Hawks 90, Heat 64.That was the final score of the first NBA playoff game played in Philips Arena in Atlanta. In the high-paced offensive era, the score showed the effectiveness a good defense can have in a game, the Hawks' in particular.
Sixty-four is a franchise low for points allowed in a playoff game. In the fourth quarter, Dwayne Wade and the Miami heat to just seven points. They never scored more than 21 points in a quarter.
The Hawks had six players, including all starters, score in double digits. The Heat had only two, including point guard Dwayne Wade's 19- 11 below his league leading game average.
Atlanta is unused to such basketball success. 2009 marks the first winning season that the Hawks have had enjoined since 1999 when they lost to the Knicks in the conference semi-finals. That time has been trying for Hawks fans. During the 2004-05 season, the Hawks managed just 13 wins in an 82-game season. That was good enough for a .188 wining percentage.
Their luck began to turn around however, during last season. Taking Al Horford out of the University of Florida with the 3rd overall pick in the draft, and traded to get Mike Bibby from the Sacramento Kings. Those moves helped Atlanta squeak into the playoffs and push the eventual champion Boston Celtics to seven games before eventually losing in the first round.
Finally after their years in the cellar, the Atlanta Hawks have been able to rebuild into a legitimate contender. Now if only the University of Georgia basketball team could follow suit.
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