3 on Friday night tied 1-1. Rondo will be back for the Celtics in that one, his short-handed team having claimed the home-court edge while he sat out as punishment for bumping an official in the opener.

Pierce made sure the stellar point guard wasn't missed, outscoring the Hawks all by himself over the last 15:08.

"I have a lot of experience, a lot of confidence from being in those moments," Pierce said. "You believe in yourself, your coach believes in you, your team believes in you, it's a combination of all those things."

Pierce scored Boston's first nine points but struggled mightily through the second and third quarters. He came through when the Celtics really needed him, especially with the Rondo-less offense a bit out of sync and Allen watching from the bench in a suit rather than a uniform.

Down the stretch, the Celtics simplified things: Give the ball to Pierce and get out of the way.

"With Rondo being out, I knew I had to step up my scoring," said Pierce, who had only 12 points on 5-of-19 shooting in Game 1. "Everybody that played tonight contributed. That took a lot of pressure off me defensively so I could be more aggressive on the offensive end. It was a team win. I can't take all the credit."

The Hawks appeared to be in control when they pushed out to a 65-54 lead late in the third quarter. From that point, Pierce outscored the Hawks all by himself, 18-15, including 13 points in the final quarter.

"We expected him to come out and be aggressive offensively," Hawks coach Larry Drew said. "He got going early."

The Celtics were up 74-72 when a quick spurt essentially finished the Hawks, especially when Josh Smith went out late in the game with a sprained left knee.

Joe Johnson turned it over, part of another tough game for the Hawks star, sparking a fast break that ended with a give-and-go from Avery Bradley to Pierce for a dunk. After Jeff Teague missed badly on a jumper, Pierce came down and hit his first 3-pointer of the series after missing his first 10, stretching the lead to 79-72 with 3 1/2 minutes left.

Smith had 16 points and 12 rebounds before he went out for good with 4:20 remaining, the state of his knee now becoming a major concern for the Hawks, who already have played most of the season without Al Horford.

"He is one of our go-to guys down the stretch," Drew said. "We were missing all of the things he brings to the table for us, especially down low."

Smith will be re-evaluated Wednesday. The Hawks surely can't afford to lose him, too.

"It was tough because he's one of our best players," Teague said. "It was a little different out there because we didn't have any flow. One person goes down, somebody had to step up."

Kevin Garnett had 15 points and 12 rebounds, while Bradley, who shifted over to take Rondo's spot at the point, chipped in with 14 points but only three assists - a far cry from what the Celtics usually get out of that position.

Johnson had 22 points for Atlanta but never got many open looks, hitting just 7 of 17 from the field.

He had plenty of company in that dreadful fourth quarter. The Hawks made just 4 of 19 shots, missing all four of their 3-point attempts. They also turned it over five times.

"Those guys made it tough for us down the stretch," Atlanta's Willie Green said. "But we're not going to hang our heads at all. Tough loss, but that's what the playoffs are about. Now we have a chance to go up there and get one."

The game definitely appeared to be going the Hawks' way by the third quarter. When Smith tried to pass the ball inside, Boston's Greg Stiemsma got a hand on it, but the ball deflected into the corner - right to a wide-open Johnson, standing behind the arc. With no one around, he swished the 3 to push the Hawks to their 65-54 advantage.

The Celtics, meanwhile, were struggling to do anything right. When they botched a three-on-one break and gave up a layup at the other end, Rivers stormed out of his seat and signaled for a timeout. He was so mad he didn't even want to stand near his players as they trudged to the bench, remaining out near the foul line until he regained his composure.

Thanks to Pierce, the coach felt a lot better by the end.

Notes: Teague scored 18 points but went 0 for 4 in the final quarter. ... The Hawks shot just 35 percent (29 of 83). ... Boston held a 45-40 edge on the boards, even while collecting just three rebounds at the offensive end.

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Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963

Notebook: Celtics 87, Hawks 80

Posted Wednesday May 2, 2012 12:45AM

By Matt Winkeljohn, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: No Rajon Rondo, no Ray Allen, no problem for the Boston Celtics. They had Paul Pierce and mettle to spare Tuesday night when they evened their series against the Hawks and stole the home-court edge with an 87-80 Game 2 win in Atlanta.

The Hawks appeared to have the game under control with an 11-point lead late in the third quarter before Boston threw a blanket on the home team, and after a dreadful Game 1 performance in which he made just 5-of-19 shots, Pierce scored Boston's first seven on the way to 36 points and 14 rebounds.

After Atlanta took a 65-54 lead on Joe Johnson's 3-pointer with 3:08 left in the third quarter, Pierce outscored the Hawks 18-15 by himself through the end of the game.

The rest of the Celtics added 14 points, and when Atlanta lost forward Josh Smith to a left knee injury in the fourth quarter, that left the Hawks without their top four big men. Boston smothered Atlanta in the final quarter when the Hawks shot just 4-for-19 and the Celtics blocked three shots.

With Rondo suspended for bumping official Marc Davis in Game 1, and Allen still shelved by a problematic right ankle, the Celtics slid Avery Bradley from shooting guard to the point, and he responded with 14 points, three assists, three steals and three blocked shots against one turnover.

