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.
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457 comments Add your comment
mountain_jim
May 3rd, 2009
3:42 pm
Mark gets a page-view bonus, lol.
gusman 354
May 3rd, 2009
3:42 pm
SEE YOU PIGEONS NEXT YEAR
kj
May 3rd, 2009
3:42 pm
good game boys party tonight rest on monday because it’s gonna be a showdown come tuesday night now that the hard part begins. I believe. LET’S GO HAWKS!
falcon21
May 3rd, 2009
3:44 pm
354, 7 games man, both teams played their hearts out. Good series!!!
hawks 4 the win!!
May 3rd, 2009
3:46 pm
gusman354: thanks for the chat, but you and your team are irrelevant now.
And Bosh will be in New York after next season.
Along with Wade.
amanda
May 3rd, 2009
3:46 pm
heat fan still here over in dubai,and thanks to you all for your up to date scores through out the game.The game was not live over here so thanks for the amusing updates.amanda
JM
May 3rd, 2009
3:49 pm
Great win Hawks.
Chris
May 3rd, 2009
3:51 pm
As a heat fan, I must admit I am thoroughly dissapointed in our performance…but hopefully in the offseason we will add some more talent around Wade. You guys got a good young team that look to be good for years to come. I am rooting for you guys in the second round. Peace.
D-Whine
May 3rd, 2009
3:54 pm
Mark Bradley, I generally don’t like you. But great job with the updates today. Nice to see that at least some of the AJC’s sports guys actually care about Atlanta sports. Now that the uber idiot, Terrence Moore, is gone maybe the AJC will be worth reading again.
hawks walk the talk
May 3rd, 2009
3:55 pm
Chris: stay classy. Thanks for that.
falcon21
May 3rd, 2009
3:55 pm
Amanda and Chris, it was a good game for the Hawks, not so much for the Heat but both teams have a lot to look forward to in seasons to come. It was a fun series.
Al
May 3rd, 2009
3:58 pm
Le Brown James, what are you,a hurt Heat’s fan? Oh, on your 3:18 blog you don’t spell men with a S.
Darrin "The Vent King"
May 3rd, 2009
4:04 pm
I know the series is over but I want to reiterate the hoopla over J Smoove’s dunk by D-Wade and Spolestra was b.s. and Josh had nothing to apologize for AT ALL!! It is not his fault they misinterpreted what that was about. It may have been classy for Josh to do, but he shouldn’t have apologized cause he didn’t do anything wrong. Explain maybe, but not apologize. Why do Mr “Jump on Scorer’s Table Yelling THIS IS MY HOUSE!!” needs an apology on ill-perceived showboating. The fact that no one (like Kenny Smith and Fat Boy) mentioned that scorer’s table move as showboating but lambaste Smith over nothing shows obvious bias on TNT, ESPN, and the NBA’s part for their divas.
Anyway, congrats Hawks on a good win and now all you annoying Heat fans that talked that mess- GO HOME!!! LMAO
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Native Son
May 3rd, 2009
4:04 pm
And Miami said: “Shobba ubbas de wade tuba de doh”
beat the heat
May 3rd, 2009
4:08 pm
Haha, Spoelstra really congratulated the Hawks ownership for keeping the management team together so long to develop a young team.
Translation: PLEASE DON’T FIRE ME, even though I couldn’t win the First Round with the NBA scoring leader!!!!!!!!
beat the heat
May 3rd, 2009
4:10 pm
Has Josh Smith apologized to Spoelstra for winning the series yet?
If not, I’m sure we’ll hear all about it in the papers and on ESPN and TNT.
Mark Bradley
May 3rd, 2009
4:13 pm
Back from the locker room. The Hawks were happy but not what I’d call ecstatic. They expected to win.
And I shook hands with Woodson — whom I’ve sought to fire about a half-dozen times in the past — and told him what I told y’all a couple of hours ago: I thought the coaching move at the end of the first quarter (giving a foul, getting Mario in to harass Wade, getting a steal and free throws to take the lead) was a great coaching move. And it was.
