Ladies and Gentlemen, the Atlanta Hawks.

[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.

[slower]

Yes, that is a good point. I have changed my position a bit based on this: I still think that the incident will not be viewed as a fight. Thus, I don't think that Pachulia, Williams, or Perkins will be suspended. Garnett is entirely in his own category. He may be suspended not for fighting, but for excessive contact with an official. I still suspect that no one gets suspended, though I can certainly see the argument that Garnett could/should be suspended.

I have never really seen Garnett play much over the years, but I always assumed (based on slurping in the media) that he was a "great and noble warrior". But the guy's just a punk. Extremely chippy and his dead-ball goaltending B.S. is WAAY over the top. I said in another thread a while ago, that I wish vintage Maurice Lucas could come back for a game and wreak havoc on some punks. For Garnett, I'm wishing that vintage Wilt Chamberlain would come back and hang Garnett from the basket support or shot-put him into the 5th row.

Paul Pierce has always been a punk and Ray Allen's omnipresent scowl is also irritating. I was actually ready to like these guys going into the season, but now I wish them nothing but failure. Maybe they are just channeling the spirit of the most offensive sports executive ever, the insufferable Red Auerbach.

GO HAWKS!

[Troublemaker]

Yeah, I'm not sure Woodson deserves praise since he did go 37-45 with this team. That record should've been reversed at the very least because the Hawks really do have a good player at every position and a burgeoning great player in Joe Johnson that can make his teammates better. 37-45, with this team, in the East. Yikes.

For the Hawk fans that still lament not drafting Chris Paul. I would lament that as well, but keep in mind that, if you had drafted Paul, you wouldn't have been in position to draft Horford in this past draft. And who knows when Atlanta would've gotten another chance to pick up a young, fearless postscorer like him. Horford can be an All-Star in the East.

[wilson]

For the Hawk fans that still lament not drafting Chris Paul. I would lament that as well, but keep in mind that, if you had drafted Paul, you wouldn't have been in position to draft Horford in this past draft. And who knows when Atlanta would've gotten another chance to pick up a young, fearless postscorer like him. Horford can be an All-Star in the East.

This is a good point, but I have one correction to make: Horford will be an All-Star. Like, next season.

[Lavabe]

Yeah, I'm not sure Woodson deserves praise since he did go 37-45 with this team. That record should've been reversed at the very least because the Hawks really do have a good player at every position and a burgeoning great player in Joe Johnson that can make his teammates better. 37-45, with this team, in the East. Yikes.

Let's say the Hawks WIN this series. They would need to sweep the next two series to break .500.

Let's suppose they win this series, and win each of the remaining ones by 4-2. They'd be NBA champions, but they'd still have a losing record!

[wilson]

The final item in this rundown of last night's game is fantastic:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...x.html?eref=T1

[calltheobvious]

I have never really seen Garnett play much over the years, but I always assumed (based on slurping in the media) that he was a "great and noble warrior". But the guy's just a punk. Extremely chippy and his dead-ball goaltending B.S. is WAAY over the top. I said in another thread a while ago, that I wish vintage Maurice Lucas could come back for a game and wreak havoc on some punks. For Garnett, I'm wishing that vintage Wilt Chamberlain would come back and hang Garnett from the basket support or shot-put him into the 5th row.

Paul Pierce has always been a punk and Ray Allen's omnipresent scowl is also irritating. I was actually ready to like these guys going into the season, but now I wish them nothing but failure. Maybe they are just channeling the spirit of the most offensive sports executive ever, the insufferable Red Auerbach.

GO HAWKS!

Dude, relax. We root for laundry.

[bhd28]

Yeah, I'm not sure Woodson deserves praise since he did go 37-45 with this team. That record should've been reversed at the very least because the Hawks really do have a good player at every position and a burgeoning great player in Joe Johnson that can make his teammates better. 37-45, with this team, in the East. Yikes.

For the Hawk fans that still lament not drafting Chris Paul. I would lament that as well, but keep in mind that, if you had drafted Paul, you wouldn't have been in position to draft Horford in this past draft. And who knows when Atlanta would've gotten another chance to pick up a young, fearless postscorer like him. Horford can be an All-Star in the East.

Yeah, but... all star PF for the East or the runner up for NBA MVP... who is one year older... and plays the toughest to fill spot outside of a true center?

[Troublemaker]

Yeah, but... all star PF for the East or the runner up for NBA MVP... who is one year older... and plays the toughest to fill spot outside of a true center?

True, I'm not saying they're equal, just that Horford is a nice silver lining. And actually, even though I'd take Paul over Horford if I'm starting a team fresh, I might argue that on a team that already has Joe Johnson, who is Atlanta's de facto playmaker and a fine one, adding Horford instead of Paul makes them a better, more well-rounded team.

