Live from Game 7: Looking for Mr. Good Game (finally!)
The Celtics and Bulls played seven overtimes over their seven games. The Hawks and Heat haven’t yet seen a second-half lead change. Think about that. Think about a series that has gone the distance but done nothing to stir the senses. (Unless you’re the sort who gets miffed over a missed dunk in a 20-point game.)
Fun with numbers: The Hawks have won three games, each by double figures, and have been outscored by 19 points in the series. They won Game 1 by 26 points and lost Game 6 by 26. (And let’s try to forget Game 3, in which the margin was 29.)
In sum, it has been a series to forget, but that will change today. Because somebody’s going to win this thing, and somebody’s going to remember it. Somebody’s going to be chasing LeBron James in Round 2. And I’m thinking, as I mentioned yesterday, it’ll be the Hawks.
Note the score I predicted. (Note also that, as most of you know, I’m never right about anything.) I said 82-77, which means I believe that finally — finally! — we’re about to get a good game.
Big injury news! According to Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, Jermaine O’Neal “absolutely” isn’t playing. Miami’s doctors are holding him out for a second consecutive game. If you watch the video below, you’ll see Mike Woodson’s reaction to this development. You’ll see that he’s … just watch the thing.
Big injury news! (Part 2) Al Horford is starting, as Woodson said he would. And Marvin Williams won’t start but will play.
I saw Horfy — I call him Horfy, and you should, too — in the locker room. As he got up from his chair, I asked if he could walk.
Horfy, laughing: “Can I walk?”
(Given that he was walking as he spoke, it probably wasn’t the greatest question of my undistinguished career.)
MB: “OK, can you run?”
Horfy, still smiling: “I’ll be all right.”
Heaters in the house: Mickey Arison, the Heat owner who’s richer than Ted Turner, was sitting courtside watching his players warm up 80 minutes before tip time. (Arison owns Carnival Cruise Lines, which means he was once Kathie Lee Gifford’s employer.) And Pat Riley, whom I know well from our University of Kentucky alumni meetings, just walked by me in the corridor.
Radio gaga: Just saw John Crotty, the former Virginia guard — who outplayed Mookie Blaylock of Oklahoma in a memorable Sweet 16 game in 1989 — and asked him why he and Heat radio partner Mike Inglis never make headlines like Steve Holman. Crotty laughed. (For reasons unclear, I’m making people laugh this morning.)
If anything, the Heat guys (Inglis in particular) tend to go the other way. They’ll rip their club. I listened to a Hawks-Heat game in January via Sirius XM and couldn’t believe how negative Inglis was. And the Heat led wire to wire! (Hmmm. Sounds familiar.)
And what, you’re asking, about Spirit the Hawk? We exchanged Tweets yesterday. I asked if he’d be here for Game 7, and this was his Twittered response:
“I’ll be at Game 7 and will TRY to swoop into your press perch in the sky. But lately I don’t like to be waaaaaaay up there…Heat rises.”
I’m telling you, this is the funniest bird since Tweetie Pie.
Whoa, wait a second! Remember Spoelstra saying O’Neal wasn’t playing? The official sheet just was issued, and O’Neal is listed as active!
We in the press room are going wild over this, and I should report that we smell the dastardly hand of Pat Riley behind it all.
The starting lineups haven’t been released. You’ll be advised as soon as they are.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
457 comments Add your comment
Gilley
May 3rd, 2009
1:54 pm
Let’s go Hawks!!!!!!!!!!!!
I bleed Pacman logo red
May 3rd, 2009
1:54 pm
atl up 39-26
go boids
Mark Bradley
May 3rd, 2009
1:54 pm
Hawks by 13 now. Bibby hit an unencumbered trey, and Joe stole the ball from D-Wade and threw long to Flip, who scored on the runout.
Spoelstra has called more timeouts in the second quarter than Dean Smith called in his life.
CDawg42
May 3rd, 2009
1:54 pm
Someone said it here about a month ago…can we just get a shock collar for Josh that activates every time he goe outside of the paint on offense?
brewdawg
May 3rd, 2009
1:55 pm
39-26 amanda (atlanta lead).
Not to state the completely obvious, but if Josh Smith ever develops anything resembling a decent jumper, he will be unstoppable.
