Fan passions rise slowly for Heat, Hawks

Miami has South Beach and supermodels. Atlanta has a hot music scene and an endless nightlife. But when it comes to their basketball fans, not much separates the Heat and Hawks as they prepare to meet in Game 5 of the NBA playoffs Wednesday night at Philips Arena.

A look at the two fan bases:

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Who would you rather see sitting courtside for you team? Parrotman Jimmy Buffett in Miami …

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… Or Grammy Award winning rapper T.I. in Atlanta?

Who will win Game 5?
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Neither organization is having an easy time selling playoff tickets. Hawks tickets for Wednesday’s game were are still available. At AmericanAirlines Arena, the Heat’s $5 tickets helped the past two games sell out.

“I just bought Hawks tickets at a discount price,” said Nick Jezarian, who moved to Atlanta from New York in October. “The Knicks stink and you can’t get tickets.”

The Hawks are on the rise and on Monday won their first road playoff game in 12 years. But late-comers looking for tickets could still get lucky on Wednesday.

“Normally only nose bleed seats are left at this point, but there were good seats still available,” Jon Rudnick said while browsing at Team Gear in Philips Arena on Tuesday.

Star power

Would you rather watch a game courtside next to Margaritaville’s Jimmy Buffett or heartthrob actor Boris Kodjoe? Neither of these teams has the celebrity pull of Los Angeles or New York, but there’s enough glamour to go around. Buffett and Gloria Estefan are regulars in Miami; Kodjoe, and rappers T.I. and Nas make appearances at Hawks games.

Fan for life — or a night

Cory Sontag lives in Atlanta but is an unabashed Heat fan. He even traveled to Game 3 in Miami. Devoted Hawks fan Danniel Pandolfi said she was “there when it was empty.” But in some ways, they are exceptions.

“Atlanta has always been a fair- weather fan town,” said Leonard Goodelman, a member of a Hawks fan club on Facebook. “When the team is winning, people want to be a part of it; when it’s not, they don’t.”

Heat season-ticket holder Stuart Gitlitz said it’s the same in Miami.

“Just like Atlanta, there are a lot of things to do in Miami, so I see a lot of jump-on-the-bandwagon fans,” he said.

Best seat in the house

Steve Smith played for both the Heat and the Hawks. He has fans in both cities, and lots of memories as well. Smith, then with the Heat, was in the game during the 1994 playoff brawl between the teams. The Hawks won that game, and that series. Just like they will this time, Smith said, predicting a Game 7 in Atlanta.

“After the Boston series last year, they know they belong there,” Smith said. “They know they can win.”

Hawks announcer and V-103 radio personality Ryan Cameron. said Hawks fans will be “energized” to help.

“This is already a different team.”