Ladies and Gentlemen, the Atlanta Hawks.

[wilson]

I'm still not predicting a series victory or anything, but the Hawks have just evened the series with the Celtics. On top of that, as Dominique Wilkins mentioned on the TNT telecast, the city has actually decided (albeit in typically belated fashion) to care. Philips Arena was LOUD tonight, and people in Atlanta actually know what's going on. My brother called from a sports bar, dumbfounded to be amid several dozen people loudly cheering for the team. I sat and watched the whole thing by myself at home. Tonight's 4th quarter was among the most inspired basketball I can ever remember seeing from any Hawks team (down 10 at the end of the 3rd, win by 6). I have actually watched a number of games this year, because the team has displayed its first semblance of true progress in nearly a decade. The losing record playoff campaign was/is a bit of a laugher, but it was improvement nonetheless, and here we stand with a deadlocked series against the best team in the NBA. I, for one, am quite pleased.

[Channing]

I know JE is stewing at the thought of Mike Woodson being successful because it will only elongate his tenure with the Hawks - but that was awesome.

Joe Johnson is something else.

[hc5duke]

If someone told me 2 weeks ago that #1 and #2 seeds would go 7-1 in one conference, while the other conference goes 4-4... I would have lost a lot of money.

[billybreen]

Congrats to the Hawks. There are going to be quite a few concerned faces in the office tomorrow.

[Ignatius07]

Joe Johnson was unreal in the fourth quarter. Perhaps that big deal is finally paying off (well, probably not)?

[Channing]

Joe Johnson was unreal in the fourth quarter. Perhaps that big deal is finally paying off (well, probably not)?

to debunk a common misconception - There was not opposition to getting Joe Johnson. The problem is that he was a restricted free agent. With Nash on the books, Marion on the books, and Stoudamire about to get a huge pay day the Suns were not going to match a max deal for JJ. The Hawks offered him a max deal, and then balked, and traded a first round pick (or was it two first rounders) in a sign and trade with the Suns. I think JJ has clearly shown that he is worth a max deal. The problem was with the Hawks giving up a first round pick. Incidentally, it will be a pick in this draft- one of the deepest drafts in recent years.

[JasonEvans]

to debunk a common misconception - There was not opposition to getting Joe Johnson. The problem is that he was a restricted free agent. With Nash on the books, Marion on the books, and Stoudamire about to get a huge pay day the Suns were not going to match a max deal for JJ. The Hawks offered him a max deal, and then balked, and traded a first round pick (or was it two first rounders) in a sign and trade with the Suns. I think JJ has clearly shown that he is worth a max deal. The problem was with the Hawks giving up a first round pick. Incidentally, it will be a pick in this draft- one of the deepest drafts in recent years.

The Hawks gave up Boris Diaw (who has blossomed into a pretty darn good player in Phoenix) and 2 first rounders for JJ. One of those first rounders was later dealt to the Celtics who used it on Rajon Rando. The other comes due this year and will be the 15th pick in this year's draft. Had the Hawks been just a couple games worse this year, it would have been a lottery pick. In fact, had the Hawks not gotten quite lucky in the lottery last year, that pick could have been someone like Mike Conley, Corey Brewer, or Brandan Wright.

I don't think anyone disputes the value of getting JJ. I very much wanted the Hawks to get him. But, as indicated in the post above, the Hawks gave him a deal that they knew the Suns could not match -- they "overpaid" for Johnson precisely so the Suns would not match it -- and then when the Suns threatened to match it (a threat that they never could have kept) the Hawks buckled. Really, really bad management.

--Jason "this is a franchise that has lucked into being decent despite itself" Evans

[MChambers]

The Hawks gave up Boris Diaw (who has blossomed into a pretty darn good player in Phoenix) and 2 first rounders for JJ. One of those first rounders was later dealt to the Celtics who used it on Rajon Rando. The other comes due this year and will be the 15th pick in this year's draft. Had the Hawks been just a couple games worse this year, it would have been a lottery pick. In fact, had the Hawks not gotten quite lucky in the lottery last year, that pick could have been someone like Mike Conley, Corey Brewer, or Brandan Wright.

I don't think anyone disputes the value of getting JJ. I very much wanted the Hawks to get him. But, as indicated in the post above, the Hawks gave him a deal that they knew the Suns could not match -- they "overpaid" for Johnson precisely so the Suns would not match it -- and then when the Suns threatened to match it (a threat that they never could have kept) the Hawks buckled. Really, really bad management.

--Jason "this is a franchise that has lucked into being decent despite itself" Evans

Redick's with the Hawks? How did I miss this?

Come on, Jason, around here there's only one JJ.

[phaedrus]

The Hawks gave up Boris Diaw (who has blossomed into a pretty darn good player in Phoenix)

I think that depends which night of the week you watch him play.

[BD80]

Bingo. As I was enjoying the Hawks comeback in the 4th and feeling great about the team, I kept on thinking in the back of my mind, "Woodson just bought himself another year...@^@&!*@*~!!!"

--Jason "could Marvin Williams suck any more than he does? Boy, I sure am glad we did not get Chris Paul or Deron Williams out of that draft pick!" Evans

Yeah, but any long time Hawks fan can tell you how terrible we are in the first round of the draft.

Mind boggling stupidity by this franchise... its fan-tastic!

--Jason "is Billy Knight worse as a GM than Mike Woodson is as a coach-- tough question!" Evans

From Randy Hill on FoxSports:

"In Atlanta, Mike Woodson's been on the hot seat long enough to have a common-law claim on its ownership. We don't know if breaking even in four playoff games with the Celtics is enough to save Mike's job.