Mark Bradley
May 3rd, 2009
1:56 pm
The Hawks are stopping everything the Heat tries. Jones just air-balled a contested jumper — Flip in his face — and Josh Smith got fouled on the resulting fast break.
Hawks by 15.
Brandon
May 3rd, 2009
1:56 pm
Nice… we’re making our free throws today…
J Dub
May 3rd, 2009
1:57 pm
Where is Heatfan and Heat for Life?
roughart2009
May 3rd, 2009
1:57 pm
Got God Gang
yes i have a life but it’s rainin’ in richmond today and my girlfriends are all lazy and won’t come downtown and more importantly don’t feel like drinking well maybe later some red wine
now where was i………..
the majority of basketball + football players have gotten too big for their britches, they’re calling us normal size guys midgets plus saying white men can’t jump and when our white women go black, don’t won’t to go back
fast forward
once a white woman goes black who in the hell wants her back
and i use to be a liberal yall
civil rights have reached the point of deminishing returns, respect and dignity is what they wanted
hypocrites, will never get my money to watch them showboat
fyi lettered in football & basketball way back when, when white men could jump and changing my vote
thank you aj for letting me get the message out
i’m a democrat moderate republican now and Jesus is the name above all names, democrates selling out your souls
and i’m not buying (this is why the economy is the way it is, we ain’t buying it no more, no more jive)
fast fast forward can’t say merry christmas in stores at christmas time
you carpetbaggers have lost your mind
more later….
I bleed Pacman logo red
May 3rd, 2009
1:57 pm
I can’t believe they continue to bring up that missed Josh Smith dunk from game 5, I hope he gets a chance to try one again in the second half as an FU to everyone
D-Whine
May 3rd, 2009
1:58 pm
JOOOOOEEEEEEEEEE
cee
May 3rd, 2009
1:58 pm
BYE BYE MIAMI SEE YOU NEXT SEASON
mountain_jim
May 3rd, 2009
1:58 pm
Where is Flip’s shot?
Brandon
May 3rd, 2009
1:58 pm
Joe with another 3…and displaying a little anger…
I bleed Pacman logo red
May 3rd, 2009
1:59 pm
that’s not anger, that’s HUNGER
Mark Bradley
May 3rd, 2009
2:00 pm
We’re on the brink of another blowout, ladies and gents. Hawks were up 16 and Joe rose for a three-pointer. But this one he missed. (He’d hit a transition trey off Bibby’s feed to make it 16.)
And then Beasley hit. It was the second Heat basket of the quarter. It’s 44-30 with 3:12 left.
Gilley
May 3rd, 2009
2:00 pm
Can the refs please give Joe Johnson a call. My gosh!!!! He got fouled twice on his threes
HawksFanMarcoIsland
May 3rd, 2009
2:01 pm
I guess Joe was just resting in the 1st…
honest_abe
May 3rd, 2009
2:01 pm
WADE’S BACK MUST BE HURTING….
Brandon
May 3rd, 2009
2:02 pm
I like how Josh is attacking the rim…
D-Whine
May 3rd, 2009
2:02 pm
This set of refs is actually giving Josh some calls finally. Sick of seeing him get mugged everytime he touches the ball with no calls.
dhunt
May 3rd, 2009
2:02 pm
Joe Johnson is getting hammered on his three point shots and the officials are not calling any of that contact. We should have had two four point plays.
Al Horford is a warrior but he is going to seriously injure that ankle if he keeps playing this hard in a game this physical. Why won’t the idiot coach give Jones or Zaza some more time while we have a little lead and Joe, Josh, and Bibby are playing well enough to carry the offense?
Mark Bradley
May 3rd, 2009
2:02 pm
Beasley makes another. If the Heat is to stand a chance, he has to start scoring in bunches.
Josh on the line for a pair when play resumes. It’s 45-32, 1:58 until halftime.
HawksFanMarcoIsland
May 3rd, 2009
2:02 pm
I am really proud of Josh… He is trying to keep his game inside..
Gilley
May 3rd, 2009
2:03 pm
The room for improvement in Josh Smith total game is so huge its scary at what kind of player he can be. All he has to do is put in the work!!!
