The Atlanta Hawks closed out two series on the road in last year's playoffs, so knocking off the Boston Celtics at home in Game 6 in a 104-92 win to clinch their first-round series on Thursday wasn't anything new to them.
Hawks vs. Celtics, 2016 NBA playoff results: Atlanta advances with 104-92 win in Game 6
Atlanta will play the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports
Missing Avery Bradley with injury, the Celtics unraveled like a Jenga puzzle, missing the extra shooting he provided that no one off their bench could readily replace. Atlanta played crisp, clean basketball throughout the game, shooting better than 50 percent from the floor while keeping up the same defensive effort that had bothered the Celtics all series.
Boston kept it close through two quarters, trailing 20-17 at the end of the first frame and 41-33 by halftime. They could not hold back Atlanta's offense in the third quarter, though, and a 39-point period is when the Hawks pulled away for good. Al Horford was the most efficient starter, scoring 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting, but five other players scored between 11 and 17 points, including all four other starters.
The Celtics end their season headed into yet another fascinating summer once again. Their 48-win season, tied for third in the East, might be enough for them to feel comfortable improving the team around the edges, or perhaps they’ll find a superstar out there to their liking. Either way, this season was a huge step in the right direction for the Brad Stevens-led bunch, despite the first-round exit.
As for Atlanta, the Cleveland Cavaliers are awaited them after a first-round sweep of Detroit. That series will likely kick off this weekend. Still, at least one former Hawk will find time to celebrate this win.
Wish I could suit up for the last 30 secs just to say I beat Boston!
— Dominique Wilkins (@DWilkins21) April 29, 2016
1. The Celtics ran out of shooters
There was a reason little used rookie R.J. Hunter earned first half minutes: the Celtics simply didn't have the shooting they needed to put around Isaiah Thomas. Atlanta had doubled down on this from the beginning of the series, ignoring Boston's shooters in favor of suffocating Thomas. Although Thomas went off in Game 3, the plan mostly worked. Boston's 7-of-32 shooting (which could have been even worse before some fourth quarter makes) doomed them in Game 6.
The Celtics were supposed to be one of the NBA’s deepest teams, but the loss of Bradley really did cripple them this series. His shooting and size wasn’t something Boston could replace, nor was his absence one they could survive.
2. We remember this Hawks
Twenty-six assists on 38 made field goals? That’s 2014-15 numbers for the Hawks, who won the Eastern Conference decisively that season. After being held down for a couple quarters, Atlanta started clicking, moving the ball with ease while their scorers hit shots. That last bit is important: a lot of the problem with Atlanta this season has been as simple as that, with open jumpers just not going down with the same frequency as they did last year. With the way the Hawks are clicking on both sides of the ball, this Eastern Conference Finals rematch of last year is as intriguing as ever.
3. Isaiah Thomas did everything he could
Battling through an ankle injury and the Hawks’ defense vowing to slow him down, Thomas still came through for Boston, battling his way to a game-high 25 points and 10 assists despite everything. For fans who experienced Thomas for the first time, he was a revelation, showing every facet of his sneaky offensive game even while being hampered by his own body. His shooting in Game 6 wasn’t great and he certainly had several bad games, but given the weight he was carrying for Boston, you can only respect what he was able to accomplish.
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