4 Keys For Celtics Vs. Hawks
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Celtics look to take the next step in their rebuild this postseason, claiming their first playoff win and series under Brad Stevens.
Unfortunately, when you break it all down, the Atlanta Hawks are the worst possible matchup for Boston in the first round.
You can blame the wonky tiebreaker rules the NBA now has in place, or the Celtics' horrendous showing against the Charlotte Bobcats on Monday (personally, I look back to those terrible home losses to the Lakers and Nets). But the Celtics are the fifth seed and have to face the Hawks without home court advantage. It will be a great test for them if they want to take that proverbial next step under Stevens, one that pits them against the team that is very similar to the one we enjoyed watching all season long.
Neither team has that superstar player to put them over the top. Isaiah Thomas had an All-Star season, one worthy of All-NBA consideration, but he isn't going to lead the Celtics to a title on his own. Paul Millsap had a career year for Atlanta, but he too can't lead a team to the promised land by his lonesome. Both have fantastic supporting casts, but it's been the overall effort every night that has led both teams to where they are now. That isn't going to change in the playoffs; both are going to grind it out and play their hardest until the final buzzer sounds.
That leads us to the last -- and most important -- similarity between the two: Their head coaches. Brad Stevens and Mike Budenholzer are two the bright young minds in the NBA right now, and watching them duel from the sidelines is going to be a treat over the next two weeks. They get all they can out of their respective groups, with their primary focus on the defensive end.
So where does this all lead us? We're in for what should be a hard-fought, grind-'em-out series that will likely take seven games to decide a winner. We'll be treated to defensive battles that will get a little feisty at times, the type of tussles and on-court battles the Celtics were more than up to throughout the regular season.
Here are four keys for Boston if they want to advance to the second round this postseason:
1. It Can't Just Be Isaiah
The little guy has been spectacular for Boston this season, the offensive leader of a team that needs a guy who can shoulder the offensive burden. Thomas has been up to that challenge, but it won't be easy against another defense-first team like Atlanta. The fact Thomas doesn't look 100 percent with a bad wrist doesn't help matters either.
The Celtics are going to need Thomas to be his usual self throughout their postseason run, but he's going to need help. Atlanta's defense will do their best to contain him and force other Boston scorers to step up, much like the Cavaliers did in their final two games of last postseason's sweep. When that happens, someone else has to step up and take the offensive burden off of Thomas' shoulders.
Jae Crowder was solid in Boston's four regular season matchups with Atlanta, averaging 15.3 points on 44 percent shooting and a team-high seven rebounds per game. He may have his hands full with Millsap on the defensive end, so it will be important for Avery Bradley to find his offense again and Evan Turner to continue to be a force off the bench. It would be huge if Jared Sullinger could get into an offensive groove this series, but he struggled against Atlanta and their bigs in the regular season, averaging just 7.8 points in 20 minutes per contest. He played just 11 minutes the last time these two teams met, scoring just four points on 2-for-7 shooting.
The offensive load is going to fall on Thomas as it has all season, but he's going to need someone to step up as a viable running mate in order to keep most of Atlanta's defensive pressure off of him. Otherwise, the Celtics could be in for another quick exit to the postseason.
2. Keep Millsap In Check
He was a stud against Boston this season, averaging 22.5 points and 10.3 rebounds per contest against the C's. His mid-range game makes him a nightmare of a matchup for Boston's front court collection, and it certainly doesn't help that he has Al Horford just a few feet away. Mix in the speedy Jeff Teague's offensive gifts (along with Dennis Schroder off the bench), and the Celtics are going to have their hands full on the defensive end.
But they can't let Millsap take over games as he did during the regular season. Keeping Millsap in check will force Teague to do more against Boston's feisty backcourt, and potentially force Horford into taking more threes than anyone in Atlanta would like.
3. No Big Deficits
Wednesday night's comeback against the Heat was absolutely epic. Chances are we won't see a stretch like Boston's third quarter for a long time, and hopefully, they won't need one of those against the Hawks.
Atlanta's defense is one of the best in the league, touting the best opponents' field goal percentage in the regular season at 43.2 percent and the second-best defensive rating, 98.8, behind just the San Antonio Spurs.
Fall behind the Hawks and they likely aren't going to let you get back in.
4. Force Those Turnovers
If the Celtics do find themselves in a hole, their best bet will be to turn things up to 11 and attack the ball on defense and force turnovers or bad shots, much like they did when faced with that 26-point deficit against Miami on Wednesday. The Celtics forced 15.8 turnovers per game in the regular season, tied for the highest mark in the NBA, and got 18.8 points off of them, third in the league (Atlanta was just a tick behind them averaging 18.5 points off turnovers).
Making life difficult for the opposition's offense has been Boston's calling card all season, something they strayed away during their regular season slumps. It's what is going to determine whether or not they beat the Hawks and advance, or if they have an early trip home this postseason.
Pick: Celtics in 7