Atlanta Hawks Close Out Celtics In Convincing Fashion, Move On To Second Round

The Atlanta Hawks beat the Celtics in convincing fashion Thursday, defeating Boston 104-92 and earning the right to move on to the second round to face the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Atlanta Hawks had not won a playoff game in Boston since 1988, and exorcised some playoff demons by beating the Celtics for the first time in a playoff series since the team moved to Atlanta in 1958. Even though the Boston Celtics went on a late game run, the Hawks showed that they were clearly the better team over the course of Games 5 and 6.

Atlanta held an eight-point lead at the half with the score at 41-33 in favor of the visitors; but they really pulled away in the third quarter, torching the Celtics for 39 points in the period. Boston looked completely outmatched in the third, while an efficient Hawks offense allowed them to get out to what was a 26-point lead at one point.

The game was not over though, as the Celtics cut the Atlanta Hawks’ lead to 10 points late in the fourth quarter; but by that point it was too little, too late for Boston. Atlanta’s suffocating defense did not give Isaiah Thomas and the Celtics much room to work with throughout the night. A hobbled Thomas still finished the night with 25 points, but the rest of the team did not provide him with much support on the offensive end.

Paul Millsap once again did it all for Atlanta, leading the team in scoring with 17 points while also recording eight rebounds, two assists, one steal and four blocks. In fact, the Hawks recorded 12 blocks in Game 6 — an impressive number considering their lack of size in the frontcourt.

Al Horford finally broke out of an offensive slump on Thursday night, scoring 15 points for the Hawks. Kent Bazemore continued his excellent performance in the playoffs, scoring 15 points while also sinking two treys.

After a dismal 1-for-10 shooting performance in Game 1 against Boston, Kyle Korver finished what turned out to be an excellent series for the Hawks sharpshooter. In Game 6, Korver scored 14 points, going 2-for-2 from beyond the arc and 4-for-4 from the field.

Mike Conti from the Hawks’ radio network explained how good Korver was against the Celtics despite a poor showing in Game 1:

Korver must carry this good play into the next round against the Cleveland Cavaliers. His performance in the first round demonstrates his importance to the Hawks offense and how good they can be when he is making his shots.

More from Hoops Habit

• 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
• Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
• Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
• Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout
• NBA Trades: The Lakers bolster their frontcourt in this deal with the Pacers

Credit must be given to coach Brad Stevens and the rest of the Celtics, who overcame the loss of Avery Bradley and gave the Hawks all they could handle. Boston’s “never say die” mentality meant that no lead was ever safe for the Hawks, no matter how large.

Marcus Smart played well for Boston, leading the Celtics to a Game 4 victory after being down by 16 points. The future is bright for the Celtics; and they showed that they have the makings of a perennial Eastern Conference playoff team.

Despite the series going to six games, the Hawks played better in this series than they did at any point during last year’s postseason. Their defense was excellent, while their offense improved as the series wore on.

Next: San Antonio Spurs: 5 Keys To Beating Thunder

If the Hawks have a chance in the next round against Cleveland, they must continue to play excellent defense and make their shots on offense. Beating the Cavs will be a tough task, but the Celtics gave the Hawks the test they needed before facing the top seed in the East.