[bhd28]

True, I'm not saying they're equal, just that Horford is a nice silver lining. And actually, even though I'd take Paul over Horford if I'm starting a team fresh, I might argue that on a team that already has Joe Johnson, who is Atlanta's de facto playmaker and a fine one, adding Horford instead of Paul makes them a better, more well-rounded team.

If I was to debate, I would counter that there was a reason that they went and got Bibby, but I say let's just be happy with where they are and not lament about what could have been.

[Edouble]

If I was to debate, I would counter that there was a reason that they went and got Bibby, but I say let's just be happy with where they are and not lament about what could have been.

Uh, yeah, that could take years.

[Uncle Drew]

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.

Are you really pleased? At what point did you become pleased, last night? When they made the playoffs? I have to say I'd have a lot easier time pulling for the Hawks if Shelden Williams were still playing for them and a certain other Williams was playing in Antartica.

The scene you describe if I do say so doesn't sound like Atlanta at all. My mom was born and raised in Cumming GA (go ahead make jokes, I know I do.) and I have relatives from Cordele to Marietta. For all we know you and I may be cousins. There are a bunch of posters on DBR from GA, particularly Atlanta, native and transplant alike. (Earl Jam doesn't count, he's from Burlington NC originally and the tainted water fried his brain so badly he thinks he's in Atlantis.) But I have thought something for a long time, and don't take this as a slap directed at you Wilson. It's actually directed at the average sports fan in Georgia, many of whom are my relatives. The state of Georgia has some of the worst sports fans in the world.


I remember Dominique's Hawks playing the Bulls in the Omni years ago. The fans down there were pulling for Jordan, IN THE PLAYOFFS! Granted I loathe Jordan for where he went to school, but they were pulling against the home team. Every NBA draft when they make a bad pick that doesn't address needs I laugh and say it serves them right. If Atlanta wanted a good basketball team they should have been pulling for them the last time they had a decent team.

Then we go to the beloved Braves, everyones favorite baseball team from Gafney SC to Gainsville FL. We Duke fans are called spoiled, and perhaps it's with good reason. But a few years back when the Cubs and Braves met in the playoffs, Cubs fans bought up all the away tickets and Turner field had at least an equal number if not more fans than the Braves. I suppose if I were the owner I might just be glad the games were sold out. But knowing my home city didn't care enough about the most popular team in the city to give a homefield advantage? Well imagine Cameron being 50% or more filled with UNC fans durring a Duke vs. UNC mens basketball game. You can't envision it and neither can I.

Next we go to the Falcons who didn't do anything every single year after being in the NFC championship game against the Cowboys to get the right to lose to the Steelers in the 1979 Super Bowl. The city had high hopes, but year after year it got worse and worse. People in Georgia do LOVE some football and they actually know it better than baseball despite the Braves. It's just a shame all hope of the future went down in a dog fight in a Home Depot lot. Blame PETA all you want to, but season ticket sales haven't been anything to smile about since Jimmy Carter was still in office.

Now UNLIKE North Carolina, Georgia knows, loves and appreciates college football UGA and GT both have national titles. (Although GT's last one was a co-champion and UNC tied them that year so it doesn't really count.) Game day in Athens or Atlanta is actually a happy time filled with hope, unlike recent autumn Saturdays in the triangle. And next to Ibiza Spain, Mardi Gras and anytime my ex wife drinks absynthe there isn't a bigger party than Florida vs. Georgia in football. GT has been to two Final Fours (oddly enough in the same year as Duke went) but even a national title in basketball wouldn't rank up there with an SEC title in football.

I just wonder if the Hawks were to knock off the Celtics how much talk around the average peach flavored water cooler there would be about it. If they won the whole freakin' title I don't think the city would go half as Gonzo as just going to the Super Bowl. (Oh dirty bird where art thou?) My mom played basketball for Berry College way back in the day, and swears it's where I get my game from. I tell her, "no mom, you're from Georgia, you don't know anything about basketball, I'm good, lol". To the GA DBR posters on here PLEASE don't take this as a knock on any of you. From most everything I've read your knowledge of the game however you came to find it is encouraging if not impressive. But anyone could see fans in the city / state tend to be a little "fickle" to put it nicely. I guess unlike NC when you grow up having teams in all the major sports (Go Flames....I mean Thrashers!) it all gets passe. God knows this state didn't go bonkers when the Hurricane's won the stanley cup like they did when that ugly shade of blue won their last title, so I have no room to talk. And maybe it's being forced to watch the Pathers EVERY bloody week that has me misthinking this state is any more loyal.