Hitting Back :: A New York Sports Blog

In the old days, the NBA had a signature phrase, “Now that’s fantastic.” These days in Atlanta, it’s more like Hawktastic! 

Twenty years ago, the Atlanta Hawks and Boston Celtics hooked up in a great seven-game second round series. Best remembered for the classic Game Seven duel between superstars Dominique Wilkins and Larry Bird, the scoring war went to The Human Highlight Film but not the series as Boston advanced thanks to 20 fourth quarter points from Larry Legend. Wilkins, who scored a game high 47 (13 better than Bird) had 16 in a losing effort. The Celtics won 118-116.

In the rich history of the Boston Celtics, they’ve never lost a series deciding Game Seven. That and plenty more will all be on the line when the East’s top seed hosts the underdog Hawks tomorrow afternoon at TD Northbank Garden. It doesn’t quite have that same feel as the fabled Boston Garden where the green and white won so many NBA titles. Just maybe that will be enough incentive for upstart Atlanta, a team who won 37 games during the regular season. That’s 29 fewer than Kevin Garnett and the Celts won in posting the league’s best record to gain home court.

The deciding game became necessary when the Hawks held up their end of the bargain by winning on their home floor at a loud Phillips Arena of better than 20,000. Like Game Four, Boston built a double digit lead taking a 32-20 cushion after one quarter. But the Celts couldn’t handle prosperity allowing a resilient group of Hawks to outscore them 29-18 cutting the deficit to one by the half.

Everytime the Celtics tried to take control, Atlanta made a timely basket to stay right with them. Trailing by three after 36 minutes, the Hawks used better aggressive defense and heady play on the offensive end to stifle their opponent outscoring them 24-18 to pull out a hard fought 104-101 Game Six win.

When his team needed a big bucket in crunch time, Game Four hero Joe Johnson delivered once again. With the Celts within two and the shot clock winding down, he faked out defender James Posey and then stepped into a trey from the right arc nailing it for a 100-95 lead with over a minute left. It was the only three Atlanta made all night.

If Johnson was the star in outscoring Boston 20-17 by himself a few nights ago, then he got plenty of help from a well balanced attack which included 16 points, five rebounds and four assists from NBA Rookie of The Year runner-up Al Horford. On a night when Boston doubled to limit Johnson’s touches, other Hawks came through including veteran guard Mike Bibby, who made just enough free throws to hold off Boston’s last charge without Paul Pierce, who fouled out and drew a technical.

Bibby stepped up supporting Johnson’s 15, five assists and four rebounds with a similar 17, seven assists and six boards. After converting one-of-two to keep the Celts’ hopes alive of forcing overtime, the former Sacramento King and teammates played splendid D not allowing Rajon Rondo to find an open Posey or Ray Allen for a potential tying three. Instead, the pass oriented point guard went to the last option forcing a 25-footer which drew nothing but air as the Hawks and their pumped up fans celebrated by chanting, “Se—ven, Se—ven, Se—ven!!!!!”

All five Atlanta starters hit for double figures including Marvin Williams’ 18 which paced them despite missing most of the final quarter due to a twisted knee while guarding Pierce. Showing playoff mettle, he came back into the game to play defense with 20 seconds remaining. The plan worked as an Allen force from way downtown missed wide forcing the Celts to foul. He just didn’t have the touch from the outside clanging seven of eight three-point attempts despite 20 points.

When Williams wasn’t in, replacement Josh Childress was ripping it up to the tune of 15 points, six rebounds, three assists and a steal. The former 2004 first rounder out of Stanford has really played big in this series, playing awesome D along with timely hoops and unselfish dishes. His hustle has also kept several loose balls alive including three big offensive rebounds last night.

The Hawks also got a valiant effort from little used reserve center Zaza Pachulia. The big man who jawed with Garnett during Game Four played 28 big minutes scoring nine points on three of four from the field with three free throws, six boards including four offensive and two steals.

That kind of yeoman effort is the reason they’re headed back to Boston for a Game Seven rematch 20 years in the making. Well, maybe it’s not quite Nique and Bird with current Celtic coach Doc Rivers on the Hawk side. But it sure is great theater.

The pressure will be squarely on Boston. They swept all three regular season meetings and have won by an average of 22 points in Games 1, 2 and 5 on their home court.

They didn’t bring in the Big Ticket (22 pts, 7 rebs, 6 assists) and Allen to flop in the first round against a hungry athletic opponent who wants to victimize a heavy favorite much the way Baron Davis and the eighth seeded Golden State Warriors stunned Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks in this same round. So, the pressure will be immense when they tip off Game Seven at 1 ET tomorrow in Boston.

If the Celts win, they’ll play LeBron James and the Cavs, who for the third consecutive year eliminated the Wizards on their home floor . James posted a triple double with 27 points, 13 assists and 13 rebounds in a 105-88 Game Six win at Verizon Center. Deadline pickup Wally Szczerbiak connected on six treys netting 26 points and Daniel Gibson came off the bench for 22 including another four from beyond the arc.

Antawn Jamison paced the Wizards with a double/double (23 and 15) in a losing effort. Game Five hero Caron Butler was limited to 18 on 6 of 14 shooting with four turnovers.

The Utah Jazz also advanced to an enticing Conference Semifinal match-up against rumored regular season league MVP Kobe Bryant and the Lakers. Despite a heroic 40 points, 10 boards and five assists from Tracy McGrady, the Jazz used a more balanced attack with seven different players netting double digits including 10 apiece from reserve guards Kyle Korver and Matt Harpring.

McGrady, who is now 0-7 in playoff series did all he could for the shorthanded Rockets who lost starting guard Rafer Alston to an injury early on which didn’t help their cause. In the past, I’ve been critical of him but the guy did all he could to get his team back in the game. They trailed by 19 in the first half before a McGrady led run which included back-to-back three’s cut the lead to four at the half. The only other Rocket in double digits was rookie power forward Luis Scola, who finished with 15 and nine boards.

The Jazz responded with a strong third quarter outscoring the Rockets 27-11. Point guard Deron Williams had 13 by himself including two straight trifectas which put Utah back in command up 18. The former Illinois standout finished with 25, nine assists and six rebounds. Mehmet Okur added a double/double (19 and 13) and Carlos Boozer chipped in with 15, 10 and 5. 

Utah cruised to a 113-91 Game Six win to setup Sunday’s Game One at Los Angeles. Figure that to be a great series.