Commend the Hawks. For the first time in this series, they looked like they belonged.
Down 2-0 against Celtics, the Hawks gave themselves a chance with a gutsy 130-122 Game 3 victory that prevented them from plummeting into a 3-0 abyss. The team showed mental toughness Friday night at State Farm Arena, losing multiple leads – including a 14-point advantage – yet responding after every Celtics rally.
There was no wizardry in how they did it. They finally made shots, keeping pace with the Celtics offensively.
“Confidence, ready to go from the jump,” guard Dejounte Murray said when asked what changed. “Obviously being at home helped. When we played them in the regular season, they had a lot of cheers coming out in warmups. Tonight, they were booed and it felt like we were in Atlanta. Like we had the whole city and the fan base behind us. I think that rubbed off as well. We came ready to play from the jump to the finish.”
These Hawks were almost unrecognizable from the first two games, primarily because of their shooting. The Hawks shot 24.6% from beyond the arc over the past two games. They shot 50% (8-for-16) in just the first half Friday, building a 74-67 lead.
In those two quarters, they hit five more 3-pointers than they made in Game 1 (5-for-29) and half their total from Game 2 (16-for-48) on 32 fewer attempts. Former Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, watching from the seats with his family, surely appreciated the accuracy, especially given how difficult many of the attempts were.
The Celtics dominated this series largely because they ran circles around the Hawks from distance. Boston was shooting over 45% in that department over the first two games. In Game 3, the Celtics still knocked down 3s – they made 21 on 48 attempts, 43.8% – but the Hawks weren’t dreadful this time. They made 15 of 34 3s, including two all-important difficult makes by guards Trae Young and Murray in the game’s final stretch.
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Instead of the Celtics pulverizing an inferior opponent, Friday felt like two playoff teams exchanging blows. That’s what happens when you can match firepower.
The difference in long-range shooting wasn’t anything unexpected. The Celtics made the second most 3-pointers this season and ranked sixth in percentage. Only four teams made fewer 3s than the Hawks – all missed the playoffs – and the Hawks were ranked 20th in percentage.
But they have capable scorers and shooters. And when it clicks like Friday, the team the Hawks have strived to be comes to fruition. The Hawks shot 56% overall after shooting 38.8% and 42.6%, respectively, over the first two games.
“We did a great job spacing the floor,” Young said. “That’s what (the Celtics) do. That’s why they’re really good. They have a lot of guys who can play, but those two guys Jaylen (Brown) and Jayson (Tatum), they’re the two heads of the snake and they have to have space to attack. They do a great job.
“We’re trying to do the same thing. I think we did a good job spacing. Me and DJ did a good job when we were getting to the lane and getting to gaps and still finding guys shots. We did a little bit of both tonight and it was good.”
Sharp-shooter Bogdan Bogdanovic, always key in the team’s long-distance production, was tremendous off the bench. He didn’t miss until late in the third, hitting his first six shots (including three 3s). He finished with 15 points, posting a bench-best plus-7 in 22 minutes.
“Bogey’s ability to make shots and make plays picks other guys up when you see him do that,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder said. “I think it encourages other guys to be aggressive too and take their shots.”
When the Hawks acquired Saddiq Bey at the trade deadline, the question was whether he’d regain his 3-point stroke. He shot 40% from three in 25 games after the deal, but he was rarely more effective than Friday.
Bey was 5-for-7, hitting each of his three 3-point attempts, in 27 minutes. Snyder turned to him down the stretch. Bey finished with 15 points and eight rebounds.
“Saddiq is really good for us,” Young said. “He’s smart. He can really shoot the ball. He plays with a toughness about him that we all need on the team. He’s really good for us. He’s just a smart player, a team-first player. That’s going to pay off in the end, for sure, for him.”
It’s fair to ask if the Hawks can repeat this offensive performance. History says no. Common sense says the Celtics’ defense won’t be so shoddy again, either. Boston missed its share of open looks, many of which will likely be makes on Sunday in Game 4.
But finding an offensive flow has spared the Hawks the humiliation of a sweep and created optimism for the first time in this series. If they maintain their newfound shot-making, the series could even be tied 2-2-heading back to Boston.
“We haven’t done anything,” Murray said. “That’s the message I was preaching in the locker room once I got in there. It’s great to have a win in the playoffs but at the same time we haven’t done anything. We have a long way to go. We believe in ourselves and I think that’s all that matters.”
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