Slow burn

The Celtics (8-2) lost for the second time in the last three home games. Unlike their loss to Phoenix (110-103), part of an eight-games-in-12-days stretch, the Celtics were in position to be refreshed for the Hawks. Instead, they seemed to have lost the bounce in their step, and were outrebounded, 47-29.

“It was the second shots that really killed us,’’ Pierce said. “Obviously, the turnovers [15] really hurt. But I thought, initially, we stopped a lot of their plays and it was just all about controlling their one-on-one game . . . and I think, for the most part, we didn’t do that. We’ve got to do a better job of just staying in front of our man. I think team defense was initially good but we’ve got to play better one-on-one defense.’’

The Celtics starters began slowly. With the Celtics trailing by 8 points, Marquis Daniels and Rasheed Wallace entered, both contributing to a 9-point run over a 3:26 period spanning the first two quarters. Wallace’s 3-pointer at the shot-clock buzzer gave the Celtics a 25-24 lead 1:01 into the second quarter. But that was the Celtics’ only 3-pointer of the game - they were 1 for 15 on threes and shot 60.3 percent on 2-pointers (35 for 58).

Eddie House extended the edge to 32-28 with 7:55 remaining in the first half. But Atlanta rallied against the Celtic starters, Marvin Williams spinning into the lane to cut the Hawks’ deficit to 42-41 with 47 seconds remaining. The Celtics made two 6-0 runs in the opening minutes of the second half. But the Hawks capitalized on two Kendrick Perkins fouls in a 15-second span, 3-pointers by Mike Bibby (two), Jamal Crawford and Joe Johnson, and a Crawford pull-up for a 65-62 lead with 3:22 remaining in the quarter. Pierce departed with a bruised knee and the Hawks made a stop out of a Celtics timeout, Al Horford’s follow dunk making it 67-62 with 2:48 to play.