Atlanta Hawks: Our Next to Chance Bend Over and Grab Our Ankles

Are the Boston Celtics even a top 5 team right now? Hell no. Top ten? Probably, but it doesn't matter, because once you get past the Fakers, Magic, Cavs, and Hawks, no one else stands much of a chance. It's kind of like getting excited about being ranked 12th in the college football polls. If you play for the Minnesota Gophers, 12th place is cool. If you play for the Boston Celtics, F it.

I mean, seriously, did it ever occur to you that Celtics fans dismiss the entire era between 1987 and 2007 as the lost years? Say what? We went to the Finals in 1987, and the ECFs in 1988 and 2001. In at least five other seasons, we started a front line made up of Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, and Larry Bird. That's not exactly NBA wilderness. How many teams would have traded places with us during those years?

Do Celtics' fans care? Of course not. And that's one reason I feel justified in raking my team over the coals. Watching my other Green Team play football, I was again reminded of how much of sports comes down to taking a punch, and then hitting back. I mean, did you watch the first half of the Jets-Colts game? It looked like the Jets were gonna win 38-13. Then Peyton Manning struck back, and the game was over.

Do the Celtics have any fight left in them?

Championships may not be handed it in January. But the regular season isn't meaningless either. Are the Celtics sick of getting smacked in the chopper yet? I sure am. Another loss tonight and I'm gonna have to pull out my motivational speech from the sixth inning of the 1975 World Series.

Vegas has the Hawks favored to complete the series sweep.

Gameday Matchup
	W-L	PF	PA	HOME	ROAD	STK	L10
BOS	29-14	99.6	93.7	13-7	16-7	L1	4-6
ATL	29-15	102.6	97.3	18-5	11-10	L1	7-3

Injury Report

BOSTON

· Marquis Daniels SG - Jan 28: OUT · J.R. Giddens SG - Jan 26: Day-to-Day · Brian Scalabrine PF - Jan 26: OUT

ATLANTA

· Josh Smith PF - Jan 25: Day-to-Day

· Fantasy Injury News · View NBA injury report

Last 5 Games
BOSTON (ET)	ATLANTA (ET)
Jan 28 @ORL Loss 96-94 Jan 25 LAC Win 95-89 Jan 22 POR Win 98-95 Jan 20 @DET Loss 92-86 Jan 18 DAL Loss 99-90	Jan 27 @SA Loss 105-90 Jan 25 @HOU Win 102-95 Jan 22 CHA Win 103-89 Jan 20 SAC Win 108-97 Jan 18 OKC Loss 94-91
· Complete Schedule: Boston | Atlanta

Depth Chart
POS	BOSTON (PPG)	ATLANTA (PPG)
PG	R. Rondo 14.1	M. Bibby 9.0
SG	R. Allen 16.0	J. Johnson 21.3
SF	P. Pierce 18.7	M. Williams 10.5
PF	R. Wallace 10.5	J. Smith 15.1
C	K. Perkins 11.9	A. Horford 13.6
· View full depth chart · Team rosters: Boston | Atlanta

Team Stat Leaders
	BOSTON	ATLANTA
Points	P. Pierce 18.7	J. Johnson 21.3
Rebounds	K. Perkins 8.3	A. Horford 9.8
Assists	R. Rondo 9.6	J. Johnson 4.8
Steals	R. Rondo 2.5	J. Smith 1.5
Blocks	K. Perkins 2.1	J. Smith 2.2
· Team stats: Boston | Atlanta