Now that was a fun game to watch.

It is amazing how a team can play subpar, yet still win. We play subpar and Lebron puts on a clinic....

A few game notes...

Boston just doesn't match up with ATL or has a severe mental block. They can't beat them without grinding it out. I hope they don't meet in the first round again.

It didn't appear as though ATL defense was that stifling or that they were overly aggressive, causing Boston to shoot poorly in several areas. I think it had more to do with that mental block ATL puts on BOS.

Allen - Continues to play like parrot shyt against Atlanta.
Pierce - Was ok.
KG - bad until the fourth. Then he hopped out the automatic and into the stick shift so he could carry em in the clutch...
Perk - Maybe Mark Jackson's assertion that he's in the top five centers in the league isn't too off base. He is straight up solid.
Rondo - Would he do this without the team he's got? One can wonder if he's a product of his environment. Nevertheless he is producing at an all star level.

Daddy, you are the man. I was just about to make a post asking if anyone had seen this game last night and what their thoughts were on it. I was obviously at Target Center watching the Wolves sleepwalk to another 20+ point loss while the opposition didn't break a sweat, thus missing a much better game on television. However, my dad filed a report with me saying that KG was the man in the fourth (going 5 for 5?), and I saw a highlight of him hitting a clutch jumphook with 30 seconds left. If anyone else saw this game or if The Daddy would like to elaborate, please do. It's only December and I'm already Jonesing for the playoffs.

I did watch this game since I live in East Grand Forks and I dont get channel 45(which might be a blessing in disguise) I think that the real reasons this matchup is so tight is atlanta's length and athleticism from the 2 guard through the power forward. That coupled with the fact that Pierce wasnt 100 percent. I noticed throughout the game that Boston would pick Bibby and get him gaurding Pierce that was the only times he would have success. Johnson can guard Allen is also a reason for these close games. Also Marvin WIlliams is a solid SF, he can even play the PF and he shoots 40% from 3. The Hawks should have one this game by 20 if it wasnt for bad execution. They like to isolate if you noticed Josh Smith's number one play of the night, which was a nasty dunk. The only player who has a clear cut advantage on Boston against the Hawks is the for mentioned k-Gilla. I think if the Hawks wouldnt have shot so badly in the first and played the defense they did the whole game they would have ran away with this one. If only they could keep Bibby around after this year I would say they will be real contenders but they wont be able to keep this squad together.

Jbird, "If -if- was a fifth then we'd all be drunk" my friend. Had it not been for poor execution we would have beaten the Lakers the other night, according to one side of the story. The bigger picture, however, is that the Lakers are the superior team and what makes them so are better players executing at a high level.

IF Ray Allen and KG wouldn't have executed like idiots in the first half, the game would have been out of hand late in the third. But they didn't shoot so well and Atlanta defends them well - or at least Ray and the Truth. Conversely, precisely the reason why good teams still win games when they don't play well is because they are good teams. They defend well and force the other team to execute poorly while executing themselves.

Bonk - It's always good to see KG get and deliver the rock in the clutch. The spin move alley from Rondo was great awareness between the two. One has to wonder, however, how much more effective J. Smith could be guarding Pierce with another, bigger frontcourt player on KG.

Do they have any assets to get Marion? He'd fit into the scheme, kind of...Either way, I am a growing Hawks fan. It goes:
1 - Celtics
2 - Blazers
3 - Utah
4 - Hawks
5 - Hornets

The Wolves would currently be my favorite team in the NBDL.