Hawk mascot gets loose, delays playoff game at Philips Arena

In a scene not likely to be repeated anytime soon, the Hawks’ official mascot took over the floor at Philips Arena at the start of the Hawks’ playoff game against the Miami Heat.

Spirit the Hawk, a bird from Zoo Atlanta, ignored his usual pre-game flight path in favor of a leisurely stroll around the arena that included stops in the stands, a trip to the top of the Jumbotron high over the center of court and finally a perch atop the camera on the shot clock above the basket in front of the Hawks’ bench.

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Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

Spirit the Hawk took a unscheduled trip around Philips Arena and ended up delaying Wednesday’s playoff game between the Heat and the Hawks.

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Spirit made a couple of trips back and forth to that final perch before the game officials stopped play with 8:48 to play in the first quarter to allow its handler, John Elmore, to retrieve the bird.

“Somebody has to get this bird out of here,” Hawks coach Mike Woodson said at one point, shouting at the scorer’s table for assistance.

Hawks forward Josh Smith saw the bird swoop down from the rafters and onto the top of the backboard and refused to run down near the basket, which finally forced the officials to stop the game.

The crowd stood and roared its approval as the bird was finally escorted from the floor.