Now that's more like it. The Celtics have put the Hawks on the ropes with a resounding and convincing victory in game 5 last night. Everything that was going wrong for Boston in games 3 and 4 seems to have been solved by playing in front of their home crowd, and similarly, everything that was going right for the Hawks evaporated into thin air as the road team. I suppose that it just goes to show how huge an advantage a raucous home crowd can be in a playoff series. That being said, I think that the Celtics are poised to break the cycle in this series and finish the Hawks off in game 6 in Atlanta.
I say that for several reasons, chief among them is my thought that the Hawks have already peaked and given the Celtics their best shots already. Though the Hawks have proven to be better and more competitive than anyone initially thought, they've still been wildly inconsistent even in their wins and have relied too heavily on the heroics of Josh Smith and Joe Johnson to do everything on both ends of the floor for them. Though Johnson was terrific again last night, the Atlanta bench and Mike Bibby stunk up the garden like a rancid skunk carcass (what beautiful imagery) and sunk what little chances the Hawks had of beating the Celtics again.
Also, the Hawks officially woke the Celtics up in games 3 and 4. They ambushed the Celtics, and it worked, but their cover is officially blown. The Celtics won't sleep on the Hawks again and will go into game 6 in Atlanta focused and will step up their defensive intensity and impose their will on Atlanta. I know that the Hawks rebounded from blowouts in games 1 and 2 to even the series, but I just can't see them doing it again (this goes back to my original point that they've spent their energy). The Celtics are just too good, and they won't let themselves get beaten again.
Atlanta is not Golden State, the Celtics are not Dallas, this series will be over tomorrow night. The Celtics have the ability, if they are committed to it, to use their defense to force Atlanta to play their tempo. It may be close, but the Celtics will make sure that the game fits their style. If the game becomes slow, Atlanta is going to have to execute in the half court, which (though they did in the game 4 win) is more difficult for them to do. If the Celtics can play lock down defense on MIke Bibby and Josh Smith (they can only contain and partially limit joe Johnson, he's too good), they'll win like they should.
Maybe too big an if? I don't think so. The Celtics have proved themselves time and time again this season, and despite Atlanta's surprises in games 3 and 4, the Celtics still deserve the benefit of the doubt. If the Jazz can win a playoff game on the road against Houston, the Celtics can beat the Hawks once in the ATL. They're chances loke pretty good as is, and doubly so if Paul Pierce can keep a handle on the ball in crunch time!
One last thing that's worthy of noting about game 5 was the play of Ray Allen. Though he wasn't Boston's highest scorer, he was integral in the victory and hit several big shots to put the final nails in Atlanta's coffin. For the series, he's shot 45% from the floor, including 50% from behind the arc (good for a 17 PPG average), hasn't missed a freethrow and has come up big down the stretch for Boston. You know what they say, he got game.