Mark Bradley
May 3rd, 2009
4:14 pm
Oh, and thanks, D-Whine.
I’ll be writing for print now, but I’ll check back every couple of paragraphs. So if anyone still cares to discuss the game, I’ll be happy to oblige.
UGA
May 3rd, 2009
4:15 pm
Congrats to the OWNERS and SUND. We do not need to fire Woody! Yes, we beat a one-man show and yes, we should be in the 2nd round. But, what improvement and strides we have made. My only complaint is for Smith to quit shooting jumpers, that does come through coaching. But in basketball, your either on or you’re not or you have the players or you don’t. Great job HAWKS and to you Woodson!!
Mark Bradley
May 3rd, 2009
4:17 pm
Oh, and before anyone asks: Here’s the Round 2 schedule:
Cleveland vs. Atlanta
Game 1 – Tue May 5 Atlanta at Cleveland 8:00PM 8:00PM TNT
Game 2 – Thu May 7 Atlanta at Cleveland 8:00PM 8:00PM ESPN
Game 3 – Sat May 9 Cleveland at Atlanta 8:00PM 8:00PM
ABC/R
Game 4 – Mon May 11 Cleveland at Atlanta 7:00PM 7:00PM TNT
Game 5 * Wed May 13 Atlanta at Cleveland TBD TBD TNT
Game 6 * Fri May 15 Cleveland at Atlanta TBD TBD ESPN
Game 7 * Mon May 18 Atlanta at Cleveland 8:00PM 8:00PM TNT
Chris
May 3rd, 2009
4:20 pm
WOW Chris you need to change your name we already have a Chris and he’s a true Die hard Hawks fan not like the wagon jumping miami fans and also probably the only Hawks fan in Iowa. GO HAWKS BABY!
Joe Johnson on ESPN2
Matt
May 3rd, 2009
4:21 pm
dang, I know Woody’s a busy man, but he needs to clean that desk from time to time. He might find Speedy Claxton’s stat sheet from New Orleans in that mess!
Good win for the Hawks today. The benchmark this year was if we could win the first round series. I think that it’s an unmitigated success if we end up winning two games in the next series against the Cavs.
tale of woe
May 3rd, 2009
4:21 pm
Mark – What is the deal with Williams? Is he going to be ready to go for game 1? We are going to need all the healthy bodies as possible.
falcon21
May 3rd, 2009
4:23 pm
Thanks Mark, it was a fun afternoon, now maybe Braves can pull off a win from Houston but not looking good down by two.
tale of woe
May 3rd, 2009
4:25 pm
Hey Mark – Wade was called for an 8 second call…Not 10 like you mentioned before. I just thought you would want to know
hawks hawk
May 3rd, 2009
4:26 pm
Good game HAWKS, (cant believe i’m saying it) good coaching WOODY! We need to get Josh and AL going early every game, to get there motors running against Cleveland. Joe will be guarded by D. West, so he needs to post up early and not settle for jump shots so early. I think we’ll play alot better in Cleveland than we did in Miami.
Congrats on the 1st round, rest up and lets strap the hard hats and boots back on and be ready to work tuesday nite. GO HAWKS!!! GO HAWKS!!!
nola hawk fan
May 3rd, 2009
4:27 pm
Mark – I love the live blog as well. I watch the game live, and them come back and read all your post. great to see what yours (and others) takes are on key moments of the game.
Getting the lead at the end of the first was key too. If I recall.. Heat were up like 4 with about 2 to go in the first. Hawks win on a little spurt. As Mark Jackson said (hey, I liked the ABC coverage), closing out quarters is key.
As for next round… folks on here were worked up on the pro-wade calls by the refs, just you wait. The NBA/ABC, et al is dying for the Lakers/Cavs finals. Let the conspiracy theories begin.
Great job again Mark…
Joe Johnson
May 3rd, 2009
4:30 pm
Still think I’m SOFT???
