Bulls-Hawks
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Last July, Kasten believed he had pulled of a stunning coup by getting Mutombo and agent David Falk to agree that Atlanta would be the angular center's new home for five years.

Sunday, Mutombo accomplished the first leg in his mission as a Hawk -- win a playoff round and take the next step toward what the Hawks hope someday will be an NBA championship.

Mutombo, left, averaged 18.2 points and 12.8 rebounds in the first round.

Maybe not this season ...

The Hawks dispatched the Detroit Pistons in a marvelously competitive fifth game, 84-79 on Sunday. Atlanta's dubious reward is a second-round series against the Bulls and, while the Hawks aren't given much of a chance, they appear oblivious to reality as they head into Tuesday and Thursday dates with the rested Bulls before returning home Saturday and Sunday.

"This is my ultimate goal," Mutombo said of winning a championship.

If the Hawks are unwilling to accept the predicted hopelessness of their position, their fans are reacting with spectacular speed. There were about 7,000 tickets sold for this weekend's games when the Hawks and Pistons took the court Sunday afternoon. Only 30 minutes after the remainder went on sale Monday morning, they were all gone.

Such is the magic of Michael Jordan on the one hand and the wonderful, open emotion of Mutombo on the other.

No basketball fan can resist Jordan. No Hawks fan could resist Mutombo's infectious smile after he blocked Grant Hill three times in the game's final five minutes, rejecting two dunks.

"I don't know how he did it," Alan Henderson said. "On one of them, Grant had a step on him, both hands on the ball to throw it down. You can't block his shot when he has a step, but Dikembe did."

Mutombo blocked six shots in Game 5, grabbed 21 rebounds in Game 3, scored 26 points in Game 1.

"He was worth the $55 million we paid him," coach Lenny Wilkens said. "He is our future."

Mutombo averaged 3.3 blocks per game during the regular season, second only to Shawn Bradley.

After the Hawks fell behind 2-1, one Detroit columnist expressed relief that the Pistons were not stuck with this giant from Zaire who rejected the Pistons' free-agent offers because Michigan was "too cold."

Mutombo at one time believed he would join the Lakers until Jerry West's flirtation with Shaquille O'Neal became a betrothal. "The sun shines in L.A.," Mutombo said, "but the sun also shines in Atlanta."

Now, the league's Defensive Player of the Year and its No. 2 shot-blocker and rebounder collides with the four-time champions.

"I am so happy," Mutombo said on the eve of the series. "This is why I came to Atlanta. I am ready to take on the challenge."

Up next for Atlanta is Jordan, who Mutombo says "has never dunked on me in six years in the league. Not one dunk, so I know he will be after me."

Mutombo laughs, relishes the challenge. "We talk about this all the time, Michael and me. He tells me he is coming. At the All-Star Game when they introduced us, he pulled down my pants for his revenge."

The Bulls are mistaken if they believe they can tie him down with Luc Longley and Dennis Rodman, Mutombo said. "I will have an eye for Michael because I know he wants to try me," Mutombo said. "I know Scottie Pippen will try me."

Pippen has one dunk on Mutombo. "He got it last year in Denver. Then he went to the line and he said, 'This is for you, Deke,' and he closed his eyes and made two free throws."

Mutombo grins. "Oh, it makes my heart happy because they have respect for me. This is why I love the game, to have a chance like this."

Mutombo looks forward to playing against Michael Jordan.

If the Bulls respect Mutombo and any other Hawks player, it is reciprocal.

"We know how great they are," Wilkens said. "Michael is the greatest player in the history of the game. Believe me, I know first hand."

Three times Jordan almost-single handed knocked Wilkens' Cleveland team out of the playoffs, first in 1988 and most notably in the 1989 opening round, when he made Craig Ehlo famous by shooting the winner over him. In 1992 it was the six-game Eastern Conference finals.

"They tried to say we weren't a physical team," Wilkens recalled. "They said I would never double Michael, so we could never stop him."

In the opening game of the '92 series, the Bulls wiped out the Cavs 103-89, and the Chicago press went into a feeding frenzy, belittling the Cavs. They retaliated 107-81 in Game 2. Wilkens used Larry Nance to bother Jordan after first forcing him to the baseline, but Nance was hurt and they could not sustain that.

"There are things we can do that will help our team," Wilkens said Monday.

Mutombo for example.

Maybe the Hawks can't win this series, but their bests days are ahead while Chicago's biological clock is ticking.

Miami suddenly not-so-hot

It was bizarre Sunday, the Orlando Magic with a lame-duck interim coach, missing center Rony Seikaly and power forward Horace Grant, rallying to within a three points of a Miami team coached by a genius.

Riley

Miami won the series but lost stature because a pending sweep (the Heat lead by 20 in the second quarter of Game 3) became such a close call.

Pat Riley narrowed his rotation when things got tough,and that's a bad sign because the Knicks are deep and big and cocky after winning three of four during the season and sweeping Charlotte.

This brings up an interesting proposition.

Until the final days of the season, Doug Collins in Detroit and Riley with the Heat squeezed out every victory. Meanwhile, Wilkens and Jeff Van Gundy took a slightly less frantic approach. They all got there at about the same time, which recalls the credo of an old thoroughbred trainer, Horatio Luro, who said, "Never squeeze the last drop from the lemon."

And Phil Jackson? He merely proved he is the best coach in the game. Period.

Jeffrey Denberg, who covers the NBA for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, is a regular contributor to ESPNET SportsZone.