Embarrassed Hawks seek Boston redemption

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Hawks coach Larry Drew normally deflects questions about his team's spotty record against top opponents by noting they take every adversary seriously, regardless of their record.

It's the kind of thing coaches always say but, considering the circumstances for Atlanta's game at Boston Thursday, Drew put such talk aside in favor of more blunt language.

"I want to see what our guys are made of," Drew said.

That question was never more compelling for the Hawks this season than on Nov. 22. That's when the Celtics invaded Philips Arena and emphatically rendered moot Atlanta's 4-0 series sweep in 2009-10 with a 99-76 rout.

The Celtics took leads of 13-3 and 24-6 and were up 39-13 after a quarter. The Hawks essentially surrendered from there, using more energy to bicker with each other than stand up to the Celtics.

"They kind of embarrassed last time," Hawks guard Mike Bibby said. "You always want to get that game back and show them that we are a better team than that. They jumped on us tough from the beginning and we couldn't bounce back. We just feel like we've got to go in there [Thursday] and make up for that."

The Celtics tested the Hawks' will, raised questions about their chemistry and prompted Drew to wonder what his players were doing on nights before games. The Hawks also lost the next night at New Jersey.

That prompted a team meeting in which coaches and players aired out their differences. The Hawks got back on track with victories in five straight games, and seven of eight, and have managed to stay the course with All-Star Joe Johnson missing the last eight games following elbow surgery.

Atlanta has stumbled a bit lately with losses in two of its last three games. The 108-92 defeat at San Antonio on Friday wasn't unexpected, since the Hawks hadn't won their since 1997, but losing at Detroit Tuesday was a setback.

The Celtics, meanwhile, started a 10-game winning streak with the victory at Atlanta (they played at New York Wednesday night) and are back on top in the Eastern Conference.

"It will be a good game for us to see how we respond given the results of the last game with them," Hawks forward Mo Evans said.

It's possible neither team will be whole for the rematch.

Johnson is out and top reserve Jamal Crawford's status for the game is uncertain due to a sore back. Boston center Shaquille O'Neal, who was a major reason Boston dominated early at Atlanta, could miss the game Thursday because of a calf injury.

Atlanta's season sweep of the Celtics in 2009-10 and its No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference suggested the gap between the two teams may not be that large. Atlanta's subsequent meltdown against Orlando in the East semifinals and Boston's conference championship poked holes in that notion.

Boston's Nov. 23 beating of the Hawks put the differences in even harsher terms.

"We've got to make it a war," Drew said. "We know what they are capable of, especially after what they did to us at home."

That game was played in front of a modest crowd at Philips Arena and broadcast on local TV. This time a packed house at TD Garden and a TNT audience will see if the Hawks are for real.