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(Sports Network) - The top-seeded Boston Celtics continue their quest to return to the glory days, as they host the eighth-seeded Atlanta Hawks tonight in Game 2 of the first round of the 2008 NBA playoffs.

Game 3 of this best-of-seven series is scheduled for Saturday at Philips Arena.

On Sunday, Ray Allen scored 18 points and Kevin Garnett notched a double- double with 16 points and 10 rebounds as the Celtics crushed the Hawks, 104-81, at TD Banknorth Garden.

Paul Pierce finished with 16 points in the victory for Boston, while Rajon Rondo netted 15 and dished out nine assists.

Rookie Al Horford collected 20 points and 10 rebounds in the loss for the Hawks. All-Star Joe Johnson ended with 19 points, five rebounds and seven assists in defeat.

Atlanta has lost six of its last eight Game 2s in the playoffs, while the Celtics have dropped four straight Game 2s.

The Hawks last playoff victory was on May 16, 1999 when they defeated Detroit in Game 5 of the first round of the postseason. Atlanta eliminated the Pistons, 3-2, and was swept by the New York Knicks, 4-0, in the East semis.

The Celtics captured a playoff berth and the Atlantic Division title for the first time since the 2004-05 season. Boston finished with its highest number of wins (66) since the 1985-86 squad went 67-15 before winning the NBA title. With a 66-16 mark in the regular season, Boston collected 42 more victories than it did last season, when it finished with a dismal 24-58 record. Boston earned the honor with ease thanks to an 8-0 start to the season, and later pushed the mark to 29-3 with a big win over Detroit in early January.

The young and surprising Hawks are back in the playoffs for the first time since the strike-shortened 1998-99 campaign. Atlanta battled all season and fended off both Indiana and New Jersey to finish with its best record in 10 years, as the 1997-98 team went 50-32 before a quick exit from the playoffs.

Boston is 5-0 all-time in the playoffs against the Hawks. The Celtics defeated Atlanta in the postseason in 1972, 1973, 1983, 1986 and 1988.

During the regular season, Boston was 3-0 against the Hawks as it won a pair of games at home and defeated Atlanta, 99-89, on April 12 at Philips Arena.

The Celtics were an impressive 35-6 at home this season, while Atlanta was just 12-29 on the road.