Atlanta
Philip Maymin
Basketball News Services
A much-chagrined Commissioner David Stern announced today that an internal NBA audit has discovered massive and persistent typos on the NBA's web site ranging from box scores to game recaps and even to standings. A spokesman for the audit said that the cause appears to be thousands upon thousands of human errors as all of the losses and wins were mislabeled. Of chief importance to the Hawks is that it appears their corrected record is actually a league-leading 60-11. A disappointed Billy Knight bemoaned Atlanta's loss of its lottery pick. "They bogarted my Bogut," he cried.
Representatives from all 30 teams and across 8 different nations now face the daunting prospect of going back and adjusting all of the incorrect data. Atlanta's ten game streak is now comprised of wins instead of losses and each game will need to be re-examined on tape to discover where the box score errors came from. For example, in their latest loss to the Washington Wizards, people close to the audit confirm that Tony Delk actually hit four out of his six three point attempts, not two as was previously reported. The Hawks actually won that game.
Similarly they won the game in Houston back on December 15 where the result had previously been erroneously reported as 92-68 not in the Hawks' favor. Experts are puzzled as to where the missing 24 or more points went but vow not to sleep until they find it.
Players and coaches when reached for comment were befuddled. They, like the rest of the unsuspecting public, had thought they had lost all of those games. Al Harrington repeatedly shook his head from side to side and said, "I was pretty sure we weren't as bad as they were saying before but I didn't think we were that good. Sixty wins huh? Not bad."
General Manager Billy Knight was so pained by the league's findings, noting the loss of the upcoming lottery selection, which per the old standings was likely to have been the top pick of the draft, that he is pressing for an independent review of the internal audit's results. "We lost those games, dammit!" he yelled at no one in particular when he thought the microphone was shut off.
With only 11 games remaining, the Hawks now have now choice but to go for the title this year. "I guess we'll just keep doing what we've been doing," head coach Mike Woodson said. "The strategy of scoring less than our opponents has brought us where we are now and I see no reason to change."
Atlanta would face Philadelphia in the first round of the playoffs if they started today.
UNFORTUNATELY NOT A HOAX
In the unfortunately-not-a-hoax department, it seems that Dominique Wilkins did not get voted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, an oversight which is right on par with his being skipped over for the NBA's 50 greatest players. This is indeed a real tragedy for the sport and a disappointment to everybody in Atlanta.
NEXT GAME
You're not hallucinating. Those are indeed Gary Payton and Antoine Walker wearing Celtic green tonight against the Hawks. But on the plus side, Atlanta's sporting Tom Gugliotta against his former employer. Tonight may top the classic 'Nique-Larry showdown more than a dozen years ago as rookies and sophomores will explode in this game, displaying high-flying scoring and dunks galore. The Hawks (11-60, fifth in the Southeast, notwithstanding the report above) host the Celtics (38-33, first in the Atlantic), who are looking to snap their four-game winning streak. The game starts at 7:30pm Eastern TONIGHT and will be broadcast on FSO and NBA League Pass.
TEAM NOTES
Tonight is Al Harrington Bobblehead night!
The bobbleheads will be given to the first 5,000 fans, courtesy of UPS.
Also, Friday Night Live! Featuring:
# A Special Autograph Session at Philips Experience!
# Live music by DJ Silver Knight at Headlines Grill!
# Radio Remotes with 99X/Q100 and HOT 107.9
INJURY UPDATE
Michael Stewart(back) andKevin Willis(back) are on the injured list.
Tim Tucker ofThe Atlanta Journal-Constitutionwrites: Dominique Wilkins was informed Thursday that he will not enter the Basketball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, the former Hawks superstar told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution."I was shocked," said Wilkins, the ninth leading scorer in NBA history. "I think everybody will be when they hear that announcement."The announcement of this year's inductees won't come until Monday, but Wilkins said he received word from a Hall of Fame official Thursday afternoon that he came up short in the voting. "I got a call that I wasn't going in this year but that I'm eligible again next year," Wilkins said. "I'm disappointed about it, but I'm confident that I will be going in in the very near future. My career speaks for itself."
Sekou Smith ofThe Atlanta Journal-Constitutionwrites: Mike Woodson spent his last season before coaching the Hawks on the bench of a world championship team in Detroit. Al Harrington spent his last season before joining the Hawks on an Indiana team that won a NBA-high 61 games during the regular season and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals. For six of his eight NBA seasons before joining the Hawks, Tony Delk played on teams that made it to the postseason. Today all three men, each accustomed to success in the NBA, are affiliated with a team that sits at the bottom of the NBA standings with an 11-60 record.
Jack McCallum ofSports Illustratedwrites: If it if ain't broke, don't fix it. Right around now there are, oh, maybe three NBA teams who can adopt that motto. The others? Call 1-800-REPAIRS. I don't mean just the real bad ones, some of which are beyond the scope of this column, not to mention the abilities of the columnist. (You think I have a clue about how to fix the Atlanta Hawks?)
Shira Springer ofThe Boston Globewrites: For Antoine Walker, tonight will be a less triumphant return to Atlanta than he initially envisioned. Walker experienced the pain of losing with the Hawks. A lot. During the past nine days, Walker has experienced deja vu, with the Celtics dropping four straight games. Taking the familiar Philips Arena floor, Walker and the Celtics seem destined to end the losing streak. Atlanta (11-60) has the worst record in the NBA. But Walker knows better than to take a win over his former teammates for granted, calling the contest the most important to date.Atlanta has nothing to lose, except a better lottery pick, having long been eliminated from playoff contention. And that is precisely why Walker worries.