Rojon Rondo will be posted on the sidelines when the Boston Celtics visit the Atlanta Hawks in Tuesday’s Game 2 of the first-round series. The Boston point-guard was given a one-game suspension for bumping into official Marc Davis late in the opening game, won 83-74 by the fifth-seeded Hawks. Atlanta built a 19-point lead and then held off a charge by the fourth-seeded Celtics and scored the final five points of the game after Rondo was ejected.
Boston Celtics at Atlanta Hawks
When: 7:30 PM ET, Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Where: Phillips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia
The Hawks are swift with the 4-point favorites from a few online sports book sites. Check out the lines at Sportsbook.com if you wish to join NBA betting with this game.
Boston Celtics
This team has missed all 11 of its 3-point attempts as top outside shooter Ray Allen missed the game with an ankle injury. Forwards Paul Pierce missed all six of his 3-pointers while struggling to 12 points on 5-of-19 shooting. Rondo had 20 points and 11 assists but lost his cool with 41 seconds left after a scramble for a loose ball led to a foul call on teammate Brandon Bass. “Obviously I was upset about the call and I said some words to March,” Rondo said. “I deserved the first teach. As I was walking, I thought he stopped. My momentum carried me into him. I even think I tripped on his foot.” Kevin Garnett, forward, overcame a 1-for-9 first half in Game 1 to finish with 20 points and 12 rebounds.
Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta could make us of better results from Joe Johnson after the All-Star guard/forward made just three of 15 shots in Game 1. Johnson missed all nine of his 3-point attempts committed four turnovers while tallying just 11 points. The star of the opener was forward Josh Smith, who had 22 points and a personal playoff-best 18 rebounds. “He was an animal,” said Atlanta coach Larry Drew. “When he’s playing with that energy, he just makes us so much better.” The Hawks shot just 40.8 percent after opening the game by hitting 8 of 11 attempts. Center Zaza Pachulia is expected to sit out Game 2 due to a foot injury. The home team won all seven games when Boston beat Atlanta in a 2008 first-round series.
NBA Betting Basketball Prediction: Hawks 97, Celtics 94
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