Hawks forward Josh Smith, who was a member of the team when they were a perennial doormat, is thrilled to be a part of the club's resurgence.

"It feel like the monkey's off Atlanta's back," Smith said. "Not just the team's back. The whole city."

The Hawks defeated the Heat in Game 7 on Sunday, their first Game 7 win since 1961 when they were still the St. Louis Hawks.

Atlanta had not won a postseason series of any kind since 1999, and a best-of-seven series since 1970.