Hawks Making This A series

Joe Johnson and Josh Smith combined for Atlanta's last 34 points to spirit the Hawks to victory. Johnson, a former Boston first-round draft pick, poured in 20 of his game-high 35 points during the final period. Johnson might have been the biggest difference-maker for the Hawks during crunch time, but Smith enjoyed the better all-around night on both ends of the court. The fourth-year forward finished with 28 points and six rebounds and his game-high seven blocks helped neutralize the Boston offense while setting an appropriately aggressive defensive tone for the undersized Atlanta frontcourt. Atlanta coach Mike Woodson has gone with a reduced rotation in this series. After winning the first two games of this best-of-seven series by 23 and 19 points, respectively, the shell-shocked Celtics must limp back to Beantown for Wednesday's pivotal Game 5. But even if Boston holds serve on its home court and survives this first-round series, the Hawks have done a whole lot to undermine the aura of invincibility the top-seeded Celtics carried into these playoffs in the wake of a 66-16 regular season. Atlanta hasn't necessarily put down a blueprint for beating Boston, but it's proved the Celtics can look merely mortal against athletic, resilient teams capable of taking a punch and punching back.