Nba Playoffs Rd 1: [4] Boston Celtics Vs. [5] Atlanta Hawks

[King Taharqa]

Rajon Rondo did the one thing no team wants to see from its leader in the postseason: He got himself ejected for something that shouldn’t have happened.

And now the Boston Celtics, who dropped the first game of their NBA playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks, face the prospect of losing Rondo for a while after he was ejected for bumping a ref Sunday.

“It affects us a lot — there goes our leader,’’ Kevin Garnett said (via Boston.com). “But, at the same time, you know, whatever the decision is, we have to be able to play without him. And we will be prepared either way.

"He’s our young leader. He’s very professional, he’s learned from countless situations he’s been in. He’s progressed as a young man and young leader. There are a lot of personalities around here. We don’t follow just because [Coach] Doc [Rivers] says follow. We follow Rondo for a reason. Doc’s system is predicated on hard work and playing hard. Obviously, we want certain personnel in positions, but the team is built so it runs continually like a wheel.

“He’s Voltron, he’s our black lion, but we’re going to continue to be who we are and [give a] better effort for Game 2.’’

Rondo, who had 20 points (10-for-18) and 11 assists, admitted that the bump looked bad. He was angry because Brandon Bass had been whistled for a foul as he battled Josh Smith for a loose ball and yelled at ref Marc Davis. He was hit with a technical and collided with Davis. As collisions go, it was a minor fender-bender, but his ejection was instanteous.

“Obviously I was upset about the call and I said some words to Marc. I deserved the first tech,” Rondo, who was tossed with 41 seconds left and the Celtics down by four, said. “As I was walking, I thought he stopped. My momentum carried me into him. I even think I tripped on his foot.”

Now Rondo and the Celtics will wait for a ruling from the NBA on a suspension that former ref Tim Don­aghy tells WEEI could be for two games. He was suspended two games in February for tossing the ball at ref Sean Wright. “It's out of my control,” Rondo said. “Obviously, I want to be there for my teammates, but other than that, it's out of my control.”

http://www.washingto...0ocrT_blog.html

I also updated the Hawks playoff starting lineup due to their frontcourt injuries.

[HeatCheck]

Did Rondo get suspended?

EDIT: Nevermind, I thought that's what that article was about.

[King Taharqa]

Rondo suspended 1 game per NBA.TV. Tough break for the Celtics.

[King Taharqa]

ATLANTA (AP) Boston Celtics guard Ray Allen will miss another playoff game because of an ailing right ankle.

Coach Doc Rivers was hoping to get Allen back for Game 2 against the Atlanta Hawks. The 36-year-old had looked much better during an off day, but he was hobbling again Tuesday and can't go.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/allen-ankle-sits-again-celtics-230855397--nba.html;_ylt=Aptm029GTn6pymM4mzIa7WC8vLYF

No Rondo, and no Ray Allen who's still struggling with injuries and needs offseason surgery.

[Kevin Greene]

Boston up by 5 late, they may take home court here.

[King Taharqa]

ATLANTA (AP) Maybe they'll start calling it Piercing.

Paul Pierce certainly ripped apart the Atlanta Hawks.

Almost single-handedly, Pierce wiped out an 11-point deficit in the second half, scoring 36 points to carry the Boston Celtics to a stunning 87-80 win Tuesday night in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference playoffs, even with Rajon Rondo serving a suspension and Ray Allen sidelined again by an ailing ankle.

''The only way we were going to win a game like this without Ray and Rondo,'' Celtics coach Doc Rivers said, ''was if Paul had a game like this.''

He also had a game-high 14 rebounds and, for good measure, threw in some Tebowing.

After making a couple of foul shots with just over a minute remaining to clinch it, Pierce paused on his way back to the bench to copy the move named after NFL quarterback The Golden Calf of Bristol, sinking to a knee and bowing his head for a brief prayer in the middle of the court.

''It wasn't pre-scripted,'' Pierce said. ''It just came to me.''

Boston heads home for Game 3 on Friday night tied 1-1. Rondo will be back for the Celtics in that one, his short-handed team having claimed the home-court edge while he sat out as punishment for bumping an official in the opener.

Pierce made sure the stellar point guard wasn't missed, outscoring the Hawks all by himself over the last 15:08.

''I have a lot of experience, a lot of confidence from being in those moments,'' Pierce said. ''You believe in yourself, your coach believes in you, your team believes in you, it's a combination of all those things.''

Pierce scored Boston's first nine points but struggled mightily through the second and third quarters. He came through when the Celtics really needed him, especially with the Rondo-less offense a bit out of sync and Allen watching from the bench in a suit rather than a uniform.

Down the stretch, the Celtics simplified things: Give the ball to Pierce and get out of the way.

''With Rondo being out, I knew I had to step up my scoring,'' said Pierce, who had only 12 points on 5-of-19 shooting in Game 1. ''Everybody that played tonight contributed. That took a lot of pressure off me defensively so I could be more aggressive on the offensive end. It was a team win. I can't take all the credit.''

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/pierce-leads-rondo-less-celtics-083302780--nba.html;_ylt=ArXv_nyd46pQDBS1nkNjhIy8vLYF

[Kramerica]

Any other losers like me watching this right now? Hawks come storming back in the final minutes...we'll see if they can finish the job. Johnson has been red hot getting ATL back in the game.

[Kramerica]

OT in Boston. Pierce got a pretty good look at the last shot.

[Kakarot]

Joe Johnson finally played like a superstar but it wasn't enough. ATL should really be up 2-1 but let game 2 slip away. Oh well, gotta win the next one

[Kramerica]

Good game so far in ATL. Josh Smith scored his first field goal with about 2 minutes to go in the half or so. Rondo with a sweet pull-up 3 as time expired. Celtics fans out-numbering Hawks fans.

[nickzz]

damn j-smoove.... he's very fun to watch when he's on his game. EXTREMELY skilled big-man.

[King Taharqa]

Hawks stay alive! Win Game 5! The series now heads back to Beantown for Game 6. Celtics are up in the series 3-2 now.

[nickzz]

josh smith sparked that win imo. even if he did almost choke it away with that turnover at the end...

[nickzz]

also, wtf was rondo doing at the end. seemed like he was completely unwilling to pass the ball and wanted the glory of hitting the game winner. poo like that solidifies chris paul's claim as the best point guard in the nba.