Marcus Smart on Hawks 23 Second-Chance Points in Game 3: 'Just a Matter of Will'

In their Game 3 win over the Celtics, the Hawks parlayed 11 offensive rebounds into a 23-9 advantage in second-chance points.

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Since Quin Snyder took over as head coach, the Hawks have become one of the most aggressive teams on the offensive glass.

They averaged 12.7 offensive rebounds after the All-Star break, the third-most in the league, per NBA.com. And they generated a 26-6 advantage in second-chance points to beat the Heat in their play-in game to punch their ticket to the playoffs.

Before their series opener against the Celtics, when asked about balancing crashing the offensive glass vs. getting back in transition, Hawks' head coach Quin Snyder stated, "You get it and score. And then you don’t have to play transition defense."

But Boston did well in the battle on the boards in its 112-99 Game 1 win, limiting Atlanta to an offensive rebound rate of 26.6 percent. That would have ranked in the bottom ten in the regular season.

When the hosts again protected the parquet with a 119-106 victory in Game 2, the visitors manufactured a 19-5 advantage in offensive rebounds and a 13-6 edge in second-chance points, helping them outshoot the defending Eastern Conference champions by double digits for the second-straight matchup.

It's why Celtics' head coach Joe Mazzulla expressed afterward, "As good as it feels, we haven't gotten better in two games because we haven't been able to control the shot margin."

And in the Hawks' 130-122 win in Game 3, they parlayed 11 offensive rebounds into a 23-9 advantage in second-chance scoring.

After the loss, Marcus Smart, who finished with 24 points, a team-best eight assists, and matched Jaylen Brown for a game-high three steals, conveyed the following.

"It's a matter of will and they wanted it more tonight."

Marcus Smart talks about the Hawks beating the Cs on the boards tonight, and how an early lead from the Hawks impacted them the whole game pic.twitter.com/QJ6ef0r5V0

— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) April 22, 2023

"They go every time. That's really it. There's nothing tactical about it, it's just a matter of will, and they wanted it more tonight. And they go every night, and we've got to be able to stop that. Like I said, they get second-chance shots, they get to feeling good. We do a good job on our first-shot defense; just got to clean it up with the rebounds."

Further Reading

Celtics Address Game 3 Loss to Hawks: 'This One Tonight is On Me'

The Hawks Hit Hardest in Game 3, Now, Joe Mazzulla Wants Celtics to 'Throw One Back'

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Loss in Game 3 vs. Hawks: Boston Struggles to Find Balance as Atlanta Extends Series

Ime Udoka 'Serious Candidate' to Become Head Coach of Celtics' Division Rival

Malcolm Brogdon Discusses Winning Sixth Man of the Year: 'I'm In a Really Good Situation'

[Film Room] Derrick White's Assertiveness Leads to 26 Points, MVP Chants as Celtics Take 2-0 Lead

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Hawks in Game 2: Swarming Defense and 64 Paint Points Propels Boston to 2-0 Lead

The Celtics Discuss Their Game 1 Win vs. the Hawks: 'We Can't Take Our Foot Off the Gas'

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Game 1 Win vs. Hawks: Championship-Caliber Defense Propels Hosts in Series Opener