Surprise run ups hopes
Hawks’ future looks bright after taking down top seed in East, conference finals berth
As the final seconds ticked off on a season that lasted far longer than anyone expected, the crowd rose to its feet to salute the home team.
The Atlanta Hawks sure earned the cheers.
Making an improbable turnaround after a 14-20 start led to the firing of coach Lloyd Pierce, the Hawks earned a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 2017, knocked off the top-seeded Philadelphia 76ers in the East, and made it all the way to the conference finals.
The Cinderella run finally ended Saturday night with a 118-107 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, who won the series 4-2 and advanced to the NBA Finals to take on the Phoenix Suns.
But the disappointing finish did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of a long-downtrodden franchise that seems poised for more long-term success than at any time since moving to Atlanta in 1968.
“This is the beginning,” Trae Young said. “We have the city excited and we want to keep it like that.”
The Hawks will likely bring back largely the same cast next season, though they do have two major issues to address: power forward John Collins’ contract status and the interim tag on Nate Mcmillan’s coaching title. Each boosted his value with the team’s improbable postseason run.
“Obviously it’s something I feel like I’ve voiced my opinion about a lot, saying I want to be here,” Collins said Sunday. “I’ve tried to be the best professional I can and let the business side be the business side.
“We’re going to have to come to a decision very soon, but hopefully the best one for me and the one that keeps me here.”
The Hawks’ young core includes Cam Reddish at 21. Young and Shenendehowa graduate Kevin Huerter are 22. De’andre Hunter is 23. Clint Capela is 27. Bogdan Bogdanovic is 28.
And don’t forget the most recent first-round pick, center Onyeka Okongwu, who had a promising rookie campaign at age 20.
They appear ready to reap the rewards for years to come.