SB Nation Atlanta - Atlanta Hawks Vs. Boston Celtics: Josh Smith Struggles, Hawks Fall to Celtics, 102-90https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46601/atlanta-fave.png2010-12-17T00:43:52-05:00http://atlanta.sbnation.com/rss/stream/16435722010-12-17T00:43:52-05:002010-12-17T00:43:52-05:00Atlanta Hawks Vs. Boston Celtics: Josh Smith Struggles, Hawks Fall to Celtics, 102-90
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<p>The Atlanta Hawks were shorthanded on Thursday night against the Eastern Conference-best Boston Celtics. They could ill afford an off shooting night from Josh Smith. Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened.</p>
<p>Smith scored just one point on 0-for-8 shooting from the field and Al Horford finished with eight points and seven rebounds as the Hawks dropped a 102-90 decision to the Celtics at the Garden. Paul Pierce had 15 points and 10 boards and Ray Allen and Glen Davis added 18 each for Boston, which won its 12th straight game.</p>
<p>While this one wasn't as ugly as the first matchup between the two clubs, a 99-76 loss in Atlanta that was not even as close as the final score, there were some eerie similarities to Atlanta Nov. 22 pasting at Philips Arena. Boston (21-4) was once again without its starting point guard Rajon Rondo, who will miss at least a week with a sprained right ankle. And they turned to Nate Robinson in his stead. Robinson made the transition seemingless, posting 14 points on 6-for-17 shooting from the field.</p>
<p>On the other side of the coin, certain key Hawks struggled. However, no one's struggles were bigger than that of Smith. The Atlanta forward, who notched just two points on 0-for-3 shooting from the field in the Nov. 22 loss, was even more putrid in this one, missing all of his eight shots from the field and another from the free throw line. Al Horford also had a subpar evening, finishing with eight points and seven boards</p>
<p>Atlanta fought its way through the first three quarters and trailed by six entering the final period. The Hawks never had a chance to regain the lead as the Celtics cruised to the 12-point win.</p>
<p>Marvin Williams had a game-high 26 points and Jeff Teague added 18 for Atlanta (16-11), which has dropped 11 of its last 21 games after starting the season with six straight wins.</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/atlanta-hawks/2010/12/17/1881412/atlanta-hawks-vs-boston-celtics-josh-smith-struggles-hawks-fall-toPhil Foley2010-12-16T17:24:44-05:002010-12-16T17:24:44-05:00Rajon Rondo Injury: Boston Celtics Point Guard To Miss Next Few Weeks With Ankle Injury
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<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px;">The <a href="https://www.celticsblog.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Boston Celtics</a> will be without their starting point guard when they take on the <a href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Atlanta Hawks</a> on Thursday night and for a little bit longer than that. Celtics GM Danny Ainge<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/#!/weeisports/status/15506392286760960" style="color: #c8181d !important; text-decoration: none !important; background-color: transparent;"> told WEEI's "The Big Show" </a>that <span>Rajon Rondo</span> would "miss a couple of weeks" with a left ankle injury.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px;">Rondo, who tweaked his ankle in the fourth quarter of the Celtics' 118-116 win over the <a href="https://www.postingandtoasting.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">New York Knicks</a> on Wednesday, was hopeful that he would play on Thursday night. Those hopes have been shattered into a 1,000 pieces.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px;">The talented point guard is averaging 11.2 points, 13.8 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game in 20 contests for the Eastern Conference-leading Celtics. </p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px;">Expect former Knick <span>Nate Robinson</span> to pick up most of the slack for the C's. Robinson filled in admirably for Rondo when he missed four games with foot and hamstring injuries earlier in the season, averaging 16.5 points and 5.5 assists in just under 30 minutes per game. Boston finished that stretch 3-1.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px;">Rondo will not be the only one with star power sidelined for Thursday's TNT matchup. Boston will also be without center Shaquille O'Neal while Atlanta will play without guard <span>Joe Johnson</span> and sixth-man <span>Jamal Crawford</span>.</p>
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https://atlanta.sbnation.com/atlanta-hawks/2010/12/16/1880715/rajon-rondo-injury-boston-celtics-point-guard-to-miss-next-two-weeksPhil Foley2010-12-16T15:02:24-05:002010-12-16T15:02:24-05:00Injuries Piling Up Like The Wrecks Around Atlanta Last Night: Hawks Jamal Crawford Out Vs. Celtics With Sore Back
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<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px;">Add <span>Jamal Crawford</span> to the ranks of the walking wounded. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Atlanta Hawks</a> announced that the NBA's reigning Sixth Man of the Year will not dress for Atlanta's Thursday TNT showdown against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.celticsblog.com/">Boston Celtics</a>. He has a sore back.</p>
