Picks: ESPN Boston experts pick C's

By ESPNBoston.com

With the Celtics and Hawks set to square off in Atlanta starting Sunday (7 ET), we got quick picks from the series from our four hoop experts. Over at ESPN.com, 11 of 12 experts pick the Celtics, with only Chad Ford picking the Hawks (in seven).

Jackie MacMullan: Celtics in 6
The Hawks are thin in the middle due to injuries, but don't underestimate how critical it is for Ray Allen to play in this series. Boston should prevail but their margin of error is close to non-existant.


Chris Forsberg: Celtics in 6
Boston is too inconsistent to not slip up (no first-round sweep like the Knicks last year), but too talented to not win this series against a depleted Hawks squad. So long as Boston can steal one in Atlanta, this series should be short on drama (though each game will likely be a grind). In the end, Kevin Garnett at the 5 will be Boston's biggest advantage against the shorthanded Hawks.


Peter May: Celtics in 6
As anyone who has paid even casual attention to the Celtics, they are a much better and deeper team now than they were two months ago. The emergence of Avery Bradley, the re-commitment to defense led by Kevin Garnett, the ongoing brilliance of Rajon Rondo and the versatility of the bench (Mickael Pietrus) makes them a tough out. Ray Allen might not be with them for some of the series, but the Hawks don’t expect to have Al Horford for any of it. Advantage: Boston.


Greg Payne: Celtics in 5
The loss of Al Horford for the Hawks opens up all kinds of possibilities for Kevin Garnett in this series. While Zaza Pachulia and Jason Collins can play physical, neither has the defensive chops to slow KG down when he's looking for his offense. Couple Garnett's surefire productivity in this series with a distinct advantage at the point guard position for Boston (Jeff Teague is steadily improving, but he's not close to being on Rajon Rondo's level yet), and this first-round matchup will be over sooner rather than later.


HOW ABOUT A SWEEP.....ARE THEY KIDDING AT ESPN!!!!!!!

112288

Hi,
I think it'll take Celtics 5-6 games to get to
The 2nd round.
I hope RA'll be good to step on the floor for the
Last game or two to get in shape. IMO, Celtics can beat
Atl without him but after that his presence is a must.

AK

i'm not sure we could sweep 'em but i am sure we can do it in 5 games. 6 woudl surprise me. 7 games and im disapointed in them. if they lose the series i'll boycot watching them till next season.

Horford will miss first round of playoffs

By Chris Vivlamore
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Reality hit Al Horford Wednesday and it hit hard.

The Hawks center said he will not be available for the team’s first-round playoff series against the Celtics. He said he has not progressed enough following surgery three months ago to repair a torn left pectoral muscle.

“I realized that I’m not nearly where I need to be or want to be, not even to give the team anything,” Horford said. “That’s when we kind of decided that it was best for me to take some time off, keep working, see how I progress. But we are just not where we need to be yet.”

The Hawks could also be without center Zaza Pachulia when the playoffs begin this weekend. Pachulia will not play in Thursday’s regular-season finale against the Mavericks, the seventh straight game he will have missed with a sprained left foot. Coach Larry Drew said Pachulia is scheduled to be re-examined this weekend.

“Don’t know,” is all Drew said when asked whether Pachulia would be ready for the postseason.

Horford competed in 4-on-4 full-court drills Monday and was encouraged following the workout with how he felt. He said he even made a few baskets. That feeling changed the following morning when Horford said he “felt like I went backward.”

“I knew from the very beginning that I wasn’t going to be able to get my strength until later this summer but I have very, very little strength in the post where I can’t hold my own ground,” Horford said. “The playoffs are intense. The intensity goes up. You can go in and play in a practice. You can even play in a regular-season game.

"But the playoffs are different. The way that I play and to be most effective to the team, I’m not at that point.”

Horford did not dismiss the possibility that he could be ready for the second round should the Hawks advance.

Knowing that his return would provide a boost, Horford tried to convince himself returning to action was possible. He even discussed with coaches a change in his playing style, using picks to get jump shots. But that’s not Horford’s game and he knew it.

“I have to be in the paint,” Horford said. “I want to be a presence inside, being able to get tough rebounds, defend. I feel like I’m a good post defender. If I come out, I would be limited to doing stuff that I can do but it’s not what I’m all about.”

Horford had surgery Jan. 17 after suffering the injury six days earlier against the Pacers. The original diagnosis called for him to miss three to four months. He has missed 54 of the team’s 65 games going into Thursday’s finale.

During rehab, Horford has been limited to lifting only light weights,, designed primarily to maintain the range of motion in his shoulder.

“It’s tough because I’m trying to look at it different ways and tell myself that, ‘Yes I can play,'” Horford said. “It’s hard when you are hit with reality like this. This is the first time that I’ve actually had an injury of this type and any type of surgery.

"I’m learning from this and hopefully this will make me a better player. I know I’m going to be much more motivated when I come back, I tell you that, whenever it is.”

112288

Down here in the ATL.....The Hawks want to win this series.

Joe is capable of winning a game or 2 by himself. teague actually has turned into a pretty good offensive player.

If we can get out in 6 I will be happy.

The transition that is taking place has been a pleasant surprise.

The key to winning will be Avery on Teague. He is a disruptive force. If MP is healthy, the Celts can win even if ra cannot play...imo

Dboss

I stand pat................SWEEP by CELTICS..........If they are kind to management they will drag it to 5 games to get Wyc extra revenue!

