With huge rebounding night, Hawks thump Boston

By Ken Sugiura

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

BOSTON -- A year and a half later, the Hawks got their win in Boston.

An energetic rebounding effort, steely will and a horrid three-point night by the home team gave the Hawks an attention-getting 97-86 win at TD Garden over the Celtics.

It was a cathartic victory for the Hawks, who lost all four road games to Boston in the first round of the 2008 playoffs in the seven-game series and then lost both regular-season games last season in Boston.

"It feels good, either at home or away, to be able to beat a team like the Boston Celtics," forward Josh Smith said. "But to do it on their court – we had so many questions on ‘Are we a good road team?' – and this was a good test for us. We were able to climb the mountain and defeat the giant tonight."

There's no question it ranks as the club's top win of the early season. Boston came into the game leading the league in point differential at 14.7 points per game and playing so well that, before the game, Hawks coach Mike Woodson called the Celtics the best team in the NBA.

Said Celtics coach Doc Rivers, "I just think they kicked our butt, honestly."

Road wins don't happen often at Boston, which last year didn't lose its second home game until January, on its way to a 35-6 home mark.

But the Hawks, now 7-2 despite playing six of their first nine on the road, pulled it off. They now come home for a four-game home stand that starts tonight against New Orleans.

"I just hope it's a game that continues to help us grow," Woodson said. "We've still got a long ways to grow as a basketball team. But I'm sure proud of those guys in the locker room. Tonight, they did everything that we set out to do and got it done."

Difference makers for the Hawks were abundant.

Guard Jamal Crawford slashed his way to 18 points. His fourth-quarter fadeaway jumper and ensuing free throw gave the Hawks an 87-76 lead and started sending the less hearty Celtics fans to the gates with more than five minutes to play.

Center Al Horford grabbed 13 rebounds and set an energetic tone in the first quarter.

Forward Josh Smith, assigned to guard Celtics forward Kevin Garnett, ran the floor well, blocked three shots and held Garnett to 14 points. Backup forward Joe Smith contributed key minutes off the bench.

Guard Joe Johnson drained several key jumpers, including a three-pointer that gave the Hawks a 63-62 lead with 3:50 left in the third quarter that, remarkably, the Hawks didn't relinquish over the final 15:50. Johnson led the Hawks with 24 points and was +23 in his 40:29 on the floor.

"We never played back on our heels," Johnson said. "We kept attacking."

The Hawks outrebounded the Celtics by a stunning 47-29. By limiting Celtics chances and extending their own possessions, the Hawks took 11 more shots from the field than Boston.

"I think the previous times we've played them, they've been big on us on offensive rebounding," Johnson said. "They've been killing us on the glass. Tonight, Al was big on the glass, Josh was (also), pretty much everybody. We just kind of gang rebounded."

The Hawks grabbed a season-high 16 offensive rebounds, which led to 22 second-chance points to Boston's four. Two of the most important baskets of the game – three-pointers by guards Mike Bibby and Crawford in the third quarter that tied the score after the Hawks fell behind first by seven points and later by six – were second-chance opportunities.

"You've got a guy going one-on-one and then we trap him and [the shot] goes on the board and they crash with all four guys," Garnett said. "You've got Josh Smith, who jumps to the moon, Al Horford – those guys were keeping balls alive."

The Hawks also got a major reprieve from the Celtics, who shot 1-for-15 from three-point range, their worst performance of the season.

"Lucky for us," Crawford said. "They're not always going to shoot like that."

The coming weeks will reveal what impact the win will have for a team that was 1-5 last year against the Eastern Conference's big three of Boston, Cleveland and Orlando. It certainly was a reminder of best methodology.

"We rebounded well and we shared the ball, we played together on both ends of the court," Bibby said. "I've been saying from the beginning, when we play like that, we're a tough team to beat."