As the Boston Celtics take on the Atlanta Hawks in Game 3 of the NBA playoffs this year, Hawks fans are eager to see their team bounce back from previous losses and put up more effort in tonight’s game. With the Celtics leading the series led 2-0, here are some key things that Celtics fans, like myself, are hoping to see in tonight’s game.
Adjustments and Some Competition By The Hawks
Adjustments by the Hawks are a given, especially. The Hawks will look to come out swinging against Boston very earlier and do their best to contain any scoring opportunities by the Celtics. This game is important because no team has come back from a 3-0 deficit so I expect the Hawks to come out swinging and the crowd to be insanely loud.
I do expect Trae Young to do some of what he does best. The Celtics seem to have his number and guard him extremely well, partly because of his height. Young, who was voted as the most overrated player in the league, is not a great defender so I don’t expect him to magically improve in two games.
Continued Dominance By “The Law Firm of Tatum and Brown”
Tatum and Brown have been incredible in the last two games. Tatum seems to understand the gravity of the moment and has been great from the parameter. Jaylen almost seems like a better player with that mask on and has been phenomenal in the last two games. With that said, in Game 3, I expect these two stars to have big scoring nights.
Tatum has shot lights out against the Hawks and Brown has attacked the basket, creating scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates. Jaylen seems to be managing well through his recent hand injury with a level of concern very low. Both players will be ready for the matchups against the Atlanta Hawks.
Celtics’ Bench Production and Simple Defensive Adjustments
I’m really interested in seeing how the bench responds tonight against the Hawks. The Celtics’ bench is arguably the deepest in the league so I expect them to set in Game 3, led by Sixth Man of The Year, Malcolm Brogdon. I expect to see a spark off the bench with their scoring and lots of energy. The bench can provide the Celtics with the necessary depth and firepower to keep the score inflated by at least 20 points.
As far as defense, I expect some simple defensive adjustments sooner to counter the Hawks’ offensive strategies early on in the first half. This includes different defensive schemes, rotations, and matchups to stop the Hawks’ offensive flow in the first quarter and limit their scoring options. So expect to see the defense put the clamps on the Hawks and do not expect much of a challenge by the Hawks afterwards.
Conclusion
As a Celtics fan, I am looking forward to tonight’s Game 3 against the Hawks. I like competition in the playoffs but do not believe that the Hawks will beat Boston. The Hawks just don’t have the offensive power to keep up with the Celtics and will have a hard time running the Celtics off the 3-line. While I am not a stats nerd, the Celtics are respectfully top 5 offensively and defensively so I expect them to put away the Hawks tonight in Atlanta. My bold prediction for tonight is a Celtics win, 120-90. Let’s go Celtics!
