• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Streaking Celtics host Hawks in Beantown

Mar 8, 2013 - 3:41 PM (Sports Network) - The Boston Celtics have been on a roll and target their fifth straight win Friday versus the Atlanta Hawks at TD Garden.

The Celtics recorded their fourth win in a row with Wednesday's 83-81 road triumph over the talented Indiana Pacers. Jeff Green's basket underneath with just a half-second to go lifted the Celtics, who rallied from nine points down with 4 1/2 minutes remaining.

Kevin Garnett finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds and assisted on the deciding bucket, while Paul Pierce and Avery Bradley scored 13 points apiece. Boston erased a 14-point hole in the second half and closed the game on an 11-0 run.

"We started to adjust and impose our will a little more," Garnett said. "We made shots and executed plays when we had to."

Green finished with 11 points and seven boards. Boston is seventh in the East standings and has won 13 of its last 17 games.

The Celtics will try to push their home winning streak to nine games Friday and are 21-9 as the host this season.

Atlanta returned home from a six-game road trip (3-3) to post a 107-96 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday.

Jeff Teague had 27 points and 11 assists for the Hawks, who halted a three- game slide and won for the fifth time in eight tries. Al Horford added 21 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in a winning effort.

"We just couldn't get shots to fall but eventually we got rolling," Teague said. "Everybody just played well tonight."

Anthony Tolliver recorded 21 points off the bench for Atlanta. Horford has been playing well lately, posting 23.7 points and 11.3 rebounds in his last 11 games with seven double-doubles in that stretch.

Atlanta hopes to grab a lead heading into the fourth quarter against Boston and is 28-2 this season when doing so (13-0 as the guest). The Hawks are 25-7 when scoring 100-plus points as well.

The Hawks look to halt a three-game road losing streak Friday and are 15-16 away from Philips Arena this season. In injury news for the Hawks, center Zaza Pachulia (sore right Achilles) is doubtful for Friday.

Atlanta and Boston have split a pair of meetings this season with both games played in the Peach State. The Hawks have lost two in a row, seven of nine and 10 of their last 14 games in Boston.