Hawks ready to regroup

Young team says it will be able to rebound in Game 2

If Atlanta could have one wish for Game 2 of this series, it would be to never experience a defeat again like the one it was handed last night.

Hawks coach Mike Woodson expected his young team might show some jitters. It was the first playoff appearance for a Hawks team since 1999, the longest postseason drought in the NBA. The average age of the team is 24.8 years old, the youngest among teams in the playoffs.

All Atlanta had to fall back on was the postseason experience of point guard Mike Bibby and guard Joe Johnson. Neither was able to accomplish much against the Celtics in a 104-81 defeat at TD Banknorth Garden.

Johnson finished with 19 points but hit only 7 of 22 shots. Bibby (2 of 10) and Josh Smith (3 of 10) weren't any better. Rookie center Al Horford led the Hawks with a game-high 20 points.

And when their shots didn't fall, the Hawks' defense was unable to keep the game in reach.

"Me and Mike are the catalysts for the team," Johnson said. "I thought early on defense is what killed us. On the defensive end, we weren't getting over picks. Paul [Pierce] got open a few times and knocked down some threes.

"I think the excitement and the adrenaline rush was so up for these guys that we were tending to move a little fast and settle for a little too many jumpers. But it's Game 1. I'm glad we got it [done with]. Now that we've got the experience, we'll be a little better."

Despite falling behind by double digits in the first period, the Hawks put together a run, sparked by Josh Childress, that moved them to within 2 at 29-27 early in the second period.

But the Celtics answered with a run of their own that extended their lead back to 11.

"The guys were anxious to start the game but that is expected. We just can't have our starters playing the way they did tonight," Woodson said. "We will watch tape and try to clean up our offense. They started to go to the mismatches and exploit us there."

Said Bibby: "I think we'll have a better game next time. I shot 2 for 10, Josh Smith shot 3 for 10, so hopefully, I don't think there's going to be another game like that. I have to help the team be more aggressive offensively and attack and make things happen for myself and my teammates."

When Bibby arrived from Sacramento after a five-player trade in February, he boosted the Hawks' offense from 94.8 points a game to 103.5 over the last 33 games of the regular season.

Playoffs came routinely for Bibby when he was with the Kings, including a trip to the Western Conference finals in 2001-2002, ending in a loss to the Lakers in seven games.

He knows the Hawks will have to do better if they want this series to go past the minimum.

"Basketball is a game of runs," Bibby said. "I think what really hurt us was when Ray Allen made like 7 points in a row, they kept pushing the score up. We didn't hit shots we usually hit. We got a lot more series left."

Johnson, the former Celtic who gained playoff experience with the Phoenix Suns, said double-teams kept him off balance. He averages a team-high 21.7 points a game, but admitted that he did not play the way his team needed him to last night.

"I was trying to get guys the ball who were open and trying to make plays," he said. "I think Game 2 will be a lot better. I can see where the double-teams are coming from. I think tonight I rushed a lot of shots, but, I mean, that was just off of excitement and adrenaline."

Monique Walker can be reached at mwalker@globe.com