Hawks Must Protect Their Home Court Against Celtics
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The first round of the NBA Playoffs has been exciting to witness through the first week. Well, at least not so much for Atlanta Hawks fans. It’s been a very frustrating two games for the Hawks as they are looking to overpower the Boston Celtics in a seven-game series. However, as the series shifts to Atlanta for games three and four, they have a chance to turn things around and change the narrative.
It’s safe to say that Game 1 was an embarrassing showing from Atlanta. After shutting down the noise in their play-in matchup against the Miami Heat, the team came out flat and displayed a poor defensive showing in the first half. Plus, it was a poor performance from Trae Young, who only scored 16 points on 5-18 shooting.
Give credit to the Celtics defensively by rotating and taking away the three-point shot for the Hawks, as they shot 5/29 in game one. While Game 1 was an embarrassing showing, the Hawks showed more of a fight in Game 2.
The Hawks got out to a hot start in Game 2. They were locked in on the offensive end while shooting the ball at a high clip. The beauty of their offense was the shooting of Dejounte Murray in the contest. Normally a 34 percent shooter from three, Murray made 7 of 13 threes and led the way with 29 points for Atlanta. Overall, the Hawks shot 33 percent from three, which is a better percentage compared to Game 1.
While the Hawks got off to a hot start, the Celtics made their way back into the contest. One of the biggest reasons was their ability to score inside. Overall, Boston scored 64 points in the paint, establishing themselves inside with dump-offs and attacking the driving lanes. As they continued momentum, the Celtics once again blew the game open, and the Hawks didn’t have an answer for them defensively as the contest progressed.
Jayson Tatum drives to the rim.
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Unfortunately, this is a do-or-die game for the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night. Everything is on the line for the team, and they want to make this a competitive series. Despite losing momentum at the end of Game 2, I love the energy the Hawks came out with. They were motivated and played team basketball. That’s what’s going to be the key in order to get a win at home.
The supporting cast will have to step up significantly in Game 3 for the team to have a chance. John Collins must have a stronger performance following his 2-11 shooting in Game 2. Plus, DeAndre Hunter must figure out a way to stay in front of Jayson Tatum and limit his offensive production.
While playoff teams shorten their rotation, it would be great to see a player like AJ Griffin receive some playing time in this series. Griffin is a role player who can produce offensively while being disruptive on defense with his size. Using different lineups and rotations is an adjustment Head Coach Quin Snyder will have to continue to make in order to get their first win of the series.
Despite facing a 2-0 deficit, the Hawks can turn things around with a win in Game 3. The State Farm Arena will be rocking as the fans look to provide energy for their team to come out on top. For a win, the Hawks must approach this contest the same as they did against the Heat during the Play-In Tournament. The team must have an all-around performance from each player as they look to produce in different ways.
