Hawks not complacent after blowout victory

Write the Miami Heat off if you want, but the Hawks know better, having been stuck in a similar situation a year ago.

After a humbling Game 1 loss in Boston during the first round of the 2008 NBA playoffs, the Hawks were considered nothing but a momentary nuisance on the Celtics’ road to a title.

Five thrilling playoff games later, the Hawks and Celtics took the floor in Boston for Game 7.

That’s why as spectacular as the Hawks’ 26-point Game 1 win was Sunday night, Wednesday’s Game 2 at Philips Arena looms just as large as the opener for both teams.

“Having been in that position, you can’t be a fool. Don’t be a fool, man,” Hawks forward Marvin Williams said. “Win or lose, it’s just one game in a seven-game series. Everybody in this locker room realizes that, and I’m sure [the Heat] realize that.

“They’re not going to just roll over and die because of one game. We know they’re going to play way better than they played the other night. And we have to be ready to play as well.”

Winning Game 1 in a best-of-seven series for the first time since 1970 was more than just cause for celebration. There was plenty of love to go around late Sunday night. The mood was totally different by Monday afternoon. The Hawks were back on the practice floor, buzzing through drills and extra shooting work the same way they did before Game 1.

“It was just one game,” Hawks center Al Horford said. “That’s the way we look at it, and that’s the way we’re approaching it. It didn’t take us any time to come down from that high of winning Game 1 and get back to the grind.”

And back to the us-against-the-world attitude that’s carried the Hawks since training camp. Stung by predictions of the pundits who didn’t pick them to make it back to the playoffs this year, the Hawks are still using those perceived slights as their rallying cry.

Thus, Hawks coach Mike Woodson doesn’t have to manufacture anything to motivate his team.

“I like that, I do,” Woodson said. “When we started this thing, I made sure to let them know it’s about these 15 guys in that locker room and these coaches. And I don’t care what all the naysayers say or about any of the negativity out there. I don’t care about that. It’s about us as a group figuring out what we’re supposed to do.

“And we’ve done that so far. We’re just trying to handle our own business… . These guys are trying to play for something, and that’s what playoff basketball is all about.”

That, and learning from mistakes.

“We don’t want to come into Game 2 overconfident,” Joe Johnson said. “We know we still have a lot of work ahead of us. And we know they’re going to make adjustments… . The bottom line is Game 2 is more important than Game 1 was, and we have to come out and play with that same energy.”

SCHEDULE (Hawks lead 1-0)

> Game 1: Hawks 90, Heat 64

> Wednesday: at Atlanta, 8 p.m., TNT, FSSO

> Saturday: at Miami, 6:30 p.m., TNT, SPSO

> Monday: at Miami, TBA

> April 29*: at Atlanta, TBA

> May 1*: at Miami, TBA

> May 3*: at Atlanta, TBA

* if necessary