112288

112288, it's great to have that optimism, because "sweep" certainly is optimistic.

I have to give the Hawks credit for their regular season. To me, they've been a team without heart in their current era, never overachieving, only underachieving. I figured they'd fade the second half of the season, then I wondered if they'd fall out of the playoffs altogether (or at least the bottom of the East seeds) once Horford went out, but they wound up 40-26 and will have home court advantage against the Celtics despite being the lower seed.

Like most people -- on this board or otherwise -- I'm picking the Celtics, but I don't think it will be an easy series. Last season, the Celtics swept the first round against New York, but the first two games were nail-biters and could've gone either way. I think the Hawks are a more formidable opponent than the Knicks were last year, so I expect them to win a couple.

Outside

And personally, I'm just thankful that we get to enjoy the playoffs. For a long stretch there, it didn't look like we were going to have a season at all.

Celtics in 5. Atlanta is a one dimensional team.....and the Celtics will put Pietrus on Johnson and that will make things tough on him down the stretch in games.

They have no one to guard Rondo, no one to guard KG, no one to deal with Pierce....Celtics should win one in ATL....win both in Boston then wrap it up in Game 5.

Flub the Hawks. They're not even a speed bump on the road to #18.

I'm picking the Celtics over the Thunder in Game 7 of the Finals, winning when, with the Celtics ahead by one and the clock running down, Durant finds Perk all alone under the basket only to have the Beast bounce the ball off his foot and out of bounds as the buzzer sounds.

There are some potentially excellent series shaping up and it seems as though most teams (except the Hawks and Knicks in the East) have a chance to go all the way.

The most intriguing question to me is Rajon Rondo. Will this be the moment in time when he ascends into the upper levels of superstardom? How safe is the record for assists in a playoff game? Or will Rondo surprise everyone by dominating on the defensive end? Has anyone ever had a quadruple double? Rondo once had sixteen steals, hard to forget. With KG and Bradley looking out for him, he can take chances and try to anticipate plays like never before. This season you got the impression that, great as he was, Rondo was still holding something in reserve. It's too bad the announcers don't tak about the things a player does to make his teammates better: if they did, they could talk all day about Rondo (and KG, Allen and Pierce).

At least it's nice to see that ESPN has written off the Heat. It's being bandied about that Lebron has already reduced the number of championships he plans to win with Miami from seven to six, not because he lacks self-confidence, but because it matches his uniform number.

Lastly, there's no truth to the rumor that the NBA has ordered Ron Artest to change his name from Metta World Peace to Magnus Armageddon.

Watch out. I think the Knicks can bump off Miami. Miami has had a fragile psych since LJ came to Miami. Look for a 7 game series and perhaps a surprise.

112288

Would be interesting to see the Knicks have one of those games like the last one against the Celtics where everything falls.

If the Knicks for some reason manages to win game 1 shit just might hit the fan.

Yahoo! has 6 experts of their own and are also involved in the predictions game. Tonight i'm going to sit down and make up my own predictions and see how i fare against the expert predicters.

anyhow 1 expert has us beating the hawks in 5 games 4 experts got us beating the hawks in 6 games, and one has us beating them in 7.

2 experts got us meeting up with the Heat in the ECF's but split their decision.

the slightley wiser of the two experts has us falling to the lakers in 7 games.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--predictions-for-the-2012-nba-playoffs.html;_ylt=AlVccqXoExXsoShsBT5fH268vLYF

112288 wrote:Watch out. I think the Knicks can bump off Miami. Miami has had a fragile psych since LJ came to Miami. Look for a 7 game series and perhaps a surprise.

112288

I agree Melo will make James work and could go off on him, Shumpert is one of the best perimeter defenders already out there, could see Wade's shooting % struggle, you all know what I think of Bosh, Amare is hopefully healthy and Tyson Chandler is there to anchor everything and protect the lane. If Jeremy Lin was around to run things Miami would be done.

I agree Cow, no underdawg team has a better chance i think of upseating the Heat than the knicks..

since the departure of i dont play "D"antoni the knicks have begun to turn things around. bring back this crew with Lin next yr and maybe these knuckleheads come win some respectability.. or they might win it this season by knocking out the Heat, which would be nice because since right before the season i've wondered what the Heat meant this season when they said it was "a title or bust"

ive been looking forward to seeing this bust they spoke of..

I think Barron Davis and his long NBA experience is much better then Lin who creates too may turnovers per game for the Knicks to win close ones.

112288

Baron Davis is good for 20 minutes a game, hes not like Pierce or KG, if he plays more than that he breaks down.

Cow,

his 20 minutes in a crucial series is better then 35 minutes by a rookie Lin. Turnovers are a killer and Lin by himself under pressures averages 6 - 8 per game.

112288

Good point 112288, go Knicks!!!

guess they could have used Jeremy Lin, anybody other than JR Smith bringing the ball up.....glad we have the best in the business Rondo

No team in the playoffs should be taken lightly. If Teague, Johnson & Josh Smith are "on" in the same game, the Celts will have all that can be done to handle them. They will be geeked up tonight much more than when they played our back ups and struggled. I think Flip Saunders will help keep KG positive, and Doc will out coach Larry Drew, if it comes to that. Miami devistated the Knicks. If NY looses game 3 in NY, the Heat will sweep. Game 2 for the Knicks may as well be marked in the loss column.

MD!