Boston Celtics: A Big Loss in Game 1 and a Potentially Bigger Loss in Game 2

The Boston Celtics lost 83-74 to the Atlanta Hawks in Game One of the first round of the NBA playoffs. It was a game where nothing went right for the Celtics. They failed to shoot over forty- percent as a team and did not hit a single three, while the Hawks did shoot forty-percent and made seven threes.

The one bright spot for the Celtics in the game was Rajon Rondo, who recorded a double-double; including 20 points and eleven assists. However, the Celtics may be without his talents for Game 2. Near the end of the game, Rondo showed reasonable dissatisfaction toward a critical call made. With just two seconds on the shot clock for the Hawks—in a four-point game—bodies crashed to the floor for a loose ball around mid-court, and Brandon Bass was called for a loose-ball foul.

In response to the call, Rondo didn't exactly ask for an explanation from the referee—rather, he yelled in the ref's face, which merited him a technical foul. That was just his first mistake. He would also respond to the technical foul, which was mistake number two. He gave the ref a chest bump (and not in a friendly way), and that was the end of his night. 

It could turn into more than just an ejection. The league will review it and it seems that he may face a one-game suspension. Personally, I would not suspend him, but the league certainly frowns upon player-ref contact and will probably crack down.

If he is out for Game 2, then the Celtics will have a much harder time winning, because Rondo was really the only player that kept them in the game.