Tag: 2023 nba playoffs first round

Marcus Smart ‘not really sure where we’re at’ with his health after hard fall in Hawks loss

The Celtics star opened up about his injury after a hard fall in Friday’s loss to Atlanta.

Late in the Boston Celtics‘ Game 3 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, veteran Celtics floor general Marcus Smart found himself taking a hard fall in the midst of a scrum for a loose ball. He fell on his posterior hard, sucking the air out of most Boston fans’ lungs until Smart got back up.

The injury to his tailbone may have been more than a passing scrape, however. The Flower Mound native shared he’s still feeling the fall.

“I’m OK,” he explained to the media on Saturday morning via CLNS Media. “I’m a little sore, obviously.”

“(I’ve been) rewatching the play, and I took a hard fall,” he added. “I didn’t realize how high I was, but I’m OK, relatively speaking. I’m a little sore today, we’ll see how I feel tomorrow, though — I’m not really sure where we’re at right now; we’re playing, but we’ll see.”

As far as treatment, Smart said soft tissue was the focus. “I’m just trying to control the muscle spasms,” he explained. “You don’t really try to do too much because of the trauma that’s already there, just let it heal on its own.”

“For the most part, I’m OK,” finished the Oklahoma alum. “It’s better than I expected it to be this morning, so that’s a good sign.”

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Celtics Lab 183: Sizing up the Hawks series after an Atlanta win with Nick Gelso

Have the Hawks found the formula to beat the Celtics, or was this simply a desperate team getting over on a ball club that dropped its guard just enough to be mortal after building a 2-0 series lead?

The saying goes that you do not have a series in the NBA playoffs until a team wins a game on the road. Despite the fact the Boston Celtics dominated Games 1 and 2 at home, the Atlanta Hawks showed signs of life on their own court, winning Game 3 convincingly.

Have the Hawks found the formula to beat the Celtics, or was this simply a desperate team getting over on a ball club that dropped its guard just enough to be mortal after building a 2-0 series lead? Could Atlanta win another at home and draw the series out to six or even seven games?

What needs to change for a Boston series win, if anything? What went wrong in State Farm Arena on Friday night? And how is Boston’s path to the finals looking in light of everything else happening around the league?

The hosts of the CLNS Media “Celtics Lab” podcast (powered by Fan Duel and BetterHelp) got together with the founder of the CLNS Media Network Nick Gelso to talk it over, as well as get caught up on news in the league more generally.

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Celtics can’t keep pace with Hawks, Boston falls 130-122 in Game 3

Atlanta blitzed Boston Friday night, as the Celtics couldn’t keep up with the frenetic Hawks in Game 3.

The Boston Celtics couldn’t keep up with the Atlanta Hawks Friday night, losing Game 3 of the opening round 130-122. With strong performances by Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart, Boston ran neck and neck with Atlanta all evening long, but in the end, the Hawks were just a little bit better.

Atlanta set the tempo early, specifically by pushing the pace and keeping Boston out of rhythm. The Hawks really pressured the rim, challenging the Celtics to play much of the game on their heels. This high-octane gamble by the home team paid off, and despite 18 Atlanta turnovers, Boston couldn’t fully assert control.

Trae Young scored 15 in the fourth period alone, ending the game with 32 points, 6 rebounds, and 9 assists. Across the board, the Hawks were aggressive, dictating the terms of engagement well into the fourth. Boston had a few valiant possessions down the stretch, but Young and the Hawks always had an answer. Here’s what you may have missed from a 130-122 Game 3 Celtics loss.

Boston at Atlanta, Game 3: Celtics can’t hold off fiery Hawks, lose 130-122

Let’s take a look at some of the best plays captured in images from the Celtics’ Game 3 at the Hawks in the first round of the ’23 playoffs.

The Boston Celtics knew they would be in for a contest with a little extra kick in the Atlanta Hawks’ home court of State Farm Arena as the series shifted away from TD Garden, and they certainly weren’t disappointed in Game 3 of their first-round Eastern Conference Playoffs series.

The Hawks came out firing and connected on a night when the Celtics were not, and home court with a dash of desperation brought Atlanta to trail 2-1 in the series to Boston with a 130-122 win. A big outing from Jayson Tatum (29 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals) highlighted the Celtics’ effort.

Solid games from Marcus Smart (24 points, 8 assists, and 3 steals), Malcolm Brogdon (17 points, and 5 assists), Jaylen Brown (15 points, and 3 steals), and Grant Williams (14 points) were nearly enough to get the team into the win column.

Game 4 is Sunday evening in Atlanta at 7 p.m. ET.

Let’s take a look at some of the best plays captured in images from the Celtics’ Game 3 at the Hawks in the first round of the ’23 playoffs.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Celtics’ Joe Mazzulla points to Boston’s depth, versatility in Atlanta Hawks series

For fans of the Boston Celtics, seeing the ball club embrace a small ball identity while retaining the capacity to go double big has been a nice bonus.

For fans of the Boston Celtics, seeing the club embrace a small ball identity while retaining the capacity to go double big with both of Boston’s best frontcourt players, Al Horford and Robert Williams III, in their first-round series with the Atlanta Hawks has been a nice bonus.

In a series that has not seen all that much resistance from the Hawks, we have gotten a look at some of what the team is capable of that we may see more of in future rounds of the 2023 NBA Eastern Conference postseason when the Celtics find themselves likely facing the Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks.

