I feel better today.  I think we're going to be OK.  KG and Perk avoiding suspensions feels like we're getting a second chance.  I trust these Boston Celtics, and I know they're going to do the right thing -- mainly play defense and box out.

One of my buddies Chris, who's a Spurs fan, was giving me a real hard time at the office today about last night's loss.  He was busting my chops pretty hard, and I was getting very upset.  When he asked why, I told him that I was no longer confident that our team was going to win it all, let alone make it to the Finals.  He, definitely still busting my chops, told me that I should be happy with the way the season turned out.  That, after the last few years, I should be thrilled that we won that many games and made it to the playoffs.   I replied that if we didn't win the championship, that this would be one of the most disappointing seasons in sports history.  He told me that I was starting to sound like a Yankee fan with all this, "No Championship means we had a terrible season" talk.  I told him that it was the truth... that you don't bring in Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen just to make the post season.  You do it for the banner.

Anyway, the reason I'm telling this story is this:  I once again realize that these guys have come together for one common goal -- becoming NBA Champions.  They're not here to have some minor success and win some moral victories.  They want rings.  And across the court, with their ugly mohawks and highlight-reel dunks, are a group of guys who are standing directly in the way of that goal.   I don't think that we've yet looked at them as real threats.  Even after game 3, I think we all chalked that up to an off night.  Now, we know better.  These Hawks truly think they can win.  They are neither scared nor intimidated by us anymore.

But they're about to be again.   We're going to take back control of this series, get back to shutdown defense, and just get back to executing on the court and playing smart basketball.  The Hawks are not going to roll over for us.  After game 2 we kept waiting for it, but it's not going to happen.  So we're going to have to push them over and keep them pinned.

The Boston team that comes out of that lockerroom tomorrow night is going to be the most focused, determined team we've seen in Beantown for some time.  I don't think we realize what this team's ceiling is, and what they can do once they're backed up against the wall.  We're going to find out real soon, though, and if you're a Hawks fan, it ain't going to be pretty.  The crowd is going to be absolutely insane, KG is going to scare all the small children watching from home, and Doc is going to put Tony Allen on Joe Johnson, offense be-damned.  

Thanks for playing, Atlanta.  You've made it interesting.... now go away.