The Celtics, in the first quarter of Game 2 against the Hawks tonight:
- Players used: 10
- Points: 7
No matter what Boston tried, it didn’t work.
The Celtics’ seven points were the fewest in the first quarter of a playoff game since the NBA instituted the shot clock in 1954. They tied for the fourth-lowest scoring quarter in the postseason during the shot-clock era:
| Date | Team | Opponent | QTR | PTS |
| May 18, 1999 | Portland Trail Blazers | Utah Jazz | 4th | 5 |
| May 16, 2007 | New Jersey Nets | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4th | 6 |
| May 6, 1986 | Atlanta Hawks | Boston Celtics | 3rd | 6 |
| April 19, 2009 | Miami Heat | Atlanta Hawks | 4th | 7 |
| June 15, 2006 | Dallas Mavericks | Miami Heat | 4th | 7 |
| April 23, 2001 | Miami Heat | Charlotte Hornets | 3rd | 7 |
| May 3, 2000 | Utah Jazz | Seattle SuperSonics | 2nd | 7 |
Boston shot 3-for-23, split two free throws and committed five turnovers while falling behind 24-7.
The Celtics settled for too many bad shots early, a big mistake because teams can’t afford to waste possessions against the swarming Hawks defense. It’s hard enough to score on them when doing everything right. Even moving the ball a little better generated few good shots for Boston.
Of the seven teams to score so little in a playoff quarter, only the 2007 Nets won, beating the Cavaliers despite scoring just six fourth-quarter points. Could the Celtics become the second to survive such a putrid period? They did overcome a 19-point deficit deficit in Game 1.