Doc Rivers swears he isn’t fibbing when he says the Hawks pose a threat to the Celtics in the first round of the playoffs.

The coach explained that it won’t “be an easy series. They’re athletic as heck. We’ve struggled with athletic teams—Charlotte, Philadelphia, Washington. So it would be absolutely a tough matchup.

“But it’s what I told our guys. With what we’re trying to achieve, it should be tough and it will be tough. We just have to get ready for that.”

The Hawks certainly know they have to be ready.

“Hey, they’re the best team in the East right now—in the league as a whole, as far as record-wise,” coach Mike Woodson said. “Doc Rivers has done a wonderful job; that’s all you can say. You’ve just got to tip your hat to him, because it’s not a guarantee that when you put three All-Stars together, it’s going to work. And they’ve made it work. They’ve made their supporting cast play at a high level each and every night, and in doing that they’ve won a lot of games.”

But Atlanta sub Josh Childress is optimistic.

“I think, in that situation, we’re a team that has nothing to lose,” he said. “We’re going to go out there and just fight. No one expects us to win. No one expects us to be in this position to begin with. So when the time comes and if we do match up with them, I think it’s going to be great on our end. We just have to go out there and play.

“There is no high expectation. You know, they’re the ones with the pressure on them. They have to beat us, because if they don’t, it’s the biggest upset. We just have to go out there and play hard.”

Celtics 105, Nets 94: With their regulars once again on limited duty, the Celtics looked to their supporting cast. This time, it was Leon Powe who stepped up with a career-high 27 points to go with 11 rebounds against New Jersey Wednesday night in Boston.

Powe was a beast inside, hitting nine of 16 shots from the floor and holding off the Nets. He had 12 of his points in the last quarter, moving the Celtics from an early tie in the frame to an easy triumph.

“I’m just trying to go out there and do something to help my team,” said Powe.

The Celtics finished their season with four straight wins and victories in 11 of their last 12.

“Oh, it’s valuable,” said Doc Rivers of giving his bench players important crunch time minutes in the last week-and-a-half. “I doubt that you’ll see all five of them in together in the playoffs, but it gives each one individually a lot of confidence.”

Notes, Quotes

• Kevin Garnett managed to win the Eastern Conference Player of the Week award despite averaging a little more than 25 minutes a game in the Celtics’ 3-1 run. He posted 19.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.25 steals in the span.

“That’s great,” said Doc Rivers. “Maybe we’ll keep sitting him and see if he can win another one.”

• Doc Rivers is a golf nut, so you know he was enjoying it when Masters’ winner Trevor Immelman accepted an invitation to address the Celts at halftime of their game in New York.

“He gave us the halftime speech. It obviously worked,” said Doc Rivers, whose Celts came back from five points down to win by six.

“It was great. Half the guys didn’t know him. It was really cool. They all gave him a nice standing ovation and shook his hand. We wanted everyone to touch what a champion felt like.

“He just said he’s been watching us all year and good luck.”

Quote To Note: “All I can remember the last two or three years is coming here and promising y’all better days.”—F Paul Pierce, addressing the fans before the game.

Roster Report

Rotation: Point guard Sam Cassell, Shooting guard Ray Allen, Small forward Paul Pierce, Power forward Kevin Garnett, Center Kendrick Perkins. Bench—Guard Eddie House, Guard Tony Allen, Forward Leon Powe, Forward Brian Scalabrine, Forward Glen Davis, Forward P.J. Brown, Guard Gabe Pruitt.

Player Notes:

• G Rajon Rondo didn’t dress for the regular season finale. Both he and F James Posey were given a break after playing 41 minutes apiece Monday.

• G Eddie House was back in the rotation after three games out with a strained groin.

• G Sam Cassell got the start at the point and had nine points and four assists in 19 minutes.

• G Tony Allen closed out on a high note with 18 points in 32 minutes.

Bruins - Inside Shots

2008-04-19T05:27:00.000-07:00

Hold the postmortems. The Bruins are still playing hockey—at least for one more night.

It’s still a longshot, and the numbers say only 20 of the 223 previous teams down 3-1 in a best-of-seven series have come back to win. History also says the Bruins have never rallied from a 3-1 deficit to win a series—and the Canadiens have never blown a 3-1 lead.

