Article:Turning up the Pressure in Boston

The Atlanta Hawks are doing the unthinkable; giving the Boston Celtics all they can handle. Last night in game four of their playoff series, the Hawks beat the Celtics with one of the most dominating fourth quarters in the history of the NBA. The Hawks win evened the series up at two games apiece, and suddenly the NBA’s superstar team, is wobbly on their feet, as they prepare to return to Boston and attempt to regain the control of the series.

The Atlanta Hawks went on a tear at the end of the season just to make the playoffs, and they are carrying that momentum with them into the first round. Chances are you have not heard of most of the players on the Hawks, or you saw them as journeymen bouncing from roster to roster. The other half of the roster is filled with a bunch of young gun players who have less than three years experience in the league. However, they are making the most of their first playoff experience.

With the series tied at 2-2 the momentum has to be on Atlanta’s side. They are playing with house money. Everyone expected the Celtics to roll through the first round of the playoffs and sweep the Hawks. The Celtics brought in two big name superstars and have been making claims about winning a championship since July. K.G. Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce are on 1000 commercials during the playoffs and David Stern has all but anointed them as the savior of the NBA. And now they have their back pressed to the wall.

Boston cannot afford to go lose game five at home, or else the Boston fans will begin to turn against their hometown team. Understand that as a city Boston was promised a threepeat. Red Sox World Series, Patriots Super Bowl and capped off by the Celtics return to greatness. Well the Patriots choked in the Super Bowl and the Celtics are on the brink of doing the same. If the Boston Celtics get behind the count, the crowd will never let them forget it, and the pressure will simply be too much to overcome