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<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px;">Crawford becomes the fourth player with a bit of star power that may not have a chance to shine on TNT. Celtics center Shaquille O'Neal will miss his fourth straight game with a right calf injury. Hawks guard <span>Joe Johnson</span> returned to practice, but is nowhere ready to return after undergoing right elbow surgery. </p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px;">And then there's the case of <span>Rajon Rondo</span>. The talented Boston Celtics point guard left Wednesday night's epic 118-116 win over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.postingandtoasting.com/">New York Knicks</a> with a sprained left ankle. He is optimistic that he will suit up for this one, but Boston may rest him in a modicum of caution.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px;">It's not like the Celtics exactly needed Rondo the last time these two teams met. He was hurt then, too. Boston rolled to a 99-76 win over Atlanta anyway. Boston has won 11 straight entering this TNT telecast, while the Hawks have split their last 20 games.</p>
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https://atlanta.sbnation.com/atlanta-hawks/2010/12/16/1880376/injuries-piling-up-like-the-wrecks-around-atlanta-last-night-hawksPhil Foley2010-12-16T05:09:31-05:002010-12-16T05:09:31-05:00Shaquille O'Neal and Rajon Rondo Injuries Take Luster Off Of Primetime Hawks-Celtics Matchup
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<p>There won't be a Shaq attack. The injury to <span>Rajon Rondo</span>'s sprained left ankle may be enough to keep him out of his second <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Atlanta Hawks</a>-<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.celticsblog.com/">Boston Celtics</a> game. And of course the Hawks will play this one without All-Star <span>Joe Johnson</span>.</p>
<p>What should have been a matchup between two of the beasts of the East may come down to a battle of attrition when Atlanta and Boston face off on TNT.</p>
<p>Rondo sprained his ankle in the fourth quarter of the Celtics' 118-116 win over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.postingandtoasting.com/">New York Knicks</a> on Wednesday. Although the Boston point guard hopes to play on Thursday, he may be destined to spend part of the day in an MRI machine. However, if last game is any indication, Boston won't miss Rondo all that much. Rondo was out the last time the two teams met on Nov. 22 in Atlanta. <span>Nate Robinson</span> came off the bench and posted 16 points and 10 assists in a 99-76 blowout that was nowhere near as close as the final score.</p>
<p>One player who did play in that one was center Shaquille O'Neal, who had 13 points and 11 boards in 21 minutes. He should miss his fourth game with a right calf injury.</p>
<p>The Hawks are also without Johnson, who had elbow surgery a few weeks ago. While he has begun shooting the basketball in practice, he is nowhere close to being ready to return to the court.</p>
<p>While Atlanta and Boston may play this one without as much star power, it still counts the same. The Hawks desperately need a win to reestablish themselves in the conversation as one of the best teams in the league.</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/atlanta-hawks/2010/12/16/1879537/shaquille-oneal-and-rajon-rondo-injuries-take-luster-off-of-primetimePhil Foley2010-12-16T04:53:54-05:002010-12-16T04:53:54-05:00Atlanta Hawks Schedule: Hawks Head To Beantown For TNT Matchup Against Boston Celtics
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<p>The <a href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Atlanta Hawks</a> left the Palace of Auburn Hills without any riches for the 11th time in 12 games. The road doesn't get much easier for Atlanta's basketball team, which much try to rebound against a <a href="https://www.celticsblog.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Boston Celtics</a> team that just doesn't lose.</p>
<p><span>Josh Smith</span>, <span>Al Horford</span> and the Hawks will face a nationally televised test against the East's best team when they take on the Celtics at the Garden on Thursday (8:00 PM, TNT, 97.9 FM). What a test it will be.</p>
<p>Boston (20-4) is riding an 11-game winning streak into this one. A streak that was nearly broken by <span>Amare Stoudemire</span> in Boston's 118-116 escape against the <a href="https://www.postingandtoasting.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">New York Knicks</a> on Wednesday. In that one, the Celtics took the lead on a <span>Paul Pierce</span> jumper with .4 seconds remaining before New York got the ball. Stoudemire launched a 3-point attempt at the buzzer. It found the net, but was ruled to come after the buzzer.</p>
<p>The streak remained.</p>
<p>Atlanta (16-10) is coming off of a disappointing 108-80 loss the <a href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Detroit Pistons</a> on Tuesday night in Michigan. The Hawks were blown out 39-19 in the final 12 minutes en route to their 27th loss in suburban Detroit in their last 31 games. Since starting the season at 6-0, the Hawks are 10-10.</p>
<p>The Hawks look to avenge an embarrassing 99-76 drubbing by the Celtics on Atlanta's home court on Nov. 22 -- a contest where Atlanta's starters combined for just 27 points.</p>
https://atlanta.sbnation.com/2010/12/16/2326441/atlanta-hawks-schedule-hawks-head-to-beantown-for-tnt-matchup-againstPhil Foley