But the Bruins also were 0-6 in Game 5s against the Canadiens when down 3-1 in a series. That went out the window Thursday night in Montreal and because it did the teams will play Game 6 on Saturday night in Boston.

Not only did the Bruins beat the Canadiens on their home ice Thursday, they scored five goals (four in the third period) and made rookie Carey Price look vulnerable for the first time in his young playoff career. They found ways to beat the kid, the kid found ways to beat himself and now the Bruins have to feel confident bringing the series back home.

Remember, the Bruins have been outplayed only once in the first five games. They lost Game 2 in overtime, with the help of a shaky call, won Game 3 and lost Game 4 by just 1-0. They then scored the convincing win when facing elimination.

The numbers say “no way,” but who knows?

Bruins 5, Canadiens 1: They just wouldn’t go away.

“It’s a good feeling, we knew what we were facing tonight, and that’s how we approached it,” captain Zdeno Chara said after the big win, produced with four goals in the third period, staved off elimination for this gritty group. “We played really desperate hockey. We gave up the first goal, but we never gave up.”

Phil Kessel, brought back from a three-game exile, scored the first goal, Glen Metropolit took advantage of a Carey Price mistake for his first goal in 34 games (Price dropping the puck for him), Chara scored on the power play, Marco Sturm scored shorthanded, and Vladimir Sobotka scored a gift goal on which Price made what looked like a half-hearted effort.

Defenseman Andrew Ference picked up three assists and David Krejci two in the win.

Notes, Quotes

• The Bruins had lost 14 of their last 15 games against the Canadiens before scoring five straight goals to win in Montreal on Thursday night. That forced Game 6, in Boston, Saturday night.

• The Bruins, who ranked 14th among the 16 playoff teams in goals scored this season, had five in the first four games of the playoffs and five Thursday. They had five goals in the last five games overall and have been shut out in two of them.

• The Bruins were 2-for-5 on the power play Thursday night after going 1-for-21 in their last six games, 7-for-68 over their last 18. They are 6-for-53 against the Canadiens this season, 3-for-22 in this series.

• Meanwhile, Montreal, which had the league’s top power play during the regular season, was 0-for-4 Thursday and is just 2-for-24 in this series, but both scores have been game winners.

• Thursday night marked the 159th playoff game between the two rivals, tops in the NHL.

• The Bruins have won just one playoff series in the last seven seasons.

Quote To Note: “That’s the kind of team we are. We’re not a flashy bunch of guys.”—Bruins center Glen Metropolit after his fluke goal broke the 1-1 tie and sent the Bruins on the way to their 5-1 win in Game 5 on Thursday night.

Roster Report

Goaltenders: Tim Thomas, Alex Auld.

Defensemen: Zdeno Chara, Dennis Wideman, Andrew Ference, Andrew Alberts, Shane Hnidy, Mark Stuart.

First Line: Marco Sturm, David Krejci, Glen Murray.

Second Line: Milan Lucic, Marc Savard, Phil Kessel.

Third Line: P.J. Axelsson, Glen Metropolit, Petteri Nokelainen.

Player Notes:

• G Tim Thomas made 31 saves in helping the Bruins extend their season with a win in Montreal on Thursday night. He has started 13 of the last 14 games.

• RW Phil Kessel, the team’s No. 5 scorer in the regular season, returned after spending three games as a healthy scratch because of his lack of a physical game. He scored the Bruins’ first goal. “It’s huge for our team,” said center Marc Savard. “We haven’t scored for a game and a half (when he scored) and it’s huge for him, too.”

• D Aaron Ward missed the game with a left knee injury, putting D Andrew Alberts back in the lineup.

• LW Jeremy Reich was also a scratch with Kessel back in the lineup.

• C Glen Metropolit had his first goal since Feb. 5, ending a 33-game drought.

• RW Glen Murray hasn’t scored in the last 10.

• LW Marco Sturm ended an eight-game goal-less streak with his shorthanded goal in the third period.

• D Andrew Ference, who had one point in the first four games of the series, had three assists in the game.

• C David Krejci, who had one point in the first four games, had two assists Thursday night.

