Celtics-Hawks Preview

By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO
Posted Jan 25 2013 1:56AM

A poor third quarter doomed the Atlanta Hawks against the Boston Celtics at home earlier this month.

The Celtics wouldn't mind a repeat performance in order to avoid their longest slide in nearly six years.

The Hawks may have a key contributor back as they look for a more complete effort in another meeting with the Celtics on Friday night.

Atlanta (24-18) was eliminated in six games by Boston (20-22) in a first-round series in last season's playoffs, and the club fell 89-81 in the first meeting since on Jan. 5. The Hawks had their 15-point halftime lead vanish while being outscored 33-9 and making 2 of 14 from the floor in the third quarter.

"The one thing they did was increase the pressure in the second half, which we didn't handle very well," coach Larry Drew said. "We came out and played a really solid first half of basketball and didn't respond to the pressure. We took a lot of ill-advised shots. We did not get into our offense.

"It's not just with Boston, but it's with every team we play. We have to come out ready in the third quarter, and we have to be ready to deliver the first blow."

Atlanta has looked capable of that recently, winning 104-92 at Charlotte on Wednesday, two days after a 104-96 victory over Minnesota. The Hawks had dropped eight of 10 prior to that, including the defeat to the Celtics.

For Boston, that visit to Atlanta was part of a season-high six-game winning streak, but the club has followed that by losing five in a row. The Celtics haven't dealt with a longer slide since dropping seven straight from April 4-15, 2007.

They got closer to that dubious mark Thursday, falling 89-86 at home to Atlantic Division-leading New York. Boston has won five straight division titles, but trails second-place Brooklyn by six games while sitting seven back of the Knicks.

"We're two games under .500," Paul Pierce said. "There's still a lot of season left so we believe we can climb back in this division race."

Pierce had 22 points Thursday after averaging 11.8 on 31.0 percent shooting in the first four games of the skid. The Celtics are 10-18 when he scores 22 or less compared to going 10-4 when he gets at least 23.

Pierce had 26 points and nine rebounds in the latest meeting with the Hawks after averaging 21.2 against them in the playoffs.

Rajon Rondo is coming off his league-leading fourth triple-double, getting 23 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. One of his others came at Atlanta, where he managed 14 points, 11 boards and 10 assists.

The Hawks may have Al Horford back after missing two of four games with hamstring tightness. The big man is second on the team with 15.6 points per game, while leading with 9.8 rebounds.

He routinely struggles offensively against Boston, averaging 10.9 points in 15 career regular-season meetings. In the matchup three weeks ago, he went 2 of 8 from the field to finish with six points.

Leading scorer Josh Smith wasn't much better, getting 12 points with 10 rebounds while missing 14 of 18 attempts from the floor. However, he was terrific Wednesday, pouring in 30 points while connecting on 15 of 24 field goals after averaging 12.6 over the previous five games.

Korver has 27 as Hawks top Celtics 123-111 in 2 OT

By CHARLES ODUM
Posted Jan 25 2013 11:49PM

ATLANTA (AP) Kyle Korver said the Hawks owed the Celtics a big comeback.

This one was really big.

Korver scored 27 points, most on 3-pointers, and Atlanta overcame a 27-point deficit in the first half to beat Boston 123-111 in double-overtime on Friday night, handing the Celtics their sixth straight loss.

Boston's biggest lead came in the second quarter. Korver remembered the Hawks led by 19 points, also in the second period, before the Celtics rallied for an 89-81 win in Atlanta on Jan. 5.

"We had a good example of how to come back from what they did to us the last time," Korver said.

Jeff Teague had 23 points for Atlanta before fouling out in the first overtime. Al Horford had 24 points - including seven in the second overtime - and 13 rebounds. Josh Smith, who opened the second overtime with a three-point play, had 17 points and 14 rebounds.

The Celtics (20-23) fell three games under .500.

"It's definitely a tough pill to swallow," said Paul Pierce. "We've got to have some sort of discipline. That's the key word for us. It is cause for concern. We've got to come in with the mindset to play for 48 minutes."

Kevin Garnett had 24 points and 10 rebounds but fouled out in the second overtime as the Celtics were left with their longest losing streak in six years.

Rajon Rondo had 16 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds for his fifth triple-double of the season.

"We had a chance to put this game away, man. We didn't do that," Garnett said. "We gave a team life. You can't do that.

"Korver came out, obviously got hot, and we couldn't turn it off."

Korver had all of his career-high eight 3-pointers in the second half, setting a franchise record, and five in the fourth quarter.

"When you make some shots, all of a sudden you get better screens and you get better passes," Korver said.

Korver's eighth 3, with 2:26 remaining in regulation, cut Boston's lead to 98-96. Horford's two free throws with 1 minute remaining tied the game at 98-all to set up the first overtime.

With the game tied at 105-all in the first overtime, Courtney Lee's steal from Horford set up Lee's two free throws to give Boston the lead, but Smith tied the game with a jam.

Pierce, who had 12 points, missed a jumper at the end of the first overtime.

"It seems we let our foot up off the gas," Rondo said. "We have to stay positive and continue to move forward and try to dig our way out of this hole."

The Hawks outscored the Celtics 16-4 in the second overtime.

Jeff Green had 17 points for Boston. Courtney Lee had 16 points and Avery Bradley had 14.

Boston appeared headed for a rout when it led 48-21 in the second quarter.

"The most important part is how we didn't lay down in the second half," Smith said.

"We didn't get discouraged. We came out in the second half and played outstanding. ... We applied a little pressure and took the fight to them in the second half."

Atlanta trailed 57-38 at halftime following a modest recovery.

The Hawks' comeback gained strength as they outscored the Celtics 21-2 to open the second half, including a 19-0 run for a 59-all tie. Korver had three 3-pointers in the run.

