Missing several key players because of injury, they competed hard but ultimately fell victim to a handful of bad possessions at each end of the floor.
After the loss, their coach lamented the execution errors but praised his team’s resolve.
Yes, this is about the Hawks and their 79-76 loss to the Celtics on Monday.
Criticized in the past for seemingly giving in too easily when things go bad, the Hawks (26-20) have managed to stay afloat this season as player after player has been added to the injury list.
“When you get in situations like this I think, at times, players try to prove you wrong,” Drew said. “We’ve had so many injuries. And even when we had the first major injury in losing Al [Horford], I think the players wanted to try to prove something to themselves, I think they wanted to prove something to everyone else that they can still win.”
The injury woes began before the season when guard Kirk Hinrich was ruled out for the first month because of shoulder surgery last summer. It looked as if the Hawks could be finished when Horford went down with a pectoral injury that has cost him 35 games and counting. Then All-Star guard Joe Johnson struggled with knee problems, and several key reserves have missed time with a variety of ailments.
The crowded injury report for the loss to Boston has become commonplace.
In addition to Horford, also out were forward Marvin Williams (back), backup point guard Jannero Pargo (appendectomy) and rotation forward Vladimir Radmanovic (back). Reserve guard Willie Green (hamstring) suited up but didn’t play.
That left the Hawks with two true point guards, and one of them, Hinrich, started at shooting guard. Tracy McGrady, who normally doesn’t play in back-to-back games, did so against the Celtics because of the depleted roster.
The Hawks still managed to push the Celtics in a rugged, physical contest. They were down by 15 points in the fourth quarter before rallying behind Johnson’s shot-making, forward Josh Smith’s passing and spirited defense from everyone.
“It’s just been, every night, a collective effort,” Hinrich said. “Josh and Joe have carried us most of the year and everyone else is playing their role and playing hard.”
It’s the blueprint Hawks general manager Rick Sund had in mind when he signed experienced veteran players to minimum-salary contracts before the season. To be sure, some fortuitous circumstances for the Hawks have counteracted the sting of all those injuries.
It helps to play in the Eastern Conference, where seven teams have records better than .500 compared with 10 in the West. The Hawks have fattened up on teams with losing records (17-5) while their record against teams .500 or better (9-15) trailed Miami (18-7), Chicago (13-6), Orlando (13-13) and Indiana (11-12) entering Tuesday.
But the schedule also has cut the other way for the Hawks.
The Hawks have played the most road games (26) of the eight teams in playoff position. And after Monday’s games they had played the fourth-toughest schedule in the East, according to data compiled by ESPN’s John Hollinger.
Overall, in spite of the injuries, the Hawks have managed to defeat lesser opponents and post a few victories, or at least stay competitive, against better foes. They aren’t the only team to do so in this lockout-compressed season—the Bulls kept rolling without Derrick Rose, and the Heat maintained without Dwyane Wade.
But, until know, the Hawks hadn’t been known for being so resilient.
“Looking at the guys in this locker room and seeing it on paper you might say, ‘Count us out’ [with the injuries],” Green said. “But guys have stepped up. It’s a credit to coaching staff and the [general manager] for bringing in guys they knew could step in if guys get hurt.”
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