Head coach Joe Mazzulla has also taken note of this development and spoke about it at length in a recent media availability session.

The folks over at NESN recently took a look at Mazzulla’s comments about Boston’s growing versatility on the court; tune into the clip embedded above to hear what they had to say.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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How the Boston Celtics are containing the Atlanta Hawks’ Trae Young

As pretty much everyone but irrational Atlanta Hawks fans have predicted, the Boston Celtics are dominating the first round series between the two teams.

As pretty much everyone but irrational Atlanta Hawks fans have predicted, the Boston Celtics are dominating the first-round series between the teams in the 2023 NBA Eastern Conference playoffs.

Much of the Celtics’ success so far has come at the expense of Hawks star point guard Trae Young, whom Boston has targeted relentlessly when it needs to put points on the board.

How are the Celtics shutting off Young’s ability to score on the other end? What is the scheme for using the Atlanta floor general’s size and defensive deficiencies against him? And is there any chance the Hawks can make a series of this matchup?

The folks over at the B-Ball Breakdown recently put together a clip explaining all of the above and more.

Tune into the video embedded above to see just how Boston is crushing their first round opponent so far.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Boston Celtics at Atlanta Hawks: How to watch, broadcast, lineups (Game 3)

The Celtics look to take a commanding 3-0 series lead on the road, while the Hawks hope to leverage home court in order to make a series of things.

The Boston Celtics make the trip to Georgia’s State Farm Arena to play the Atlanta Hawks on their own home court as the series shifts away from TD Garden for two games. The Celtics look to take a commanding 3-0 series lead on the road, while the Hawks hope to leverage home court to make a series of it.

If you happen to be looking for a way to watch the on-court action live on cable television or a local or national online streaming service, keep reading while we get you up to speed on everything else you need to know about the game.

Let’s begin with the players available to play.

A series in two chants: How TD Garden fan reactions reflect Derrick White’s rise

And for that matter, why heliocentric rosters are a gamble.

The Boston Celtics‘ 119-106 win over the Atlanta Hawks in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals’ first round was in some ways a tale told by two very distinct reactions by the crowd at TD Garden.

The Hawks have struggled to find their groove on the offensive end of the court on a team with the roster primarily geared towards playing a style of ball that emphasizes the offense of their one true star player in Trae Young. That opens the ball club up to weaknesses on the defensive end of the court vs. teams like the Celtics who have multiple stars and a strong supporting cast able to exploit said weaknesses.

Boston’s Derrick White being a proverbial thorn in the side of the Hawks in this series while Atlanta struggles to keep Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown contained is perhaps the most salient example we’ve seen in the series so far.

Jaylen Brown on Celtics’ play vs. Hawks, Derrick White’s impact, and how his hand feels

“I think that we took a good shot from Atlanta, and I think that we executed down the stretch,” said Brown.

The Atlanta Hawks played like a desperate team on Tuesday in their Game 2 loss to the Boston Celtics, and their opponents took note.

“I think that we took a good shot from Atlanta, and I think that we executed down the stretch,” said star forward Jaylen Brown postgame via CLNS Media.

That shot ultimately did not amount to much. The Hawks jumped to an early lead, but the Celtics responding, methodically imposing their will on a less talented club.

“I think that we’re playing the game the right way, and that’s what it’s going to take,” added Brown to that effect, the boost the team got from guard Derrick White in particular adding a new layer to the devastation Boston can direct at an opponent.

“That’s the beauty of being on a great team,” explained Brown. “To be able to have multiple threats out there, to be able to play the game in different ways, and win in different ways — tonight was an example of that.”

“D-White just exploded,” explained the former Cal standout. “On any given night, it could be anybody, so we’ve got to encourage that. I tell D-White all the time to be aggressive, to be confident.”

Asked about his hand that appeared to bother him at various points in the game, Brown replied that his hand is “doing good — it’s getting better each and every day.”

Not unlike this Celtics ball club writ large, it seems.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Atlanta at Boston, Game 2: Celtics outlast fiesty Hawks 119-106

Let’s take a look at some of the best plays captured in images from the Celtics’ Game 2 vs. the Hawks in the first round of the ’23 playoffs.

The Atlanta Hawks needed to clamp down on defense and let it fly from deep to have a chance against the Boston Celtics in Game 2 of their first round series of the 2023 Eastern Conference Playoffs. And for much of the first quarter, they did — until the Celtics found their footing late in the frame, that is. Despite shooting far less than league average from 3 early, Boston locked up the Hawks on one end and took it to the rack on the other, slowly digging out of the 11-point hole Atlanta put them in to lead by as much as 20.

The Celtics started the third quarter better than they typically have, but Atlanta made their shots while Boston got just a tad careless and let the Hawks cut the lead to single digits going into the final frame.

The Hawks threatened to get within striking distance several times, but the Celtics came alive again late to put the game away 119-106.

Massive games from Jayson Tatum (29 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists) and Derrick White (26 points, 7 boards) secured the win with solid support from Jaylen Brown (18 points, 3 steals), Marcus Smart (14 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists), and Malcolm Brogdon (13 points, 7 boards, 8 assists).

Let’s take a look at some of the best plays captured in images from the Celtics’ Game 2 vs. the Hawks in the first round of the ’23 playoffs.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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