Your Morning Dump... Where the Celtics remain all talk

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline.  Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

Prior to Friday's Hawks-Celtics game, Boston center Kendrick Perkins said his team “put a hit out” on Hawks guard Jamal Crawford, who had burned the Celtics for 18, 18, and 17 points off the bench in winning the teams’ first three meetings.

Instead it was Crawford who did all the hitting -- in the paint, off the backboard, beyond the 3-point line, and even from halfcourt. He scored 18 of his 28 points in the first half to turn a nine-point deficit into a 12-point halftime lead, and the Hawks coasted the rest of the way to a 100-91 win -- one that was unusually chippy for a regular season game but par for the course for a Hawks-Celtics tilt.

“I heard something about it before the game,” said Crawford of Perkins’ comments. “We got fired up.”

ESPN - Boston 'Hit' Plan Perks Up Crawford

What a shock, the Celtics were unable to back up some 'smack talk' directed at the Hawks. Don't bother reading any of the postgame quotes, it's all the same crap. Why can't this team give the Hawks some credit?

“Once the playoffs start it’s all 0-0,’’ Pierce said. “But you know they feel like they have the edge.’’

Globe - Hawks Sweep the Floor

Hey Paul, you want to know why they feel that way? Because it's true. The Hawks are the better team. The Celtics will not beat Atlanta until they accept them as rivals and play with a little bit of fear.

On Page 2, KG's residual soreness.

Even when Garnett said the knee, which was hyperextended last month, was not the issue, he was asked if he was just saying that to avoid making an excuse. But he assured he was not. However, the bottom line appears to be that KG is dealing with some residual soreness, but nothing he can’t play with.

“Kevin looked great tonight,” said Doc Rivers. “You know, it’s going to be this way for a while with him. He just came back, and (Thursday) he labored in the game, but it wasn’t an injury. He just didn’t have any rhythm. He was out of sync. And today he looked much better. For a while it’s going to be hit or miss.”

Herald - Knee deep in Queries

I can only pray we don't see any timing issues or 'residual soreness' a month from now. But if we do, I'm sure the Celtics will have some BS excuse for us.

Can you tell I'm pissed off this morning?

The rest of the links:

Globe - Reserves Didn't Hold the Lead | Herald - Celtics 0 for Atlanta | CSNNE - Frustration Rising | WEEI - Hawks Prey on Celtics | Giddens Needs Knee Surgery | ESPN Boston - Cs Hope Adversity Makes Them Stronger | Celtics Hub - The Truth and Little Else | NSS - Pierce's 35 Gets Wasted |