BOSTON — At least the Hawks were more competitive after halftime. That’s a low bar considering they were so bad before it, and it’s possible the Celtics just got bored with beating them down. No matter. The Hawks had to hold on to that second half as something to feel good about because there was nothing else.
Boston didn’t expose the Hawks in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference playoff series Saturday. That suggests their flaws haven’t been evident all season. A spirited victory at Miami on Tuesday in the play-in tournament did nothing to change that big picture. The Celtics, unlike the Heat, were good enough to bring all of the Hawks’ weaknesses into focus.
Before the game, Hawks coach Quinn Snyder said his players were excited to be in the playoffs. More efforts like this, and they won’t be there for long. The Celtics staggered the Hawks from the start with sharp execution and high intensity. The visitors never led after the first four minutes, trailed by 30 points at halftime and lost, 112-99, at TD Garden.
