ATLANTA – As the Atlanta Hawks awaited word as to whether Boston guard Rajon Rondo would be suspended for Game 2 of their first-round series on Tuesday, they were planning as if he would be part of the Celtics' lineup.
Rondo was ejected with 41 seconds left in regulation after bumping official Marc Davis. Rondo was disputing a foul call on Boston during a loose ball fracas with the Hawks holding a tenuous four-point lead. The Hawks went on to win the game, 83-74.
The league had yet to rule on Rondo by the time the Hawks completed practice but normally such an infraction would carry a suspension and Rondo has a history with officials.
Hawks forward Josh Smith, who played high school basketball with Rondo at Oak Hill Academy, said that Rondo has always had that fiery, competitive side to him whether it was flag football, food fights or video games.
"I mean, emotions always are intensified in the postseason so you know he probably felt as though it was a jump ball and he lost his head a little bit," Smith said. "That happens. That definitely happens, especially in the situation they were in it was a big possession for them. I mean, we'll see what happens. We're factoring him in…. You never know what happens."
Hawks coach Larry Drew said Boston has proven it can without some of its top players in the past. Nonetheless, Ray Allen (ankle) did not play Sunday and losing Rondo, Boston's top performer in Game 1, could be a difficult blow to surmount.
Rondo finished with 20 points on 10-of-18 shooting, 11 assists to only one turnover with four steals and four rebounds.
"Well certainly it changes things a little bit but with or without him, they have shown they can win," Drew said. "They're a veteran ball club. They've been in enough situations to where they've had players out and certainly whether he's there or not we cannot let our guards down until we get an official word as to what the situation is we're going to factor him in and as I told our guys this is the playoffs and there are things that happen through the course of the playoffs that can change things but certainly you cannot go into a game relaxed or let your guard down. You have to be a team on a mission and certainly we have to be that type of team. As I said, they're a very capable ball club and they've been in a situation enough where guys have missed games so we'll just see what happens."
Hawks point guard Jeff Teague, who could be a direct beneficiary if Rondo cannot play, said it would not affect Boston much and pointed out that Boston guard Avery Bradley scored 28 points against them earlier in the regular season.
One Hawk player who is known for having a tough time controlling his emotions – forward Ivan Johnson, who registered more than 20 technical fouls last year in the the NBA Development League – also mentioned how emotions can get away from players.
"Sometimes emotions get the best of people," Johnson said. "You know. It happens."