I bleed Pacman logo red
May 3rd, 2009
2:03 pm
if Josh could attack the basket like this and also make a 15 foot jumper on a consistent basis he would be an all star. I agree w/ the shock collar idea. either that, or he’s all-time-defense
I bleed Pacman logo red
May 3rd, 2009
2:05 pm
we should put Mario West out there to harass D. Wade for the last 2 minutes and change. leave him feeling overwhelmed at the half.
honest_abe
May 3rd, 2009
2:08 pm
wonder if josh will ever learn
Freshmaker
May 3rd, 2009
2:09 pm
Where are Heat Fan and Gusman? Funny we haven’t heard from them yet….
cee
May 3rd, 2009
2:09 pm
MIKE WOODSON SHOULD MAKE A RULE FOR THE NON JUMP SHOOTERS IF YOU SHOT A 3 AND YOU KNOW U DONT SHOT 3S THAT A 25 THOUSAND DOLLAR FINE TO YOUR FAVORITE CHARITY NO 3 POINTERS JOSH SMITH
CDawg42
May 3rd, 2009
2:09 pm
D@##@$ JOSH!!!
Mr C.
May 3rd, 2009
2:09 pm
i feel like throwing up whenever Josh Smith shoots a jumper esp 3 pointers
honest_abe
May 3rd, 2009
2:10 pm
where’d marc go?
Mark Bradley
May 3rd, 2009
2:10 pm
Joe hits a tough teardrop to close the half. Hawks by 13.
That came after three rough possessions: Josh forced a shot in the lane, missed a lob-dunk on a break — Bibby threw the pass — and missed a trey from the corner. (Hey, he was open and the clock was down.)
Cuz
May 3rd, 2009
2:11 pm
Great half Hawks, twenty-four to go.
RedTailHawk
May 3rd, 2009
2:11 pm
Was Bibby screaming at Woody?
T2daD
May 3rd, 2009
2:11 pm
I wish Josh would take a no dunk vow and honor it by wearing a nun’s habit…
Mark Bradley
May 3rd, 2009
2:11 pm
ABC just signed off for halftime showing Hawks highlights, you should know.
HawksFanMarcoIsland
May 3rd, 2009
2:12 pm
If you are a Hawks fan, you should be happy! Keep Mo on DWade.. Please..
kj
May 3rd, 2009
2:12 pm
it’s looking good guys and gals. Hopefully the hawks come out like the score is 0-0 and continue to pound the heat into submission
dhunt
May 3rd, 2009
2:13 pm
why is smith even given the prime corner spot on the four corners play? Is that not just dumb-a$$ coaching? The way the play is set up, when Bibby penetrates that way and the only player open for a shot is Josh in the corner for a three? Are we being a bit harsh on Josh for taking shot that the play was designed to create? I don’t think he should be taking the three any more than the rest of you. But look at when these things are happening. They just had 24 seconds to set up a play that ended up with a Josh smith 3 point attempt. I can’t put all that on “an immature player” taking “ill-advised shots”.
Mark Bradley
May 3rd, 2009
2:13 pm
Seats seem to have filled in some as the game has progressed. (Ah, the late-arriving crowd.) But the place isn’t full. Not an embarrassment, but not a sellout, either.
T2daD
May 3rd, 2009
2:14 pm
“Hey mom, I didn’t go to college but I did go to the NBA trade school of brick laying,” said Josh.
kj
May 3rd, 2009
2:15 pm
hopefully we get some decent half time reporting this time
bigjohnhawksfan
May 3rd, 2009
2:16 pm
MAKE ZAZA A HAWK FOR LIFE!!!!
If he works on his dribble all summer, Zaza will be lethal for years to come!!
Mark Bradley
May 3rd, 2009
2:19 pm
Joe had 13 in the second quarter. Oddly enough, he also has 13 in the game.
133t h4x
May 3rd, 2009
2:19 pm
Unlock teh cheatz!!! GOD MODE TURN ON!!!
1etz g0 h4\/\/x!!!!!
CDawg42
May 3rd, 2009
2:19 pm
MB, not a full crowd but its translating well on TV though.
mountain_jim
May 3rd, 2009
2:20 pm
I sure wish Josh had made that slam on the perfect set from Bibby – building would have exploded!
Mark Bradley
May 3rd, 2009
2:21 pm
Sorry. Not 13. Joe had 12 in the period, 12 in the game. D-Wade has missed 10 of 14 shots and has only 14 points. He’ll have to approach 40 if the Heat is going to win.