Ray Allen stars as Boston Celtics overcome a late rally from Atlanta Hawks – NBA Recap
Ray Allen scored 19 points, including two three pointers in the breakaway 13-0 run in the fourth quarter, as the Boston Celtics overcame a season low 12 points in the first quarter to beat the Atlanta Hawks 79-76.
Kevin Garnett netted 16 with eight rebounds, Paul Pierce had 13 points while with 10 points and 13 assists, Rajon Rondo completed a double-double. For the Hawks, Joe Johnson finished with a game high 25 points while Josh Smith
chipped in with 10 points, 11 boards, 8 assists and 2 steals.
Boston came into the game looking to put an end to their 2 game losing streak but had a tough proposition at hand because they were facing a team that had won its last two game by double figures. They were leading the Hawks 12-8
early in the piece, but in the last 4:12 of the first quarter, they committed 3 turnovers and missed all their 6 field goals to trail by 15-12.
A little over five minutes inside the second quarter though, the Greens tied the game at 21. In the next two minutes the game was leveled twice, on 23 and 25, before Atlanta went 6-2 for a four point lead. Boston tied the game
again 32.8 seconds before the halftime, but a floater from Jeff Teague put Atlanta ahead by 33-31.
The Celtics managed to stay within two early in the third, but an 8-2 let them reeling at 47-39. The Hawks however went ice cold after that and allowed the C’s to close in at 50-51, the last three points coming from a buzzer beating
three from Allen.
Boston then started the fourth frame with a 10-5 spurt and a Joe Johnson fade away jumper late, set off for a 13-0 run that put them ahead at 73-58.
Atlanta fired right back with a 18-4 rally with a three from Johnson providing the exclamation point and making it a one point game at 76-77. With 10.9 seconds to go, Kirk Hinrich had a personal take on Allen, sending the veteran
to the free throw line.
Allen calmly converted the pair to make it 79-76, but Atlanta had one last chance to take the game into overtime. However, instead of giving the ball to Johnson who had drilled three triple pointers in the 18-4 run, Teague went
for glory himself and the ball did not even make contact with rim.
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