By Sam Amico
ProBasketballNews.com
Everyone who said the NBA needs to re-seed the playoffs just got dunked on by the Atlanta Hawks.
And hey, Kevin Garnett, you’d better not try to get tough with Zaza Pachulia.
Most basketball fans had no idea who Pachulia was before the Hawks’ victory in Game 4 of their first-round series against Boston -- but there Pachulia was, refusing to back down from perhaps the most respected man in the Eastern Conference.
Let’s be honest, no one gave the Hawks a chance to win so much as a quarter against the team with the league‘s best record (66-16). No one believed in them entering the series, or especially after they lost the first two games -- when the young Hawks wore the confused look of someone who put a dollar bill into the change machine, only to get a piece of lint in return.
Then there was Game 4. After sneaking in a win two nights earlier, everyone figured the Hawks would get buried quickly, that the mighty Celtics would show no remorse. And it sure seemed that way early, as Boston raced to a 16-3 lead.
The Celtics also went up by 10 points (75-65) at the end of the third quarter.
But that’s the thing about this series -- the Celtics didn’t lose these two games; the Hawks just TOOK them.
They stayed active on defense and got the ball to Joe Johnson on offense. Then Johnson awakened some ghosts of Celtic past by doing his best Larry Bird impersonation in the fourth quarter.
Don’t believe it? Consider that Johnson and Josh Smith combined to score every last one of the Hawks’ 32 points in the final 12 minutes. Johnson hit 7 of 10 field goals on his way to 35 points and an underrated six assists.
He used crossover dribbles, pull-up jumpers, and daring drives to the basket. Young players should especially note how Johnson is constantly moving without the ball, how hard he works to free himself for open shots.
Of course, this has been far from a one-man act. The ultra-athletic Smith finished with 18 points and is slowly becoming the best shot-blocking forward of his era, having swatted a whopping seven shots in Game 4. With an average of nearly four per game for the series, Smith is displaying the type of defense that would make Bill Russell smile.
There’s more.
Rookie center Al Horford and forward Josh Childress each snared huge offensive rebounds late in the game (Horford had 13 rebounds overall), displaying the kind of hustle and team-first attitude every coach seeks. Also, forward Marvin Williams has done a nice job of filling his role as an energy man to near perfection.
And let’s not forget point guard Mike Bibby.
The Hawks acquired him from Sacramento at midseason with the playoffs in mind. They know Bibby has been here before, that he’s played in a conference final, that he can make big shots and deliver key passes. He has often been at his best in the postseason.
Finally, credit must go to coach Mike Woodson, a man who’s status had supposedly been shaky during the regular season. But it’s clear the players have bought into Woodson’s defense-creates-offense system, that they believe in and respect their coach.
When you have a hungry and athletic team like the Hawks, well, we’re all seeing what can happen.
As Johnson smiled widely and said after Game 4, “We’ve got a lot of momentum right now.”
And whoever thought we’d hear a member of the Hawks say that so deep into the series?
MORE CELTICS-HAWKS
* I practically teared up when I saw a grown man wearing a Hawks jersey and waving a white towel over his head in celebration during Game 4. This from the town that supposedly has lousy fans. But the building was rocking on this night, and Bibby probably thought he was back in Sacramento during Game 7 of the 2002 Western Conference finals against the Lakers.
* Earlier in the season I had the chance to talk to Woodson, who beamed like a proud parent when talking about his team. “They were just babies when it comes to experience,” he said. “But they’re really growing up, and as a coach, it’s a nice thing to witness and be a part of.”
* No less than Cleveland’s LeBron James has been impressed. “They may be the most athletic team in the league,” he said of the Hawks during the regular season. “They are buying into what Coach Woodson has been preaching and when you combine everything, they’re pretty dangerous.”
* As for the Celtics, coach Doc Rivers said returning to Boston for Game 5 isn’t enough. “I told the guys, ‘You gotta go make it OK. Don’t just rely on going home,'” he said.
* Interestingly, Rivers was the point guard for the Hawks when they lost in seven games to the Bird-led Celtics 20 years ago, in one of the greatest playoff series of all time.
BROWN BOBCATS
Larry Brown will be the next coach of the Bobcats, and he should be a great fit -- as Brown has made a name for himself by turning so-so teams into playoff contenders.
Still, I thought former coach Sam Vincent got a raw deal.
For more on that, read my column on Pro Basketball News: Vincent firing makes little sense.
READER E-MAIL
Jon Stomper wrote: “About three years ago, I e-mailed you about the future of the NBA and stated my opinion that the NBA was entering a new Golden Era. I supported my argument by naming the likes of LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, etc. Obviously I don't expect you to recall such an e-mail, but I was just curious, three years later, what your thoughts are on all of these young superstars?”
Dear Jon, actually, I do remember your e-mail, mostly because I agreed with you at the time. And it looks like we were both right. With guys like James, Paul, Howard and others, it’s easy to feel good about the future of the league. Like the players of other great eras, today’s stars have outstanding work ethics and a willingness to learn and get better. And stars always define their era.
Sam Amico is the editor of Pro Basketball News. Contact him or sign up for his free e-mail newsletter at amico@probasketballnews.com.
AMICO REPORT: April 29, 2008
Hawks soar to unforeseen heights
Copyright 2008 Pro Basketball News. All rights reserved.
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