nba-playoffs-atla-bost - AthlonSports.com

2008 FIRST ROUND EASTERN CONFERENCE

KEYS TO THE SERIES : VETS VS. TALENT

The Hawks are going to make a couple of runs in this series. Will they be sustainable for the full 48 minutes? It's doubtful, largely because of the defensive intensity Doc Rivers and Kevin Garnett demand. Boston didn't win 66 regular season games to be eliminated in the first round either. The Celtics have larger aspirations this season.

ATHLON SPORTS PICKS : BOSTON IN FOUR

No. 34 Paul Pierce SF
Points - 19.6
Assists - 4.5
Rebounds – 5.1
Minutes – 35.9

No. 2 Joe Johnson SG
Points – 21.7
Assists – 5.8
Rebounds – 4.5
Minutes – 40.8

No. 5 Kevin Garnett PF
The 11-time All-Star forward is back in the playoffs for the first time since the 2003-04 season with a new team and a fresh outlook. Garnett, a leading candidate for NBA MVP and Defensive Player of the Year, shot 53.9 percent from the field and put up 18.8 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks in leading Boston to an NBA-best 66-16 record. Garnett will be tested by another Defensive Player of the Year candidate in Atlanta's Josh Smith and rookie Al Horford, but with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen by his side, Garnett has the utmost confidence in his teammates for the first time in a while.

No. 2 Joe Johnson SG
All-Star Joe Johnson generates the offense for Atlanta. He has the ability to play multiple positions on the court and was Atlanta's leading scorer with 21.7 points per game this season. Johnson is a terrific jump shooter off the dribble and from deep. He also dished out 5.8 assists and grabbed 4.5 rebounds while shooting 38.1 percent from 3-point range. Once Mike Bibby was acquired to man the point it freed Johnson up even more as the Hawks made a run at the playoffs. A former member of the Celtics, Johnson will have to lead the youngest playoff team in the field, but he has confidence in his teammates who have stepped up all season long.

No. 9 Rajon Rondo PG
The acquisition of Sam Cassell allows Rondo to play with less pressure and trigger Boston's defensive intensity. He averaged 1.7 steals per game and improved his offense as the season progressed (10.6 ppg, 5.1 apg, 4.2 rpg). Rondo also made strides in his shot selection as his field goal percentage improved from 41.8 to 49.2 between this season and last season. Mike Bibby will be hounded by the aggressive Rondo time and time again in this series.

No. 5 Josh Smith PF
Smith does it all for the Hawks. A defensive player of the year candidate, Smith averaged 17.2 ppg, 8.2 rpg and 3.4 apg to go along with 2.8 bpg and 1.5 spg for the Hawks. He will be the most athletic player on the court in this series, and his high-flying dunks have been momentum-changing throughout the course of the season. He'll have his hands full guarding Paul Pierce or Kevin Garnett, but the effort, ability and athleticism will not be lacking.

Acquiring leading MVP candidate Kevin Garnett from Minnesota and perennial All-Star Ray Allen to team with Paul Pierce has resulted in the biggest turnaround in NBA history for the Boston Celtics, a 41-game difference.

And what a year it was for the Hawks. After years spent among the laughing stock of the NBA, Atlanta will make its first playoff appearance in nine years -- the longest postseason drought in the NBA. Led by 21.7-ppg scorer Joe Johnson, defensive player of the year candidate Josh Smith (17.2 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 2.8 bpg, 1.5 spg) and rookie of the year candidate Al Horford (10.1 ppg, 9.7 rpg,), the Hawks have a solid starting lineup that is sure to be tested by the best scoring defense in the league. The acquisition of Mike Bibby in February gave Atlanta the veteran point guard it had been searching for.

The Celtics swept their three-game season series with Atlanta, posting an average victory margin of 14.3 points. There have been only three instances when an eighth-seeded team has upset the top-seeded team in the first round, one of which occurred last season when Golden State knocked off Dallas.

The Hawks are a talented young team, but the Celtics and the city of Boston will be way too amped up to let this opportunity slip away.

You must have an account to post comments. Go ahead and register now. It's completely free and takes 5 seconds.

Clyde Drexler Indoor/Outdoor Basketball
Clyde Drexler hand autographed Spalding Indoor/Outdoor Basketball. Clyde was recently elected to the 2004 Basketball Hall of Fame. Certificate of Authenticity from Scoreboard....
$149.00
$109.00

Earl Campbell Houston Oilers HOF Mini Helmet
Earl Campbell hand autographed Houston Oilers Riddell mini helmet with rare HOF Inscription signifying his induction to the National Football League Hall of Fame. GTSM Hologram and...
$119.00
$99.00

Steel Curtain 4 Signature Pittsburgh Steelers Mini Helmet
Steel Curain hand autographed Pittsburgh Steelers Riddell mini helmet. 4 Autographs include: Joe Greene, Dwight White, Ernie Holmes, and LC Greenwood. James Spence Hologram and C...
$299.00
$219.00

- 2008 West Coast Hoops Preview

Athlon's 2008-09 previews for all eight West Coast Conference teams are right here.... more

- Goal Line Stand: Penn State looks strong

As Penn State prepares for a season-defining stretch of games, it does so with a 6-0 recor... more

- Fixer-Upper: Five ways to improve NASCAR

With a seemingly growing number of fans, both longtime and recent, voicing their growing d... more

- College Football Mid-Term Exam

It is the seventh week of the college football season. That means the halfway mark for fan... more

- Week 7 QB Rankings

Need some help under center in Week 7? Check out our quarterback rankings to help your fan... more