Patriots - Inside Slant

2008-04-18T04:38:00.000-07:00

DRAFT STRATEGY

Thanks to a trade last year on draft day, the Patriots have San Francisco’s first-round selection, the seventh overall pick in the upcoming draft. The Patriots will be looking to add an impact player with their top 10 pick but if history is any indicator, the team will also find talented contributors throughout the draft.

Many believe the Patriots will look to trade down from the seventh spot and with the money New England would have to pay a player selected in the top 10, move down is a distinct possibility. But if they do stay at seven, there are a lot of talented options the Patriots will have to choose from.

The two areas of greatest need for the Patriots are linebacker and cornerback. There is one player in particular, Ohio State defensive end Vernon Gholston (6-4, 266), who will be hard to pass up if he’s available when New England is on the clock.

Gholston, who played defensive end at Ohio State, would be making the switch to outside linebacker in New England’s 3-4 defensive scheme. A lightning-quick pass rusher off the edge, the physically imposing Gholston dazzled scouts with an impressive performance at the NFL Scouting Combine. That showing has Gholston shooting up draft boards to the point where he could now be long gone when the Patriots select.

Gholston recorded 22.5 sacks during his two years as a starter for the Buckeyes. Even more impressive were the four sacks he racked up against Michigan’s Jake Long, the potential top pick in this year’s draft. Gholston terrorized Long in their two meetings, constantly beating him off the ball with his explosive speed. An athlete like Gholston with tremendous upside would be a big boost to the Patriots’ defense.

Another possibility at linebacker is versatile Southern California product Keith Rivers (6-2, 240). While he played primarily on the outside for the Trojans, Rivers possesses the size and athleticism to make the move to inside linebacker with the Patriots. Rivers has the speed New England currently lacks at inside linebacker. Another positive with Rivers is he played in Pete Carroll’s multiple-front defense at USC, which is a rare commodity among college linebackers these days.

It’s debatable whether a cornerback warrants being selected with the seventh selection. However, if New England does trade down, there are a lot of first-round caliber options at that position. The team has shown interest in Tennessee State’s Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (6-1, 184), Troy’s Leodis McKelvin (5-10, 190) and Arizona’s Antoine Cason (6-0, 190).

Rodgers-Cromartie was one of the stars at the Scouting Combine after blazing a 4.33 40-yard dash. An amazing athlete with a long frame and great ball skills, Rodgers-Cromartie has all the physical tools teams look for in a cornerback. The main concern is Rodgers-Cromartie played against a lower level of competition in college and didn’t always dominate. “DRC” is still raw and needs to add some strength to his lanky frame but there’s no doubt that he offers a lot of upside.

McKelvin is not only one of the premium corners in this draft, he’s also a dynamic return man, which adds to his overall value. McKelvin averaged 13.1 yards on kickoff returns and 23.7 yards on punt returns with eight touchdowns over his college career. Like Rodgers-Cromartie, McKelvin is a tremendous athlete but still needs to work on his technique and footwork if he’s going to be an elite NFL corner.

The most NFL-ready of the corners could be Cason. A four-year starter at Arizona, Cason was one of college football’s premier corners over that span. A smart player with tremendous instincts, Cason had 32 pass breakups and 15 interceptions in college. His combination of intelligence, toughness and production makes Cason a definite possibility to become a Patriot on draft day if they trade down in the first round.

Another option at seven is defensive tackle. While it’s not a position of need for the Patriots with Pro Bowler Vince Wilfork manning the nose, there are two blue-chip prospects at tackle in this draft, USC’s Sedrick Ellis (6-0, 309) and LSU’s Glenn Dorsey (6-1, 297). Both players would have to be considered by the Patriots at seven if they are still on the board because getting either Ellis or Dorsey at seven would represent great value. Plus, with Wilfork’s contract up in 2009, he’ll be looking for a lucrative long-term deal so adding some quality depth at the position may not be a bad idea.

Running backs Darren McFadden and Rashard Mendenhall could also be available when the Patriots are on the clock but it’s unlikely that New England will go in that direction. With Laurence Maroney coming on late last year and Sammy Morris playing well before he was injured, it seems unlikely that the Patriots would invest that kind of money into the running back position. More than likely, McFadden and Mendenhall could be used by New England to help trade down with a team looking to grab an elite running back.

