Celts down Hawks: Boston 99- Atlanta 94

[Bill Cooper <wfcooper@tiac.net>]

     A sure win?  Not so sure that the Celts didn't need an 11-0 run
to pull out the win.  That, and a strong game by Antoine Walker (34
points) were necessary to beat a club that's about 3 players away from
being in the CBA. 

	Both teams seemd a bit disoriented starting out the contest.
They combined to turn the ball over on 5 out of the first 12
possessions.  The Celts got yet more outside shooting from Kenny
Anderson (10 first quarter points) to keep them in the game.  Pierce
picked up some early fouls and had to go out of the game after 5:00.
Williams and Barros came into the game, and for one of the few times
in recent games were not very effective.  Because of that the Hawks
closed on a 8-0 run, to take a 25-18 lead.

	The Celts got some nice work from Danny Fortson at the start
of the second, as they were able to take back the lead on the strength
of a 10-2 run.  The C's got the lead up to 35-31, before the Hawks
came storming back with a 12-0 run to take the lead 43-35.  The Hawks
held a 49-44 lead at the end of the first half.

	The Celts came out fast at the start of the third and took a
lead at 57-55.  Walker, who had started the game somewhat slowly began
to heat up, and the Celts were able to push out to a 70-64 lead a
couple of minutes before the end of the quarter.  Toine capped off a
big third quarter with a tip in as the buzzer sounded to give the C's
a 72-68 lead heading to the 4th.

	The Celts held onto the lead for the first 5 minutes or so of
the 4th quarter.  In the middle of the period, though, the Hawks were
able to put together a 10-2 run (much of it from the foul line), and
take the lead at 87-83. With about 4:00 to go, Cheaney picked a pass
off, and went the length of the court to pull the Celts to within 2
(87-85).  On the next Celts possession, Kenny hit a 3 to get the Celts
to within 1 at 89-88.  On the next possession he fouled (he might have
grazed the forearm, after the ball was gone) Drew Barry (who played
the entire 4th quarter at the point for the Hawks) attempting a three.
Barry (of course) hit all 3 free throws, and after a Jackson hoop, the
Hawks were up 94-88, with 2:54 to go.  Pierce started the Celts back
with a conventional 3 point play (94-91), and then harassed Jackson
into a turnover, fed Anderson, who drove in for the score (94-93:
1:47).  On the next play Anderson picked Barry's pocket.  Mutumbo
fouled Walker, who actually hit 1 of 2 free throws (tied the game at
94).  After a Barry offensive foul (setting a pick), Kenny drove the
ball, and then pitched to Pierce on the win.  Pierce drove in about 4
feet, and then hit Walker in the corner.  Toine went up smoothly and
ripped his only 3 point attempt of the game to put the Celts up 97-94
(24.8 left).  Jackson missed the tying 3, and Anderson frosted the
cake with pair of free throws.  Final: Celts 99-Hawks 94.

	The field goal percentages were very even.  The Celts did some
damage with the press (using it selectively) and caused 21 turnovers
(and had just 13 themselves).  That, and being 7-10 on threes helped
make up for going to the free throw line 11 fewer times.  Walker and
Anderson were the only C's in double figures, combining for 58.

Lineups:
Celts: Anderson, Cheaney, Pierce, Walker, Potapenko
Hawks: Terry, Jackson, Ellis, Henderson, Mutumbo

Players:
Walker: other than that last minute 3, nearly all of his shots were
within 8 feet of the basket.  In the second half, he did a nice job of
gauging Mutumbo, and taking his shots just far enough outside not to
get blocked, but inside his range.  He shot 14-23 (5-6 on free
throws), had 34 points, 8 boards and 6 assists (1 turnover, just
outstanding for that amount of production).  Actually Alan Henderson
was playing pretty well against him in the first half, but he lost his
cool in the third quarter, and I don't believe played in the 4th.

Anderson: the deluge continues.  8-12 and 3-5 on threes.  I wonder if
Kenny has had a hotter streak shooting the ball in his career.  He had
24 points, 3 (!) assists and 3 steals in 30 minutes.

Pierce: missed big chunks of the game with foul trouble, and scored
just 9 points in 29 minutes.  He found other ways to contribute and
had 7 assists and 4 steals.   7 of his points came in the last 6
minutes of the game.

Fortson: (well I guess I have to mention the other guys, though no one
else played very well).  Danny did have 9 boards in 22 minutes, but
shot the ball at a 2-7 clip (all of the Celts inside players were
rushing shots because of Mutumbo).  

Barros: shot 2-7 and had 5 points and 3 assists in 18 minutes.  Also 3
turnovers.

Williams: 2-7 also (something in the air) for 7 points in 19 minutes.

Potapenko: Vitaly continues to slump dreadfully.  0 points, 0-2
shooting and 1 board in 11 minutes.  Kind of ruining a pretty decent
year, here at the end.

Battie: 2-6! 4 points and 2 boards in 22 minutes.

Cheaney: 2-5 and 5 points in 28 minutes.

Griffin-McCarty: both got into the game.

The Celts have broken the 30 win barrier.  31-46 now.  They host
Orlando on Wednesday.

Bill Cooper
wfcooper@tiac.net