The Boston Celtics and their first round foe Atlanta Hawks both had early exits from the 2015 NBA Playoffs. For the Celtics, it was an early first round bow out at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers.. For the Hawk, it was all the way in the Eastern Conference Finals where they were swept by the same Cavaliers.
Fast forward to the 2016 playoffs and the Atlanta Hawks who digressed by 12 games entering the 2016 playoffs while the Celtics improved by eight games, and while the Hawks have won the season series, the Celtics know that the playoffs is where it really counts.
