What Went Right in Game 3?

The Celtics were able to cut the series lead in half with a 111-103 victory on Friday night

Finally. The Boston Celtics showed up and gave Brad Stevens his first postseason win. It was only a matter of time before the Celtics showed up and played the way everyone knows they can. From the start they looked more confident and active on both sides of the ball. At 2 games to none, the series was still far from over and TD Garden was rocking. It took Boston less than 2:30 minutes to outscore their first quarter in Game 2 and their 37-point first quarter was more than Game 1 and 2 combined.

This was the first game of the series that Boston seemed to show real emotion, and it looked like a playoff game. Things got chippy early and stayed that way throughout the game. Jae Crowder was fouled hard on a fast break and then Isaiah Thomas and Dennis Schroder got into things after a couple of unnecessary antics. Thomas was facing a one-game suspension, however, Boston is glad the series is 2-to-1 instead of 3-to-0.

Everything looked different in this game. The Celtics made shots and that was the key. In the first two games, the Celtics continuously missed open jumpers. The Atlanta Hawks didn’t respect their jump shot and they were able to play off shooters and guard the lane. It forced the Celtics to either take a three, which they weren’t hitting, or drive in for a contested jumper.

Boston’s 46.3 field goal percentage and 34.4 three-point percentage are by far the best of the series, and what we’re used to seeing out of them. From early on, it was obvious the Hawks weren’t concerned with the three ball. The addition of Jonas Jerebko into the starting lineup did a lot for the Celtics in that regard.

There were a couple of times early in the game where Atlanta would force Jerebko or Thomas to shoot, and they made it. The Hawks eventually had to respect their shot and it opened up the paint.

Benching Jared Sullinger and keeping Amir Johnson on the perimeter, mainly used for setting screens, was a big difference. In Games 1 and 2, the Celtics would try to force it inside, however, they didn’t have the firepower to match up against the Hawks’ frontcourt. It was also clear that Sullinger was getting bullied down low in every game this series so far – a reason why he only played 11 minutes in Game 3.

With the paint open, Boston was able to drive in but then kick it back out when the Hawks’ defense collapsed, leading to a lot of open threes. It created a lot of open shots throughout the whole game and this time the Celtics were able to knock them down.

While Jonas Jerebko had a huge impact on the game, starting Evan Turner was key. Marcus Smart makes a huge impact off the bench, however, Turner fits the starting role better. His ability to play the point forward takes a lot of pressure off of Isaiah Thomas. Instead of Thomas trying to do too much and look for his shot every time down the floor, he was able to play off the ball and run through off-ball screens to get open.

Apr 19, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Kent Bazemore (24) drives against Boston Celtics forward Amir Johnson (90, left), guard Evan Turner (11) and forward Jae Crowder (99) in the third quarter of game two of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena. The Hawks won 89-72. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Turner, who recorded another gaudy stat line, (17 points, seven assists and five steals) was able to be another option on offense, next to Isaiah Thomas, that the Hawks had to respect. He is becoming famous for knocking down that corner three, however, his passing ability allows him to drive the lane and make a smart play or finish at the rim. Having him in the starting lineup was key to a career-high 42-points for Isaiah Thomas – FYI I called that.

Defense leads to offense and that’s why their offense ran so smoothly. Turner may not have the same defensive skills as Smart, however, the defensive intensity is always as high. Jae Crowder, who recorded three steals, finally made some noise in this series. He still shot a dreadful 1-of-11 from the field, but he created turnovers that led to a lot of easy baskets.

The Celtics like to play in transition and haven’t been able to do that this series. The only way to get the game played at a faster-tempo is to force turnovers or missed shots, and that’s what the Celtics did.

Defense hasn’t been a problem for the Celtics this series. They played solid defense in Game 1 and whether it was missed shots or good defense, they didn’t allow the Hawks to reach 90 points in Game 2. It was the same story in Game 3 as they held the Hawks to 44.2 percent shooting and a miserable 25 percent from behind the arc. Atlanta still had three 20-point scorers – Jeff Teague, Kent Bazemore and Dennis Schroder – and they went on runs, but Boston was able to counter it every time.

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The Celtics, as a whole, were more active on defense and when guys drove, they collapsed the lane. It led to some open shots for Atlanta, even some for Kyle Korver, but Brad Stevens will live with that rather than uncontested layups.

Maybe it was the home crowd or maybe coach Stevens finally found a starting lineup and rotation that works. As dominating as the Hawks have seemed in the Games 1 and 2, they haven’t been, the Celtics have just been that underwhelming. It showed when Atlanta held a 85-84 lead with 9:29 to play but was then held without a field goal for the last 3:49 of the game.

Next: Boston Celtics Need Stability

This series is far from over and the Celtics showed they’re more than capable of still winning this series. Winning at home in the playoffs is key and that’s exactly what Boston needs to do in Game 4. It helps that Brad Stevens is looking at his golden starting lineup right now.