Originally published Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 12:00 AM
NBA Playoffs | Feisty Hawks tie up series against Celtics
Forget about a Boston sweep. The Hawks are headed back to Beantown all tied up with the mighty Celtics. Joe Johnson scored 35 points ...
The Associated Press
ATLANTA — Forget about a Boston sweep. The Hawks are headed back to Beantown all tied up with the mighty Celtics.
Joe Johnson scored 35 points — 20 in the fourth quarter — and Atlanta surprised the Celtics again 97-92 on Monday night to even the best-of-seven series at two games apiece.
A Game 5 that many never expected to happen is now on, Wednesday night in Boston.
The Hawks, who had the worst record (37-45) of any playoff team, overcame two double-digit deficits to beat a team that won an NBA-leading 66 games during the regular season.
The credit for this Atlanta stunner goes largely to Johnson, who took control in the final quarter. After Josh Smith's jumper put the Hawks ahead to stay 81-79, Johnson scored nine straight points to keep the Celtics on the ropes.
The knockout came when Paul Pierce drove to the hoop and left it short, then tumbled over a cameraman alongside the basket. When the Boston star finally climbed back to his feet, he had a look of disbelief — which pretty much sums up the way the Celtics are feeling about this series.
Smith went to the other end and made two free throws with 26 seconds remaining for 93-87 lead. Johnson — appropriately enough — finished off the Celtics by making two more foul shots with 14 seconds left.
Smith set an Atlanta playoff record with seven blocks, the last of them a swat on Kevin Garnett after he backed down in the lane, looking for the easy shot, with over 3 minutes left.
"It's time to shock the world," the public address announcer screamed to the sellout crowd of 20,016.
After getting blown out in the first two games, Atlanta turned feisty on its home court. Rookie Al Horford taunted Pierce after putting the Celtics away in Game 3.
Then, with 7 ½ minutes left in the second quarter, things really got testy. Garnett threw an elbow at Zaza Pachulia while going for a loose ball. The rugged Pachulia got right in the Boston star's face.
The officials stepped in quickly and Hawks coach Mike Woodson charged onto the court to pull his players away. No punches were thrown and no one was ejected, though the officials did call offsetting technical fouls — two on each team — after looking at a replay.
Boston started like it was going to be a blowout. The Hawks missed four shots and turned it over three times before finally hitting their first field goal of the game, Smith's 20-foot jumper with just under 7 minutes left in the first.
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
UPDATE - 10:50 PM
NBA | LaMarcus Aldridge leads Portland past New Orleans
Steve Kelley: ESPN's Bill Simmons gets us: He hates Clay Bennett, too
NBA | Hornets deliver early ax to Byron Scott
NBA | Greg Oden dominates for Trail Blazers
NBA | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is being treated for leukemia

Opening day at Crystal Mountain
Skiers crowded the slopes at Crystal Mountain for one of the resort's earliest openings.
nwjobs

Post a comment

Michelle Goodman blogs about work/life balance.
How to tell your office you're gravely ill
Post a comment
nwautos

Choosing a new sedan? Weigh the impact of your choice on your wallet and on the planet.
Post a comment
- Homeless man, 46, arrested in Greenwood arsons
- KVI talk radio host off the air as of Thursday
- Steve Kelley | ESPN's Bill Simmons gets us: He hates Clay Bennett, too
- Police investigate videotaped arrest
- Seattle U. Men's Hoops | Big recruit goes from Huskies to Redhawks
- Razor found in muffin an accident, 'mortified' baker says
- Mariners sign Jack Wilson to 2-year contract
- Suspect's family shaken by slaying of police officer
- Mountlake Terrace woman reports razor in muffin
- Ivar's undersea billboards a hoax devised as marketing ploy
- Police investigate videotaped arrest
631 - Seattle man to pack a pistol into community center to protest mayor's ban
197 - Light rail to airport to begin Dec. 19
177 - GOP clueless as families struggle with health care
166 - KVI talk radio host off the air as of Thursday
134 - Mariners sign Jack Wilson to 2-year contract
120 - Prosecutor weighs death penalty in police slaying
103 - Wright State game thread
97 - Person of interest in custody in connection with Greenwood arsons
95 - Rang says Locker not ready for NFL
85
- Light rail to airport to begin Dec. 19
- Homeless man, 46, arrested in Greenwood arsons
- Ivar's undersea billboards a hoax devised as marketing ploy
- Steve Kelley | ESPN's Bill Simmons gets us: He hates Clay Bennett, too
- Washington in race for federal education funds
- KVI talk radio host off the air as of Thursday
- Police investigate videotaped arrest
- Goodwill's Glitter Sale is Nov. 14-15
- Boeing: 787 fix is complete on first plane
- Seattle U. Men's Hoops | Big recruit goes from Huskies to Redhawks








