One Hawk is talking upset
VP Wilkins says they have chance vs. Celtics
ATLANTA - The Celtics swept their three-game season series with Atlanta, posting an average victory margin of 14.3 points. The Celtics have three All-Stars and the NBA's top record while the Hawks have one All-Star and the worst record among playoff teams. And in the Celtics' last win over Atlanta, on the road last Saturday, the Boston bench played the vast majority of the fourth quarter.
Even so, former Atlanta great Dominique Wilkins isn't counting out the eighth-seeded Hawks in the first round.
"I always believe that anything can happen in the playoffs - anything," said Wilkins, who is now the Hawks' vice president of basketball and became a Hall of Famer last year.
Still, there have been only three instances when an eighth-seeded team has upset the top-seeded team in the first round. Last year, Dallas lost to Golden State, which was coached by ex-Mavericks coach Don Nelson. The Heat lost in the first round of the strike-shortened 1998-99 season to the eventual Eastern Conference champion Knicks. And the Nuggets toppled Seattle during the 1994 playoffs.
Considering the Celtics' All-Star trio of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen and their deep roster, plus the inexperience of the Hawks, an upset by Atlanta would likely go down as the greatest in NBA history. Atlanta's roster averages 24.2 years of age, and only guards Mike Bibby (51 games), Joe Johnson (15), and the injured Speedy Claxton (29), who hasn't played since March 3, have playoff experience.
"We've got some young guys who are learning how to win games," Wilkins said. "It's good that we have a test like Boston because it tells you where you stand.
"We played Boston well up to [last Saturday]. It will be a nice matchup for us. We know they're focused. We know they're trying to get to the championship.
"It's a chance for us to do what Golden State did last year to Dallas. Anything can happen in the playoffs."
Although the Celtics swept Atlanta, Garnett isn't taking them lightly.
"That means nothing," Garnett said. "If anything, it is probably motivation for them to come out and prove something. They're a very talented eighth seed. We understand that and have respect for that team. They are our first-round opponent.
"One thing you know about Atlanta is they are going to play hard and play together. When they got Bibby, that made them even deeper. We've got our work cut out for us. We're 3-0 against them, but it's not an easy 3-0."
One reason Wilkins believes in upsets is the storied 1988 Eastern Conference semifinals between the Hawks and Celtics.
The Hawks were up, 3-2, in the best-of-seven series and were one win away from a major upset. Larry Bird, however, predicted the Celtics would win the series and he ended up being correct. The intense series was highlighted by a historic Game 7 that the Celtics won, 118-116, at Boston Garden. Wilkins scored 47 points, but Bird scored 20 of his 34 in the fourth quarter.
"No one thought we'd take Boston to seven in the playoffs and we should have beat them in six," Wilkins said. "Unfortunately, they had a guy named Larry Bird who made a prediction. That was a tough one. It went down to the wire with two guys that didn't want to lose.
"I will think about that until the end of time. It's one of the greatest playoff games ever played."
Wilkins played in Atlanta from 1982-94 and is the Hawks' all-time leader in points, games, minutes, and field goals made and attempted. "The Human Highlight Film" was a nine-time All-Star and a two-time slam-dunk champion. He was teammates with Boston coach Doc Rivers in Atlanta from 1983-91. He also played one season in Boston, 1994-95.
Wilkins is now in his fourth season as a VP. Considering his great years as a player, the recent lean years in Atlanta have been tough for him. But with Johnson, Bibby, and Rookie of the Year candidate Al Horford, Wilkins is happy with the direction of the team.
"It was tough the last four or five years," Wilkins said. "I'm so in love with this franchise, the organization, and this city. I want to see them do well.
"This has been pretty much, for the most part, a pleasant year. We have a chance now, and anytime you get in the playoffs, it's an accomplishment whether you are over .500 or under .500."
While his time in a Celtics uniform was short, Wilkins liked Boston so much that he stuck around for a while.
"It's a great franchise and a great basketball town, probably one of the best in the history of the game," Wilkins said. "The fans understand the game.
"It was a fun town. I lived in Dover out there near Needham right on the water, right on the Charles River. Beautiful, except when it was cold. I just loved the culture. I just loved the people.
"Boston is like a big melting pot. There were a lot of different cultures, a lot of different people, and I enjoyed that."
Marc J. Spears can be reached at spears@globe.com