You fair weather fans.
Mark Bradley
May 3rd, 2009
4:34 pm
Thanks, Tale of Woe. You’re right. And you should know the Heat guys are wondering about that call. (Please don’t let them protest the result. Remember the suspended game? Remember the “doubleheader” of last March?
And I don’t know for sure about Marvin, but esteemed colleague Sekou Smith says he thinks he’ll play some against the Cavaliers.
Bob Pettit
May 3rd, 2009
4:35 pm
The (St. Louis) Hawks beat the (Minneapolis) Lakers in a best-of-7 series in 1961…
Conspiracy theory: THE NBA AND ABC ARE DYING FOR A HAWKS/LAKERS FINAL!!!
nola hawk fan
May 3rd, 2009
4:38 pm
Bob Petit – I love the optimism!
Bob Pettit
May 3rd, 2009
4:46 pm
The NBA: Where 2009 in Atlanta Feels Like 1958 in St. Louis!!
Mr. Marvin
May 3rd, 2009
4:51 pm
Even though I don’t feel Hawks management treated Josh Childress fairly enough, I can bet J-Chill is sulking right about now. Flip filled in tremendously in his stead.
I was offered a 3rd row seat by a friend, but I turned it down because I didn’t want my presence to jinx the Hawks. Honestyl! LOL. Thank goodness I made the right call. Go Hawks!
HEAT FOR LIFE!
May 3rd, 2009
4:52 pm
congratulations hawks fans you deserve. good luck!
Barry
May 3rd, 2009
4:55 pm
Hey Y’all:
It’s “SHOCK THE WORLD!!!!!!” time here in Atlanta. The Heat did not have a chance against our nitty, gritty, young ballers called the Atlanta Hawks. They stiffled the entire Heat team with excellent defense and premier shooting from everybody who got on the floor for the Hawks. Joe, Bibby, Josh, Flip, Horford and the rest of the team turned Phillips Areana out with a “real butt kickin” of the heat. The Heat could not stand up to the speed and defensive intensity that characterize this Hawk team. I say, “BRING ON THE CAVALIERS”. We are still in this fight for the “NBA CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE WORLD”. We KNOCKED THE HEAT OUT IN 7 ROUNDS. AND WE DIDN’T EVEN DO THE SHUFFLE YET!! We’ll save that for Lebron and his crew.
SO. ARE YOU READY TO RRRRRRRUUUUUUUUUMMMMMBBBBBBLLLLLEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!??
LET’S GO HAWK’S LET’S GO HAWKS!!!!! LETS’s GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is a SECRET from a HAWK FAN. TELL EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
……………………….”ATLANTA HAWKS, BOOM-BYE-YEAH!!!!!………
…………………………..’SHOCK THE WORLD!!!!!!……………..
Mark Bradley
May 3rd, 2009
5:07 pm
FYI, the Hawks still hold Childress’ rights. File that away.
EAST ATLANTA HAWKS FAN
May 3rd, 2009
5:10 pm
IF YOU ARE STILL HATING ON MIKE WOODSON THEN YOU ARE NOT A HAWKS FAN
Reid Adair
May 3rd, 2009
5:14 pm
Great work, Mark. Sorry I missed the blog during the game, but what a big win for the Hawks and Coach Woodson.
Duff McWhalen
May 3rd, 2009
5:21 pm
Quote from a Miami Heat fan board:
“Zaza is going for an Orgy. He’s raping again.”
*loves it*
hawks walk the talk
May 3rd, 2009
5:22 pm
HEAT FOR LIFE!: Thanks for that!!