But we'd certainly like to see how he'd do with Chris Paul suiting up instead of Marvin Williams or Brandon Roy instead of Shelden Williams.

Too bad for Woodson that GM Billy Knight's fondness for draft picks named Williams did not inspire him to select Deron."

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/8090576/Suns-would-be-wise-to-keep-D'Antoni-in-Phoenix

[Edouble]

Ugh, we're in trouble now. I think the Celts smell blood in the water.

[wilson]

Wow. What a game. It's so much fun to watch a team like this who missed the memo that they were supposed to just roll over and die (unless said team is Belmont). We should lose on Sunday of course, but I'll definitely be watching no matter what. This was the first time I've been genuinely nervous about a Hawks game since I was about 14. I'm very proud of the hometown boys.

[BD80]

Up by 3 with 7 seconds to go, and the Hawks let Rondo put up a 3.

I am rooting for the Hawks to beat the Celts in game 7, but if they do, it won't be because of Woodson's brilliant coaching.

[moonpie23]

this could be this year's mavs/warriors meltdown.....i THINK the celts can get this done...but i THOUGHT the mavs could get it done last year...yeah...that was an ugly shot by rondo...

who the heck knows in a game 7....


i mean....UNC was SPOSED to win the title this year...oh...and last year too...

[Edouble]

I'm so proud of the Hawks!!!

[EarlJam]

I'm so proud of the Hawks!!!

Simple, but so well said!

I am too! I watched the game tonight with friends at a buddy's house and in the middle of it just turned to him and said, "Dude, can you believe this? We actually planned the night around a Hawks game."

No matter what happens Sunday, this has been a Great, Great, Great Hawks season!

-EarlJam

[BlueintheFace]

Up by 3 with 7 seconds to go, and the Hawks let Rondo put up a 3.

I am rooting for the Hawks to beat the Celts in game 7, but if they do, it won't be because of Woodson's brilliant coaching.

Well, what else would it be? It certainly isn't a monopoly on effort/heart or superior talent. If they win you have to credit either Woodson or the Basketball Gods...

[wilson]

Well, what else would it be? It certainly isn't a monopoly on effort/heart or superior talent. If they win you have to credit either Woodson or the Basketball Gods...

I actually do think that the Basketball Gods deserve a certain amount of credit for this performance. I don't think Woodson is quite as bad as he gets credit for, but he isn't all that good, and the same goes for the Hawks roster. They are the NBA equivalent of a tournament team that is supposedly a year away, but plays out of its shoes for a round or two and becomes TV darlings. I still don't expect them to win on Sunday, but it's an undeniable accomplishment, and it definitely bodes well for the future.

[Edouble]

to debunk a common misconception - There was not opposition to getting Joe Johnson. The problem is that he was a restricted free agent. With Nash on the books, Marion on the books, and Stoudamire about to get a huge pay day the Suns were not going to match a max deal for JJ. The Hawks offered him a max deal, and then balked, and traded a first round pick (or was it two first rounders) in a sign and trade with the Suns. I think JJ has clearly shown that he is worth a max deal. The problem was with the Hawks giving up a first round pick. Incidentally, it will be a pick in this draft- one of the deepest drafts in recent years.

Yeah, but any long time Hawks fan can tell you how terrible we are in the first round of the draft. I, for one, was glad to give up the first round pick in exchange for a very solid player. Go Hawks, get it done fellas!!!

[JasonEvans]

I know JE is stewing at the thought of Mike Woodson being successful because it will only elongate his tenure with the Hawks - but that was awesome.

Bingo. As I was enjoying the Hawks comeback in the 4th and feeling great about the team, I kept on thinking in the back of my mind, "Woodson just bought himself another year...@^@&!*@*~!!!"

Want to know how bad a coach Mike Woodson is? The following is a true story--

With 4 seconds left last night, James Posey makes a 3 from the corner to make it a 3 point game. Boston has really only one chance at this point. They must steal the inbounds pass and hit a 3 to send it to overtime. One of the Hawks players grabs the ball almost the instant it goes through the basket and inbounds it to Mike Bibby (an 80% FT shooter and a NBA vet immune to pressure). The moment the ball hit Bibby's hands, the game was over. It was perfect execution by Atlanta-- not waiting to let Boston get set up to steal the inbounds pass and designed to maybe even run an extra second or two off the clock before hitting just 1 of 2 FTs to ice the game. It was smart basketball. The team in the lead has to make that play before the opposition gets a chance to defend them and maybe steal the pass.

But wait... the play had been blown dead. Before the Hawks inbounded the ball, Mike Woodson had called timeout to design an inbounds play. Did I mention that this was the Hawks final timeout? So, not only did he allow Boston to set up for a potential steal, but (just in case everyone was covered) he made it so that the Hawks could not call timeout if they were having trouble inbounding the ball. The sheer stupidity of the team in the lead calling that timeout boggles the mind.

Ladies and Gentlemen, that is Mike Woodson at his finest.

Oh, and anyone who praises Woodson for his role in the Hawks success last night is on crack. I wonder what he was saying in the huddles during the 4th quarter? "Hey guys, pass it to JJ and get out of the way. Ready, break!"

--Jason "could Marvin Williams suck any more than he does? Boy, I sure am glad we did not get Chris Paul or Deron Williams out of that draft pick!" Evans