(Sports Network) - The top-seeded Boston Celtics and the No. 8 Atlanta Hawks play the pivotal Game 5 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series tonight at TD Banknorth Garden.

This best-of-seven series is tied at 2-2. Game 6 is scheduled for Friday at Philips Arena.

On Monday, Joe Johnson scored a career playoff-high 35 points, 20 of which came in the fourth quarter, to lead the Hawks to a dramatic 97-92 victory over the Celtics in Atlanta. The Hawks outscored Boston, 32-17, in the fourth quarter to upend the East's top seed for a second straight contest.

Josh Smith added 28 points -- 12 in the fourth -- to go with a franchise playoff-record seven blocks in helping the Hawks overcome two double-digit deficits in the game. Mike Bibby finished with 18 points, and rookie Al Horford grabbed up a game-high 13 rebounds in the victory.

Ray Allen hit five three-pointer en route to a team-high 21 points for the Celtics, who hit just 10-of-18 from the charity stripe. Defensive Player of the Year Kevin Garnett finished with 20 points, nine rebounds and six steals, while Paul Pierce tallied 18 points on 5-of-14 from the floor.

Atlanta has lost nine straight playoff games on the road. The Hawks last win away from home in the postseason was on May 8, 1997 in Chicago during the East semis, which was won by the Bulls in five games, 4-1.

Boston has dropped three straight Game 5s in the playoffs, while the Hawks have captured two of their last three Game 5s in the postseason.

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.

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.