In sports we like to throw around the phrase, “statement game.” It usually comes after division rivals square off or two contenders in the same conference go head to head. We see this a lot in the NBA. Particularly when the elite teams like the Lakers and Thunder or Heat and Bulls win a big regular season game on the other team’s court. It goes back to our animal instinct to ‘bow up’ or flex our muscle to intimidate the other opponent.
Yet rarely in sports do we get to witness the type of statement game the Boston Celtics made vs. the Atlanta Hawks this past Friday night at Philips Arena.
Heading into this game the Hawks and Celtics were pretty much locked in as playoff opponents in the first round this year. The Celtics were (37-26) and the Hawks were (37-25). This puts both teams in at the 4th and 5th seeds in the East. The team that finishes with the better regular season record naturally will end up with home court advantage for this playoff series. That’s kind of a big deal. Well, at least to Hawks fans.
Apparently the Boston Celtics aren’t the least bit concerned about this Hawks team. How do we know this? The Celtics decided to sit their entire starting five Friday night. That was their statement. Let me translate: ‘we aren’t concerned about the Hawks first round. In fact, we are so confident we can win at Philips Arena, we are willing to concede home court advantage to you in the playoffs.’ Perhaps this was not so much a statement as it was the Celtics flipping the bird to Atlanta.
This of course is all subject to interpretation. Perhaps this was nothing more than a tired Celtic team looking for some rest. Boston had played 11 games in 15 days, although they did not play the night before. They weren’t scheduled to play the next night (Saturday) or Sunday or Monday. In fact, their next game is not until Tuesday vs. the Miami Heat (yeah, “statement game”). So why not give it a go against Hawks, a meaningful game with home court advantage on the line? The only explanation I can come up with again is that the Celtics just don’t care about the Hawks. If the Celtics had a color coded threat level system for other playoff teams in the East, the Hawks would probably be hot pink. Not real intimidating.
How fitting that Atlanta is home to the busiest airport in America, with more people connecting through Hartsfield-Jackson International then any other city. I get the sense the Celtics look at the Hawks series as nothing more than a layover on their way to Chicago or Miami second round. This Celtics team believes they have one championship run left in them this year. They better not look too far ahead. If the Hawks could extend the first round series to seven games and get All Star center Al Horford back, things could get interesting. That game would be played in Atlanta. If the Celtics lose, they will undoubtedly be asked about that fateful night in April when they decided to make a statement.
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