Celtics at Clippers
The Boston Celtics managed to even the series on their home floor and are hoping for the same effort when the series shifts to Atlanta for Game 5 on Tuesday. The Hawks let a 16-point, second-half lead slip away before falling in overtime in Game 4 but have won five straight and 12 of their last 14 games at home going back to the regular season.
Celtics All-Star guard Isaiah Thomas had a tough time scoring in the first two games but came alive at home with 42 points in Game 3 and 28 in Game 4, including the last five of overtime. “The most important thing for us: we’ve got to start the games better, especially on the road,” Thomas told reporters. “Start the games better, start the halves better, and I think that will put us in a position to be able to win those games. If we just start halfway decent on the road, we’ll be alright.” Atlanta is a veteran group and doesn’t plan on rolling over now that the momentum has shifted. “It’s our turn to respond, that’s how the playoffs are,” Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters. “They are hard and it’s never easy in the playoffs. … I think being at home is always helpful and I think our group knows that they are very capable.”
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, TNT, CSN New England (Boston), FSN Southeast (Atlanta)
ABOUT THE CELTICS: Guard Marcus Smart broke out with his best game of the series on both ends of the floor Sunday, scoring 20 points and playing strong defense on All-Star forward Paul Millsap down the stretch and in overtime. Smart, who went 1-for-11 in Game 2 while starting in place of Avery Bradley (hamstring), was back to coming off the bench in the last two games but logged 42 minutes in Game 4 and scored 11 straight Boston points during a key stretch in the fourth quarter. “I thought Marcus just played a great game, period,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens told reporters. “We’ve talked about it before, Marcus has had his ups and downs but Marcus on this stage – and with his consistent work ethic and with his competitive spirit – you just really trust that good things will happen.”
ABOUT THE HAWKS: Millsap scored a career playoff-high 45 points in the 104-95 overtime loss but didn’t get a chance to take the final shot with a chance to win in regulation. Point guard Jeff Teague, who finished 4-of-18 from the field in the loss, had the ball in his hands with the clock winding down and fumbled it away at the last second with Thomas guarding. “You want to exhaust the clock in that situation, you want to take the last shot and I think Jeff just ended up mishandling it a little bit,” Budenholzer said. “But that was Jeff against (5-9) Isaiah Thomas and, you know, you obviously try to get a good look, get a good opportunity and not leave any time on the clock.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Hawks C Al Horford averaged 6.5 points in the last two games after putting up 20.5 in the first two.
2. Celtics C Kelly Olynyk (shoulder) went scoreless in four minutes off the bench on Sunday after missing the two previous games.
3. Millsap has recorded 11 blocked shots in the series, including four on Sunday.