Mickael Pietrus opened at the other guard spot, and although he was scoreless his work was central -- chiefly with that of Pierce -- in limiting Johnson to just four shots over the final 15:08. Johnson made one.

Though the Celtics lagged the NBA in rebounding in the regular season, they won the battle of the boards 45-40 as Pierce led in that category, too, and Kevin Garnett pitched in 12 to go with 15 points.

Smith had 16 points, 12 rebounds and five assists for the Hawks, but no other Atlanta player had more than six rebounds (Marvin Williams, off the bench).

When Smith left for good with 4:20 after spraining his knee a little earlier, the Hawks trailed just 74-72. Atlanta officials referred to his injury as a sprained knee, and coach Larry Drew said no more will be known until, "his tests."

The Hawks had very little interior presence from there. Centers Al Horford and Zaza Pachulia were injured and in street clothes, and starting center Jason Collins -- who barely played during the regular season -- had fouled out with 8:25 left in the game.

So Drew went small down the stretch with rookie forward Ivan Johnson and four guards -- Johnson, Jeff Teague, Kirk Hinrich and Willie Green.

Soon after Smith subbed out for good, Pietrus picked off a poor Johnson pass, and Pierce --who had given Boston its first lead since early in the game with a short jumper (72-70) with 6:30 left in the game -- finished off a fastbreak with a dunk for a 76-72 lead with 3:59 remaining.

Atlanta was only briefly within four points after that. Johnson made one of two free throws with 1:35 on the clock to cut the deficit to 81-78 and finish with 22 points.

But Garnett, Pierce and Avery Bradley each made a pair of free throws from there and the Hawks mustered only a late jumper by Green.

QUOTABLE: "The only way we were going to win a game like that without Ray and Rondo was if Paul had a game like this."
-- Celtics coach Doc Rivers

QUOTABLE II: "These types of moments is what being a professional is all about. When you play defense like that, you give yourself a chance. Every game we've played [the Hawks] this year has been awfully close so we'll just have to take things one game at a time when we get back home."
-- Pierce.

STAT: 8-0/16-6: These were Boston's edges in fastbreak points in the fourth quarter and in the second half. Beyond rebounding, which is usually an Achilles' heel for the Celtics, and the obvious importance of Boston's defense, the visitors beat the Hawks at their own game.

QUOTABLE III: "We wanted to get out and run tonight, and try to speed up the game, but we ended up getting into more of a half-court game and playing against set defense. In the fourth quarter, they just kept pushing us out further and further off out sweet spots."
-- Drew

TURNING POINT: Trailing 65-54 after Johnson's aforementioned trey with 3:08 left in the third quarter, the Celtics went on a 12-1 run over the remnants of the period and the first 3:11 of the fourth to tie the game at 66 as Atlanta missed nine straight shots and had a shot clock violation.

HOT: Pierce came out smoking. Garnett won the opening tip, and Pierce went straight to the basket with it to score. He scored Boston's next two baskets as well, the third being the front end of an and-one. He scored 13 points in the first quarter on 5-for-9 shooting, and 13 points in the fourth quarter on 5-for-7 shooting. In each of those periods, he had had four rebounds as well. . . . By one view, the Celtics were fairly dreadful in the third quarter, making just 4-of-15 shots with four turnovers. But they out-rebounded the Hawks 15-11 and more importantly Keyon Dooling made two 3-points shots -- Boston's first of the series -- and the C's went 10-for-12 at the free-throw line. . . . Pierce added the Celtics' third trey of the night (and his only make in 11 tries in the series) with 3:30 left in the game for a 79-72 Boston lead. He made 12-of-26 shots, and 11-of-13 free throws.

NOT: Pierce had game highs in points, rebounds, free throws attempted and made and . . . turnovers (eight). That was a function of him handling the ball so much more with Rondo out. . . . Marvin Williams made just 1-of-6 shots, and after finishing the season fairly strong off the Atlanta bench, he's made just 2-of-11 shots (18.2 percent) in the series. The former starter is averaging 2.5 points per game, or less than Ivan Johnson (5.0), Collins (4.0) and Tracy McGrady (3.5). . . . Boston has made just 3-of-25 3-pointers in two games. . . . Fellow sub Green has scored just two points in each game so far. . . . Pietrus has missed all five of his shots in the series.

IN THE ARENA: Recording The Dream and T.I. were courtside.

NOTABLE: Hawks officials are hopeful that Pachulia (sprained left foot) might be able to play by Game 5, next Tuesday in Atlanta. ... Vladimir Radmanovic has not played in the series, but given Marvin Williams' work so far may see action in Boston.

UP NEXT: For both teams, Friday @ Boston, Sunday @ Boston, Tuesday @ Atlanta (if necessary).

• Celtics: Allen, Johnson
• Hawks: Horford, Pachulia

• Celtics: --
• Hawks: --

• Lead Changes: 8
• Times Tied: 11

• Arena: Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA
• Officials: #48 Scott Foster, #14 Ed Malloy, #31 Scott Wall
• Attendance: 19308
• Duration: 2:30