The second round of the draft offers a lot of possibilities, especially at inside linebacker and tight end. One player to keep a close eye on is Notre Dame’s John Carlson (6-4, 255). Carlson was considered a possible first-round selection before running poorly at the combine. He’s been slipping down draft boards but would represent solid value at the end of the second round. Plus, with Benjamin Watson coming back from ankle surgery and Kyle Brady being released, tight end is once again a position of need.

Carlson is a smart player with soft hands. He’s also an above-average blocker, which could attract him to the Patriots. Plus, Belichick’s relationship with Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis will allow the Patriots to get an accurate scouting report on Carlson.

There will be a number of inside linebackers available for the Patriots when they select in the second round. Oklahoma’s Curtis Lofton (6-0, 246) would be a player of interest. He started the first 10 games of his senior season at strong-side outside linebacker before moving inside for the Sooners’ final four contests, so Lofton certainly possesses the flexibility Belichick looks for in a linebacker.

From the third round to the end of the draft, the Patriots are searching for depth at virtually every position, including backup quarterback, the one area at which New England needs a major upgrade.

A quarterback to keep an eye on is Hawaii’s Colt Brennan. The Patriots are said to really like the all-time leading passer in Division I history and he should be around in the late rounds due to a poor performance at the Senior Bowl. Brennan also has the stigma of playing in a pass-happy, shotgun offense in college but he’s known for his intelligence and accuracy. With proper coaching, Brennan could be groomed to be a solid NFL backup, something New England sorely lacks at the moment.

Other positions the Patriots could be looking to address on the second day of the draft include linebacker, offensive line, running back, tight end and defensive tackle. If New England is looking for a linebacker in the middle rounds, two players who might fit are UNLV’s Beau Bell (6-1, 244) and Vanderbilt’s Jonathan Goff (6-2, 245).

Bell could be intriguing to New England because UNLV is currently one of only three teams that run the 3-4 as its base defense at the collegiate level. Not only does Bell have experience in the 3-4, he’s also played both inside and outside linebacker, something that’s sure to draw the Patriots’ interest.

Goff will probably slip to the middle rounds of the draft because his lack of straight-line speed may relegate Goff to a two-down linebacker role in the NFL. But since Belichick likes to use a lot of different personnel groupings on defense, a player like Goff has more value to New England as a two-down run-stuffer than he would to other teams that employ different defensive schemes.

At running back, California’s Justin Forsett (5-8, 194) and Southern California’s Chauncey Washington (5-11, 212) were two productive college runners who bring versatility and toughness to the table.

Forsett is projected to go somewhere in the fifth-round area and, while he may not have the size to be an every-down back at the NFL level, Forsett is a great blocker and receiver out of the backfield in the Kevin Faulk mold. With Faulk getting up there in age, Forsett can be groomed to be his replacement as the Patriots’ third-down back.

Washington is a tough inside runner who breaks a lot of tackles. He’s particularly effective near the goal line, having scored 19 touchdowns for the Trojans over the last two seasons. Washington was talented enough to start at USC and is the type of player the Patriots usually target later in the draft.

While the Patriots will probably pass on one of the blue-chip defensive tackles early on in the draft because of the money they already have invested in the defensive line, they could target one later to add more depth behind Wilfork. Texas’ Frank Okam (6-4, 347) and Fresno State’s Jason Shirley (6-5, 330) are two prospects that have the size and flexibility to play inside on New England’s defensive front.

Notes, Quotes

• The Patriots visited with free-agent punter Mitch Berger. The 35-year-old Berger entered the league in 1994. He punted in five games for the Cardinals last season.

• WR Randy Moss has signed on to become a top pitchman for Pony, which will unveil a new line of Moss branded gear in August.

“I get approached to endorse a ton of stuff each year that really doesn’t mesh with who I am or what is important in my life; this agreement with Pony lets me help to give back and help the next wave of young players coming up,” Moss said. “I really appreciated the way Pony presented their concepts for my signature brand and wanted to make a great performance line of clothes and shoes for the serious competitor to the weekend warrior.”