The comeback was Atlanta's biggest since at least the 2000-01 season, according to STATS LLC.

"This is probably one of the most amazing comebacks I've been associated with," said Hawks coach Larry Drew, who said he was including his years as a player and a coach.

It was Atlanta's third straight win following four losses in five games.

"This was a very gutsy win for us," Drew said. "It shows what we're made of. It shows we have the ability to persevere."

The Hawks led 80-77 after Korver's fifth 3-pointer, but the Celtics regained the lead on back-to-back baskets by Pierce and Courtney Lee.

Horford started after missing one game with a sore left calf, and Devin Harris had 14 points in a backup role after missing two games with a sprained left ankle.

NOTES: Milwaukee also rallied from 27 points this season to beat Chicago 93-92 on Nov. 23, 2012. ... The Celtics' last six-game losing streak was April 4-15, 2007 ... The 10 points were a season low for first-quarter points for the Hawks. ... Korver extended his streak of games with at least one 3-pointer to 37, the longest of career and longest active streak in the NBA. ... Hawks C Zaza Pachulia returned after missing one game with a sore right Achilles.

Notebook: Hawks 123, Celtics 111

Matt Winkeljohn, for NBA.com
Posted Sat Jan 26, 2013 12:07 AM - Updated Sat Jan 26, 2013 12:07 AM

THE FACTS: Kyle Korver scored a season-high 27 points Friday on a career-high eight 3-pointers as the Hawks rallied from a disastrous start for a 123-111 double-overtime win over the visiting Celtics.

Boston led by 27 points in the second quarter, but the Celtics suffered their sixth straight loss after Atlanta overcame the biggest halftime deficit (19 points, 57-38) for a home win in franchise history. The Celts led 29-10 after one quarter.

All of Korver's treys came in the second half, a franchise record, as Atlanta flipped the script of three weeks ago. The Hawks (25-18) led Boston 53-38 at halftime on Jan. 5 in Philips Arena only to lose as the Celtics (20-23) outscored them 33-9 in the third quarter to win 89-81.

Atlanta's Jeff Teague scored 23 points and Al Horford (24 points, 13 rebounds) and Josh Smith (17, 14) added double-doubles for the Hawks, who have won three straight after losing eight of 10.

Rajon Rondo had a triple-double (16 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds) for the second straight night for Boston, and Kevin Garnett had 24 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out in the second overtime.

The Hawks trailed 94-84 with 4:44 left in regulation before putting together a 14-4 run as Korver took 3-pointers on four straight Atlanta possessions and made three.

QUOTABLE: "It was a good one; that's for sure. We had a good example of how to come back from what they did to us last time. . . . When the ones that don't feel good still go in, it's nice."
-- Korver.

QUOTABLE II: "This is probably, I'm trying to think as a coach and as a player, one of the most amazing comebacks I've been associated with. I told the guys at halftime I wasn't going to . . . rant and rave or throw out numbers from the stat sheet because I thought it was more than that. I wanted my guys to have fun, and be smiling, and be chest bumping, and high-fiving and that's what I told them."
-- Hawks coach Larry Drew.

THE STAT: 20-4: The Hawks combined to outscore the Celtics 20-4 in the paint in the critical third quarter (12-2) and second overtime (8-2). Atlanta also outscored Boston 17-0 in third quarter fast-break points.

TURNING POINT: The Hawks started the second half on a 21-2 run to tie the game. In that 5:44, the Celtics missed six straight shots, they had five turnovers (Teague had three steals and Devin Harris one) and they were out-rebounded 7-2.

QUOTABLE III: "We play well in stretches, but then we start breaking rules that you shouldn't break in middle school. It was a joke . . . We get a big lead, and we start thinking we're the 2008 [NBA championship] team. We're not, and we haven't earned that right."
-- Celtics coach Doc Rivers.

HOT: Korver was 3-for-5 on 3-pointers in the third quarter, and 5-for-6 in the fourth for 15 points. He was scoreless in the overtimes after scoring 24 in the second half. He has made at least one trey in 37 straight games, the longest active streak in the NBA and five short of the franchise record (Mookie Blaylock, 42). . . . Teague was 5-for-5 in the second quarter for 14 points.

NOT: In the first quarter, the Hawks missed 18 of their final 20 shots and were 4-for-23 overall. . . . Boston's Paul Pierce scored 12 points in 40 minutes on 4-for-13 shooting. He had five turnovers, and missed all five of his trey tries. Josh Smith blocked his potential game-winning jumper in the lane at the end of the first overtime.

GOOD MOVE: Drew started the second half smaller by subbing out starting center Ivan Johnson, moving Horford there from power forward, moving Smith to power forward, Korver from shooting guard to small forward and putting sub Harris in at shooting guard. Atlanta went on a 21-2 run.

NOTABLE: The Celtics made all 20 of their free throws, but did not go to the line in the second overtime. . . . Horford shot 10-for-11 from the free throw line to tie his career high for freebies made in a game. . . . Korver's previous career high was seven 3-pointers made Nov. 11, 2004 against the Pacers when he played for the 76ers. . . . Atlanta reserve center Zaza Pachulia (sore right Achilles' tendon) did not play for the second straight game.

UP NEXT: For the Celtics, Sunday vs. Miami, Wednesday vs. Sacramento, Friday vs. Orlando. For the Hawks, Sunday @ New York, Wednesday vs. Toronto, Saturday vs. Chicago.

• Celtics: Melo
• Hawks: Morrow, Williams

• Celtics: --
• Hawks: Smith

• Lead Changes: 6
• Times Tied: 11

• Arena: Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA
• Officials: #41 Ken Mauer, #6 Tony Brown, #75 Eric Dalen
• Attendance: 15595
• Duration: 2:43