ATLANTA — It’s the first time the Atlanta Hawks will host a home playoff game since the 2016-17 season and thanks to the lifting of some pandemic restrictions, it’s likely to be in front of a full house.
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The Hawks will play the New York Knicks in Game 3 of their first round playoff series Friday night with tip off shortly after 7 p.m.
Channel 2 Sports Director Zach Klein spoke with Hawks CEO Steve Koonin on the State Farm Arena basketball court. Koonin could barely contain his enthusiasm over having fans in the house.
“We are going to have it full, we are going to have over 16,000,” Koonin said. “We are ready to rock, this building is going to be on fire and I couldn’t be more excited.”
We’ll have LIVE preview of Game 3 on Channel 2 Action News at 6 p.m. You can also watch Game 4 LIVE on Channel 2 Sunday at 1 p.m.
Koonin got more animated when describing the scene in New York where fans chanted obscenities at Hawks star Trae Young with one fan go so far as to spit on him.
“It’s even hard to articulate how great it is to see humans back in an environment to have a mutual cause of screaming and yelling as I said. The Knicks were rude, but that environment was electric and that’s what we want. The electricity in here, the home court advantage, this is a young team,” Koonin said.
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While the Knicks featured team super-fan Spike Lee, Sting and others at courtside in New York, Koonin says the ATL will be represented with some star power of its own.
“I cannot have a Hawks game without 2-Chainz, Quavo and several movie stars who are here in town,” Koonin emphasized. “More importantly Zach, we are not selling a ticket to Spike Lee. He’ll work his way in here, but we don’t want any Knicks fans--stay away. This is Hawks Country,” Koonin added.
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Koonin told Klein, any fans concerned about safety and their health at State Farm Arena have nothing to worry about.
“In a COVID environment, it’s more complex. Multiple vaccinated sections, masks in certain areas and within 15-feet of the court, you must wear a mask,” Koonin said. “Otherwise, CDC guidelines, plexiglass is coming down, but it is still a cashless environment, a ticketless environment and a very, very safe environment.”
Koonin did want to stress for the Hawks, the most important part of a playoff atmosphere, is having the fans on their side.
“It’s incredibly important. It is part of basketball. Whether is it a “defense” chant or “let’s go Hawks”, it’s part of being a winning city, which we certainly are,” Koonin said.