Boston lost the postseason scoring leader when Isaiah Thomas injured his ankle in the fourth quarter of Tuesday’s Game 5 loss. The Celtics may have lost the series, too. If Thomas isn’t playing his best, the Celtics aren’t either. The Hawks have a glorious chance to end the series, but a win in Boston isn’t a given.
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LOOK AHEAD
The Hawks reversed their strategy in Game 5 and it paid off. Instead of building a double digit lead and letting the Celtics whittle away until they caught up, Atlanta allowed Boston to race to a 10-point lead on Tuesday. Then, all hell broke loose. Atlanta had 19 points midway through the second quarter and trailed 29-19. The Hawks made just six of their first 34 shots. Boston wasn’t lighting it up either, but missed a chance to build a bigger cushion.
Then, as if flipping a switch, the Hawks couldn’t miss. They returned to the style of play that has made them so successful over the past few years, and knocking down shots helped. Over the next quarter and a half, the Hawks poured in 70 points on the stunned Celtics. If there’s a bright side for Boston, it’s that the Hawks probably exceeded the mean with their barrage of buckets. Atlanta should shoot the ball better than they did through the first four games, but they can’t be expected to do what they did on Tuesday. If they do, the Celtics don’t stand a chance.
INJURIES
Holding a 27-point lead after three quarters in Game 5, the Hawks were able to rest their starters for most of the final 12 minutes. No starter played more than 28 minutes and all eight reserves played at least nine. So everyone should be well rested.
Thomas, who averaged 35 points in two victories in Boston that evened the series, hobbled off to the locker room in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter with a sprained left ankle. He said it wasn’t anything serious and expects to be ready to play on Thursday. Avery Bradley remains sidelined with a hamstring injury and is doubtful to play again in the series.
KEY MATCHUP
When the Hawks made their second quarter run to put Tuesday’s game away, Kent Bazemore was knocking down shots. But point guard Jeff Teague was running the show. Teague atoned for his poor shooting and last-second brain cramp in Game 4 to help calm the Hawks when they needed it most on Tuesday. He chipped in 16 points in the Game 5 victory, hitting 5 of 11 field goals while adding three assists. The numbers weren’t absurd, but considering he played only 22 minutes, he was effective with a plus-14 boxscore plus/minus.
There has been an internal struggle with the Hawks on whether to go with Teague or Dennis Schroeder at the point, but Teague is still the key to the team’s success. He and his teammates responded after allowing the Celtics to even the series. Now Teague has to keep it going – not only if the Hawks are going to beat Boston, but if they’re going to make a run at the Cavaliers.
QUICK PICK
The teams have taken the homecourt advantage seriously and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see this series end up back in Atlanta for a Game 7. But the Celtics suffered a big hurt when Thomas limped off the floor in the fourth quarter. He said he’s going to play on Thursday, but we have to wonder how effective he will be on that ankle. The injury did look painful, after all.
And no Thomas equals no chance for Boston. He’s the only real scoring threat and keeps the defense honest with his ability to drive to the hoop. Not able to do that makes the Celtics a one-dimensional club and that’s a disadvantage against the Hawks. Atlanta has a great opportunity to close out the series and they should jump on it.
NBA Odds: Atlanta 98, Boston 93
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Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook! The matchup between the Atlanta Hawks and Boston Celtics will take place Thursday, April 28, 2016, at 8 p.m. ET at TD Garden. The contest will be broadcast nationally on TNT.
