The Atlanta Hawks tipped off against the Boston Celtics in TD Garden looking to make a major statement in a series where few have given them a chance. Atlanta was fully healthy with multiple days of rest after an impressive Play-In Tournament victory in Miami, in stark contrast to the Game 1 against the Heat in the first round a year ago.
24 minutes of gameplay later, they were left staring at a possibly ridicule-worthy final scoreline. While the Hawks rebounded in the second half and turned a 30-point halftime deficit into a more palatable 13-point loss, at no point was Boston truly pushed or challenged in the contest.