Snowman
May 3rd, 2009
5:25 pm
Congrats to the Hawks and coach Woodson!!!…To all the HATERS and the especially the KING OF THE HATERS, Jeff Schultz, HAWKS WIN, HAWKS WIN, HAWKS WIN (smile)!!!…Now let’s see if you have it in you to write an article apologizing to coach Woodson and STOP TRYING TO HAVE HIM FIRED!!!…I guess he knows what the HECK he his doing huh?…
We will find out shortly how much class you have in your response to the Hawks moving on to the 2nd round because we sure would have heard from “HATER NATION” about coach Woodson had they lost…
Mark, thanks for this blog site today!!!…and I “tip my Fedora” for you changing your views on coach and shaking his hand to congratulate him today!!!
tale of woe
May 3rd, 2009
5:28 pm
I have been thinking that Childress comes back next year…Anyway, great job Mark. Bring on the Cavs!
Stat Man
May 3rd, 2009
5:32 pm
Just got home from the game. Was a little (well, REAL) disappointed at the size of the crowd at the start of the game, but just like the Hawks, by the end of the first half, they had arrived.
I wonder how many (Mark, I’m guessing you are one) besides me that have been to EVERY game 7 played in Atlanta pro sports history in the ATL?
Was there when Sid slid, when they destroyed the Cards in the ‘96 NLCS and today. Kinda sad that in 40+ years there’s only been three, but hey, we (ATL) are 3-0. Guess we just need to get to host more game 7’s!
Great game – GO HAWKS – SHOCK THE WORLD, PART TWO!!!
Mark Bradley
May 3rd, 2009
5:32 pm
Thanks, Nola. Thanks, Tale, Thanks, Reid. Thanks, Snowman.
Finishing up the column. Just realized I haven’t had anything to eat since a Quaker Oats bar before I left the house.
Mark Bradley
May 3rd, 2009
5:46 pm
OK, here’s the column.
Stat Man
May 3rd, 2009
5:50 pm
Looking at the box score, who would have guessed we would have won, especially easily, when we were out rebounded 39-30 & outshot 41.3 to 40.8???
That’s what protecting the ball will do for you, Miami with 10 more turnovers. Not the biggest Josh fan, but while rolling my eyes with everybody else with all 4 of his clankers from outside 10 feet, I will give him props for his 7-8 day from the line.
18,864 showing at the final attendance – a couple hundred short of a sellout, but not bad considering the game wasn’t even known to be necessary until 40 hours prior to tipoff!
Lets get it started – SHOCK THE WORLD – PART TWO!!!!
RickNole
May 3rd, 2009
5:51 pm
Big ups to the Heat fans for coming on and congradulating. You guys can build upon this serise like we did last year against Boston.
Now on to King James. If we can somehow seal one in Cleveland, I think we can make this a descent serise, eventhough I KNOW NO ONE will give us the smallest chance.
Mark Bradley
May 3rd, 2009
5:58 pm
I guess I have been to most of the Game 7s staged in Atlanta, Stat Man. (Not all of those on the road, though.) Never thought about it until today. I was there in 1996, 1992 and now this. Have there been others?
Stat Man
May 3rd, 2009
6:20 pm
No others – those are the 3. And what totally different games they have been. You can’t get more one sided than the Braves 15-0 over the Cards in ‘96 and the Hawks taking it to a 29 point lead today in comparison to Cabrera’s 2-out, 2-run miracle in ‘92.
We may not be the sports center of the universe, but not many cities can lay claim to never having a home team lose a game 7 in their history!
MobileHawkFan
May 3rd, 2009
6:28 pm
Hey all,
Glad the Hawks showed up and proved why they wanted Game 7 at Home. I am so happy that they won and am really proud of how they have matured over these last couple of years. Being 19, I dont have a lot of memories of the Hawks when they have been winners in the past, so this is quite the treat that they have turned things around. I really would have liked to go to a game but I am stuck down here in Mobile at the University of South Alabama during this series. Maybe I will be able to catch one in Round 2.
Now that the Hawks have taken care of the Heat they can turn their attention to those pesky Cavs. They only need to take one game in Clevland and if they can win the games in Atlanta then they will be set. Of course that is more easier said than done but I have faith in them.
So go out there and beat the Cavs! I want a Hawks-Celtics EC Finals!