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Celtics start title chase vs. Hawks

Apr 20, 2008 - 1:20 PM Atlanta at Boston 8:30 pm EDT Eastern Conference first round

BOSTON (Ticker) - The playoffs are why Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge made off several offseason moves.

The top-seeded Celtics look to continue their impressive turnaround season against the eighth seed Atlanta Hawks in Game One of Sunday's Eastern Conference first round matchup.

After winning just 24 games last season, Ainge changed the landscape in the East with two huge acquisitions in All-Stars Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to form one of the best trios in the NBA with Paul Pierce.

The "Big Three" answered the call in helping the Celtics return to the top of the league at 66-16 - their best mark since the days of Larry Bird and Co.

"Yeah, I guess you wake up better. You wake up more confident," Boston coach Doc Rivers said of his new talent-laden roster. "My work hasn't changed, but it's definitely more enjoyable to go to work."

Boston is looking for its 17th championship, but hasn't reached the NBA Finals since the 1985-86 campaign.

The Celtics aren't not the only team that's having a turnaround season.

Atlanta is back in the postseason for the first time in nine years due largely to the efforts of two-time All-Star Joe Johnson, who leads the team in scoring (21.7) and assists (5.8).

Veteran guard Mike Bibby should provide experience after spending nine campaigns with the Sacramento Kings, who shipped him to Atlanta during All-Star weekend.

Josh Smith and rookie Al Horford give Atlanta its best offering in the paint against Boston, which ranks second in the league in points allowed at 90.3.

"We feel like it's a great matchup for us," Smith said. "I don't think there's any position where you can say we are severely undermanned against them. We don't feel like it's a situation where you can say it won't be a competitive series, because we've played and played well against some of the best teams in the league."

Boston took all three meetings from Atlanta this season, including 99-89 victory at Philips Arena that saw Rivers bench his starters most of the fourth quarter on April 12.