Celtics and Bruins Lose on Road

Crawford's half-court buzzer beater summed up the night.

Despite their greatest efforts to erase a 14-point third quarter deficit, the C's could only get it to within one in what was an eventual 100-91 loss at the hand of the pesky Hawks. The Celtics came out strong in the first and owned a nine point lead before their legs got tired. In the second night of back-to-backs, the Celtics slowed down mightily as the rested Hawks (they were idle last night) took over the fast break game 29-8.

Paul Pierce was the only Celtic to show up tonight and he put up 35 points (11-15 shooting, 12-13 from the line). The rest of the team was fairly weak as the C's finished 42% from the field and 3 for 12 from downtown. Here's the box score if you want to see the rest of the ugly lines.

The Celtics were swept by the Hawks (0-4) this season after tonight's loss, and the Hawks jump a half game ahead of the Celtics for second place in the East.

It was a very unsuccessful trip down south for the Green as they lost two big games to two big time Eastern Conference teams. Things don't get easier, as they face the Lakers on Sunday afternoon.

MORE:

• Sheed and Perkins were each T'd up tonight. Each are getting dangerously close to reaching the threshold for an eventual one-game suspension.
• J.R. Giddens, who had been up north with the Maine Red Claws, needs surgery on his knee. He's been a non-factor and appears to be nothing near the first round pick the C's used on him coming off of the championship.
  

The Bruins fall to 1-8-1 in their last ten.

The Bruins lost again tonight in Buffalo. Down 2-0 early with Tuukka Rask in net after the first period, all that the Bruins could muster the rest of the way was a second period Milan Lucic goal.

The same problem persists for the Bruins—they can't score. You can't win a game in the NHL when you score one goal; this marked the third straight game and three of four that the B's have put up a one spot.

Falling to 17-14-6 versus the Eastern Conference, the Bruins face a Western Conference opponent tomorrow night. The Kings come to the Garden following their victory over the Bruins two weeks ago in Los Angeles.

MORE:

• Marc Savard returned to the line-up tonight. He picked up an assist on Looch's goal, and they need him to get in the swing of things quckly.
• Marco Sturm missed his sixth straight game with a leg injury.
• The Bruins, who were as high as fifth in the East, now sit at twelfth in the conference.