Hawks Fans Love Team’s Perseverance. Trailing in the Series, They’ll Need It Again
Atlanta Hawks fans have packed State Farm Arena during the team’s unlikely playoff run.
Emil Moffatt/WABE
The Atlanta Hawks have been through a lot this season.
They made the playoffs despite changing coaches late in the year. They’ve battled injuries and they’ve trailed in each of their last two series. They also came into the Eastern Conference Finals as underdogs.
But fans like Nascassia Williams have kept the faith, thanks to the team’s toughness, and their talented superstar, Trae Young.
“I love it, it’s amazing. Trae is my favorite player,” said Williams.
Young, the Hawks’ 22-year-old point guard is among the NBA leaders in playoff points, assists and three-pointers, which are often punctuated with his signature shoulder wiggle known as the shimmy.
“The shimmy,” Williams says with a laugh. “I love the shimmy.”
Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals takes place Tuesday night at State Farm Arena, and it’s a big one for the Hawks. A win would even the series at two, but a loss would put Atlanta on the brink of playoff elimination.
And it’s not clear if Young will be healthy enough to play. He bruised his foot during Sunday’s game and his status is questionable for Tuesday.
Atlanta has received strong playoff performances from 23-year-old forward John Collins and guard Kevin Huerter, who’s 22. Collins is averaging 14 points and eight rebounds a game, with Huerter adding 11 points per game. Forward Danilo Gallinari and guard Bogdan Bogdanovich have also had solid postseasons.
But forward Cam Reddish’s playing time has been limited as he recovers from an injury and De’Andre Hunter had season-ending surgery earlier this month.
The Hawks must now find out whether Young’s injury will be too much to bear.
Overcoming Adversity
For the Hawks, coming back again in this series will be another challenge in a season full of them. But Atlanta fans – including one of the most prominent, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms – know their team won’t quit.
“I’m finding all the lessons for my kids in watching them play and win, on how you don’t give up,” Bottoms said of the team at a State Farm Arena event last week. “Even when you’re down, you dust yourself off, and you keep your head up and keep pushing.”
Regardless of the series outcome, Hawks fan Gary Williams says this team will be among the most memorable in franchise history, up there with the teams of the late ’80s and early ’90s.
“It’s about 50-50 with the Dominique teams,” said Williams. “You can’t discredit Dominique Wilkins.”
While those Hawks teams did have an impressive run, they never made it as far in the playoffs as this year’s squad has.
Tuesday night’s game begins at 8:30 p.m. at State Farm Arena. The team announced Monday that only a limited number of standing room tickets remain.
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