ATLANTA — The Celtics knew they were going to get the Hawks’ best shot on Friday. After two convincing victories in Boston, it was expected. The young and hungry Hawks were desperate, ready to prove themselves, and had a home crowd waiting for them to show it.
The Celtics have thrived in these situations for most of the season, with a target on their back after winning the Eastern Conference last season. But Friday night offered a humbling reminder for these Celtics that the road back to that stage is difficult to reach.
It was almost inevitable, after the Hawks’ two lackluster offensive performances in Boston, that they would heat up in their return to State Farm Arena. They did, and there was almost nothing the Celtics could do about it. Crushed under a barrage of shot-making, the Celtics fell to the Hawks with a 130-122 loss in Game 3 of this best-of-seven first-round series.