• Patriots LB Tedy Bruschi hosted runners from “Tedy’s Team” today at Gillette Stadium. The runners, who are set to conquer the Boston Marathon course later this month, are helping raise awareness and funds for the American Stroke Association.

Quote To Note: “The two main reasons for bringing a player in are: No. 1, for a physical examination and No. 2 just to spend more time with the player and that’s sometimes based on … We’ve had a number of players in from the west coast. We usually always do that. It’s hard to get to all the players on the west coast for us, between myself and Scott Pioli and Nick (Caserio) and the scouts that scout out there. It’s easier to do that.”—Bill Belichick on bringing in players for a pre-draft visit.

Strategy And Personnel

Franchise Player: None.

TRANSITION PLAYER: None.

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

• WR Troy Brown played just one game in his 15th season after starting the year on PUP. He may retire, but if he doesn’t the team told him that he’s not in its plans moving forward.

• S Mel Mitchell played in 10 games and is a core special teams-type guy. He might choose to go elsewhere as New England only has room for so many one-dimensional special teamers.

• CB Chad Scott didn’t make it through training camp and has been hurt often. He’s a solid veteran backup and could be back with the team in the market for corner depth.

• LB Junior Seau was expected to get his first Super Bowl ring and retire. The Giants messed that little story up. He was healthy all year and made plays. If he doesn’t retire after his 18th season, the only place he’ll be playing is in New England.

RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.

EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS

• LB Eric Alexander is a decent though injury prone special teamer although he’s yet to show anything on defense, other than of course his still inexplicable start in the 2006 AFC title loss in Indianapolis.

PLAYERS ACQUIRED

• WR Sam Aiken: UFA Bills; $1.555M/2 yrs, $225,000 SB/$40,000 WO; 2008 cap: $757,500.

• CB Fernando Bryant: FA Lions; $776,000/1 yr, $20,000 SB/$20,000 WO; 2008 cap: $491,000.

• LB Victor Hobson: UFA Jets; $645,000/1 yr, $40,000 SB; 2008 cap: $485,000.

• CB Lewis Sanders: FA Falcons; $770,000/1 yr, $40,000 SB; 2008 cap: $491,000.

• LB T.J. Slaughter: FA; $730,000/1 yr.

• CB Jason Webster: UFA Bills; $800,000/1 yr, $130,000 guaranteed/$70,000 WO.

• S Tank Williams: UFA Vikings; $645,000/1 yr, $40,000 WO; 2008 cap: $491,000.

PLAYERS RE-SIGNED

• T Wesley Britt: ERFA; terms unknown.

• LB Tedy Bruschi: Potential UFA; $4.1M/2 yrs, $1.2M SB; 2008 cap: $1.6M.

• WR Jabar Gaffney: UFA; $1.281M/1 yr, $500,000 SB/$75,000 WO.

• LB Larry Izzo: Potential UFA; $870,000/1 yr, $40,000 SB; 2008 cap: 485,000.

• WR Randy Moss: UFA; $27M/3 yrs, $12M SB/$3M base guarantee; 2008 cap: $6M.

• LS Lonie Paxton: UFA; $880,000/1 yr, $150,000 SB.

• S Ray Ventrone: ERFA; $370,000/1 yr.

• WR Kelley Washington: UFA; $1.855M/2 yrs, $450,000 SB; 2008: $830,000.

• LB Pierre Woods: ERFA; terms unknown.

• DL Mike Wright: RFA; terms unknown (tendered at $1.47M).

PLAYERS LOST

• TE Kyle Brady (released/failed physical).

• LB Rosevelt Colvin (released/failed physical).

• CB Randall Gay: UFA Saints; $12M/4 yrs, $3.75M SB.

• DL Rashad Moore: Not tendered as RFA/Falcons; terms unknown.

• CB Asante Samuel: UFA Eagles; $59.475M/6 yrs, $6M SB/$7M RB 08-09.

• WR Donte Stallworth: UFA Browns; $35M/7 yrs, $10M guaranteed.

• DB Eugene Wilson: UFA Buccaneers; $1.8M/1 yr, $500,000 guaranteed.