3/8/12: Celtics vs. Hawks Stat Pack

*On Friday, the Celtics hope to win their 9^th consecutive home game, which would be their longest regular season home winning streak over the last 4 seasons.
–Last time they won 9 straight home games: 2009

*Via Chris Forsberg: The Celtics “pitched a shutout over the final 4 minutes, 36 seconds of Wednesday’s come-from-behind triumph in Indiana. The Pacers didn’t score on their final 10 possessions, missing seven shots and turning the ball over three times.”
–“In the small sample, Synergy data has the Celtics allowing a microscopic 0.4 points per play [in their zone]. To put that in perspective, Boston is allowing 0.822 points per play overall during this winning streak and 0.892 for the season (fifth best in the league). Synergy has Boston at 0.747 points per play overall in zone this season.”

*Via @STATS_Hoops: “The @ATLHawks Josh Smith has had a double-double in each of his last 5 games against the Celtics, the longest active streak against them”

*Via research from Phillip Maymin and his colleagues at NYU Polytechnic Institute, the Celtics had the highest acceleration among all NBA teams during the 2011-12 season (as explained fully in this YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGKRtCmoqdk).
–Paul Pierce was the most frequent accelerating small forward (29.06%) during last season.
–Ray Allen was the 2^nd-most accelerating shooting guard (25.56%) during last season.

*The Celtics are now 22-12 this season when “hanging in the there” with rebounding, meaning they either won the rebounding battle or lost it by 5 or fewer rebounds.

*Paul Piece now has had at least 7 rebounds in 5 consecutive games. This is now tied for the longest streak for him in the Kevin Garnett era.

*Jason Terry is now five 3-pointers away from his 13^th straight season (2000-01 to 2011-13) of making at least 100 shots from downtown.
–Paul Pierce and Ray Allen are the only players to do so from 2000-01 to 2012-13.
–No other NBA players will be able to make it at least a 13^th straight such season in 2012-13.
–The record for the most consecutive seasons of at least 100 three pointers made is held by Reggie Miller: 15 seasons (1989-90 to 2003-04).

*Recent Meetings: Celtics vs. Hawks
–Wednesday at Indiana was the Celtics’ 2^nd-largest comeback this season.
–We all remember the 33-9 third quarter in the January 5 victory over the Hawks in Atlanta.
–That comeback was on the 2^nd night of a back-to-back. The team on the first end of that back-to-back: the Pacers.

*Milestone Watch:

–Paul Pierce is 1 offensive rebound away from 1,000 for his career–

–All-Time NBA Blocked Shots–
17. Larry Nance 2,027
18. Theo Ratliff 1,968
19. Kevin Garnett 1,967            (Garnett needs 1 to tie Ratliff for 18^th place)

–All-Time NBA Minutes–
25. Charles Oakley 40,280
26. Otis Thorpe 39,822
27. Paul Pierce 39,819            (Pierce needs 4 to move into 26^th place)