The short-handed Boston Celtics will be hosting the visiting Atlanta Hawks at the TD Garden on Friday night for their first round playoff series Game number three.

The Celtics are currently down with 0-2 in the best-of-seven postseason showdown with the Hawks, who have a playing record-setting defense. The team was also encountering injury problems with key players Avery Bradley and Kelly Olynyk being sidelined for the pivotal third game.

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Bradley, who was the team's second-leading scorer and one of the Celtics' top defenders, is suffering from a hamstring injury and is expected to miss at least two games. While Olynyk, who was the top three-point shooter of the squad, is still questionable due to a sore right shoulder.

Rookies R.J Hunter and Terry Rozier have been tasked to perform major roles in the backcourt. They contributed a combined 10 points in their last game at the Philips Arena.

"Those guys gotta step up - including myself - and we all just have to put one good game together to give us some confidence," Celtics starting guard Isaiah Thomas, who scored 16 points on a 4-15 shooting from the field in Game 2, said.

Meanwhile, the Hawks are expected to defend on their team's intense defense.  Atlanta had limited the Celtics to 34.2 shooting and 25.4 from the three-point marker in the first two contests and registered a team playoff-record 15 blocked shot in their latest game.

"We're playing to our defensive principles," All -Star Al Horford said. "When somebody gets beat, we're helping. Our on-the-ball defense has been very good."

Offensively, Atlanta will rely on with Horford, who has been a difficult matchup for the Atlantic division team at both ends of the floor.  Kyle Korver, Jeff Teague, Thabo Sefolosha and Millsap are all expected to contribute in Game 3.

"They're going to come out and give us their best shot, and we know that we have to be ready for that," Korver, who had 17 points on a 5 for 7 shooting from beyond the arc, said.

TagsNBA 2016, NBA Playoffs, Boston Celtics, Atlanta Hawks, Isaiah Thomas, al horford, Paul Millsap, Avery bradley