Former NBA forward Josh Smith recently shared a surprising revelation about the Boston Celtics’ Big Three era, suggesting that Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen were partying before games against his Atlanta Hawks. Smith recounted this during an appearance on the Knuckleheads Podcast, describing how the trio underestimated the Hawks during their matchups.
Smith stated that the Celtics’ star trio would often go out the night before games, implying they didn’t take Atlanta seriously. “When we played the Celtics’ Big Three, they were disrespectful. They were going out the night before games, like it was going to be a cakewalk,” Smith said. He added that this overconfidence motivated the Hawks to prove themselves on the court.
The Celtics’ Big Three, assembled in 2007, quickly became a dominant force in the NBA, winning the 2008 championship and making deep playoff runs over several seasons. However, according to Smith, their confidence sometimes bordered on arrogance when facing teams like the Hawks, who were determined to give them a challenge.
Smith, known for his versatility and athleticism, played for the Hawks from 2004 to 2013. The matchups between Atlanta and Boston were highly competitive, especially during the late 2000s when the Hawks began to emerge as a formidable Eastern Conference contender.
The 2008 Celtics team, led by Pierce, Garnett, and Allen, had a reputation for their intensity and leadership. Still, Smith’s comments suggest that they may not have always prepared for every game with the same seriousness. “I’m like, ‘They got us messed up. Ain’t no way in the world they’re going to do that and think they can dog walk us the next day,’” Smith continued.
While Smith didn’t specify any particular games where this occurred, the rivalry between the Celtics and Hawks was well-documented during that period. In the 2008 NBA playoffs, the Hawks pushed the Celtics to seven games in the first round, a surprising outcome given Boston’s status as the top seed.
The Hawks, despite their underdog status at the time, consistently challenged the Celtics, forcing them to stay focused. Smith’s revelation adds a new layer of intrigue to the historical rivalry between the two teams.
Smith’s time with Atlanta was marked by personal success, as he became one of the team’s most important players. However, like the Hawks, he never managed to overcome the Celtics in a playoff series, with Boston often getting the better of Atlanta in key moments.
