The Atlanta Hawks blew away the Boston Celtics to close
out the 6 game series with a 104-92 win. The Hawks had another
massive run in in the third quarter that gave them enough cushion
to withstand the Celtics' big fourth quarter comeback from a
BOSTON – With health out the window and shooting nowhere to be
found, the Celtics
needed to outwork and outsmart the Hawks for 48
minutes in Game 6. They didn’t come close.
The Celtics suffered a slow death in the Hawks’ vice grip as
their season ended with another blowout loss.
No matter who Stevens threw out there with Isaiah
Thomas, the Hawks swarmed and suffocated each possession during
Horford was perfect in every which way, shooting 7-for-8 from
the field and finished with 15 points and a +25 differential in 25
minutes. Every second Horford was on the floor, the Hawks’
The Hawks had yet another third quarter blitzkrieg, scoring 39
points after starting the half with a 14-5 run. Every time the
Celtics fought back, the Hawks raced the lead back up to 20.
The Hawks’ lead ballooned to 28 in the early fourth quarter
after a Dennis
Schroder cutting layup. But Jae
Crowder responded with a three on the other end and kickstarted
a 22-6 run until he fouled out. With three minutes left.
But with such a big deficit, they needed to be perfect. The
Hawks kept getting to open weak side shooters, but couldn’t close
it out somehow. The Hawks’ phenomenal execution never waned, but
the shots that gave them the lead were no longer falling.
It all ended when Isaiah Thomas hit a floating finger roll to
make it a 10 point game. The Hawks responded with a stampeding fast
break that ended with a Paul
Millsap three-point play to put it to bed. The Hawks began
fouling intentionally as the Celtics wasted away at the free throw
Despite Tyler Zeller's surprise contributions on both ends
during the fourth quarter comeback, the massive gulf between the
two teams did not leave wiggle room for any misses or fouls. The
Celtics got close to single-digits, but committed an unfortunate
foul or missed a crucial shot whenever the door looked ajar.
What was an even matchup at the outset of the series could never
be fair game with Avery
Bradley and Kelly
Olynyk unavailable – or in Olynyk’s case unusable – while Jae
Crowder played hurt and Jared
Sullinger played in cement shoes.
Yet it was the Celtics’ struggles to withstand the Hawk’s tidal
wave runs that did them in. The Celtics were an unstoppable force
trying to pick apart the Hawks' well-lubricated machine. But with
bodies down and inferior skill, the Celtics will have to return
next year with a better army built around Thomas.
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