Avery Bradley injury could be pivotal moment in Celtics vs. Hawks series

ATLANTA -- Boston guard Avery Bradley sat down in a chair in the Celtics locker room Saturday night and had to have help putting on his shoes. It was 10:17 p.m.

If you are a Boston Celtics fan your level of alarm should be pretty high.

Bradley, the Celtics’ second-leading scorer, went down in a heap on the sideline in the fourth quarter of Game 1 of the Celtics’ Eastern Conference series with the Atlanta Hawks. He was helped off the floor with a hamstring injury after scoring 18 points in 33 minutes in Boston’s 102-101 loss to the Hawks.

Bradley said he will go for “a test” Sunday morning. He also anticipated having treatment through the night. He left the locker room using one blue crutch to walk with. Game 2 is Tuesday at Philips Arena.

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“I just want to get treatment and take it day by day and hopefully I can be back by next game,” Bradley said. “I’m not worried at all, I have faith, I know my teammates and people are praying for me.”

Asked if he was concerned he could be lost for the series, Bradley said, “I’m taking it day by day. I don’t really know. Could be, but I’m hoping it’s not.”

The Celtics trailed by 19 points in the first half, then stormed back with ferocious defense, and took a three-point lead in the fourth period, 83-80, on Jae Crowder’s three-point basket.

Then Bradley was injured and this seven-game series had its first pivotal moment. In a series between the No. 4 seed and the No. 5 seed, a series many figured would go the entire seven games and be close, a key injury can be decisive.

Bradley said he was injured while he was going for a rebound and said something felt “weird.”

Boston coach Brad Stevens said Bradley told him he heard something pop.

Bradley’s injury was not all the Celtics have to be concerned about. Boston guard Marcus Smart exited the trainer’s room with a black wrap on his left hand. Kelly Olynyk, the first big man off the bench, had his shoulder dinged and played just 12 minutes.

While Bradley was talking to the media, Crowder fiddled with a button on the cuff of his shirt. He never could get it buttoned before his turn to be interviewed. Nothing came easy for Boston here Saturday night.

“We took one with Avery, the rest of those guys will be ready to play, we don’t know about Avery,” Crowder said. “Hamstring is nothing to play with. He’s a fast type of guy, so he needs his hamstring as much as possible.”

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The Celtics shot 23% in the first half and 40% for the game. The Hawks were awarded 35 free throws to Boston’s 19. Yet, the Celtics made a game of it. This is the same team that trailed by 26 and came back to beat Miami on the last day of the regular season.

“This is how we ride,” Stevens said.

Boston may now have to rely on reserve guards Evan Turner and Smart as its bench shortens with Bradley’s injury. Turner made 4 of 13 shots in Game 1. Smart made 5 of 10.

“I’ll be fine, don’t worry about it, I’ll definitely be fine,” Turner said when asked about an enhanced role now in the series. “More minutes, more work, more wins. I’ll definitely be fine.”