Celtic Kevin Garnett grabs teammate Kendrick Perkins after Perkins was fouled in the second half.

The Providence Journal / Glenn Osmundson

BOSTON –– Before last night’s playoff game against the Hawks even began, the Celtics showed what’s made their season so special.

As Kevin Garnett was called to mid-court to accept his NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award before the adoring home fans, he waved to the crowd and then signaled for his teammates to join him. He sees the award as a team honor, not an individual one.

“Tonight was easy. It was for the fans,” Garnett said. “It’s good I got to bring my teammates out to show that it is not one person but it is all of us that make up this award. It is gratifying.”

The defense that has turned the Celtics’ fortunes around has been on full display against the overmatched Hawks. Atlanta came into the playoffs averaging 98 points. Through two games against the Celtics, they’re down to a measly 79 points on 38-percent shooting. Last night, no Hawk got it going offensively. Leading scorers Joe Johnson (4-of-10) and Josh Smith (3-of-13) continue to struggle.

“I just thought that the fact that they hit us physically set us back tonight,” said Hawk coach Mike Woodson. “That’s not to say that we can’t go home and rebound from it, but we’ve got to play more physical than we played tonight on both ends of the floor. That was the difference in the game.”

Woodson said dealing with Garnett is a major issue on both ends of the floor. “He’s a load but he’s always been a load. I think Kevin is a great player because he takes his craft very seriously and he does it on both ends of the floor. That’s what true champions do. It just remains to be seen if they can get it done as a group.”

A physical fourth

The fourth quarter was filled with several loud fouls and plenty of elbows, chest bumps and trash talking. No technical fouls were called, but James Posey received a flagrant foul call when he knocked Josh Smith to the floor with 8:39 to play.

“I don’t mind the hard fouls by either team. I just don’t like the trash talking and silly stuff where everyone gets in each other’s face,” said coach Doc Rivers. “I thought we jumped in and they jumped in. Honestly, I don’t even know if there was a hard foul in the game. They weren’t that hard.”

Sigalet lauded

Providence Bruins goalie Jordan Sigalet was honored as a Hero Among Us during the first half. Sigalet, 23, has multiple sclerosis and was applauded for coming back from an early-season collapse on the ice and enjoying a strong season in the net for the Bruins….What changes between the first and second games of a playoff series? “The emotion probably lowers, the intensity rises,” said Rivers. “You now have a better focus, you know what the other team is going to do, somewhat. I think it’s a better game. Each game gets tighter and tougher and more focused as a series moves on.”…Actor Bruce Willis sat with owner Steve Pagliuca under one basket.

kmcnamar@projo.com