The Atlanta Hawks entered an early afternoon contest in Boston on Saturday hoping to get a victory to avoid a season sweep at the hands of the Celtics. Playing on the road in Boston during the St. Patrick’s holiday weekend, however, is no easy task for any team in any sport.
The first half was a struggle defensively for the Hawks to say the least, with the Celtics putting up 74 points during the first two periods of play. Atlanta, who has been playing as well as any team in the league offensively since the All-Star break, produced 62 points in the half to keep the margin respectable.