A tougher test now awaits in the form of the Cleveland Cavaliers, but the Atlanta Hawks finally did the impossible by beating the Boston Celtics in a playoff series. Emerging from Game 6 with a 104-92 victory in front of the stunned hometown crowd at the TD Garden, they refused to succumb to the franchise's historical futility against this particular opponent.
Before Thursday night, Atlanta's last Beantown victory in the playoffs came all the way back in 1988, when Dominique Wilkins, Kevin Willis and Doc Rivers all scored at least 20 points against the Big Three of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish.