Long-time fans of the Atlanta Hawks don't necessarily associate positive thoughts with the "big stage" of national television, but the team has another opportunity to extinguish that negativity on Tuesday night. This time, the Hawks will play host to Brad Stevens and the Boston Celtics.
The Hawks will be without both Kent Bazemore and Tiago Splitter for Tuesday's game against the Celtics.
In Saturday's loss to CLE, Atlanta shot a season-low 37.2 percent and trailed the Cavaliers by as many as 26. The Hawks were especially dominated inside, getting outscored 44-30 in the paint and outrebounded by a 51-38 margin.
Dikembe Mutombo will be honored at halftime in Atlanta tonight as the Hawks retire and raise his No. 55 jersey to the rafters of Phillips Arena.
The Hawks are off to a 9-6 start to 2015-16, which seems a bit underwhelming after their 60-win campaign last season. But Atlanta started 2014-15 at 9-6, too, before winning 31 of its next 33 games to reach 40-8.
