Atlanta Hawks Stun Chicago Bulls and Take 1-0 Series Lead

Few people believed the Atlanta Hawks had a chance to beat the Orlando Magic. Having done that almost nobody put them down to beat the league's best team and some didn't think they could win even one game. The Hawks proved everyone wrong on Monday night with a stunning 103-95 point win over the Chicago Bulls in Chicago.

Coming in to the night all the talk was about the matchup between soon to be league MVP Derrick Rose and who the Hawks would use to try and slow him down. With Kirk Hinrich, who played against Rose in practice when he was with the Bulls, out for the series with an injury nobody on the roster had the experience to stop Rose. Little used Jeff Teague got the start and the second year player showed why many Hawks fans feel he is the future starter at that position.

Teague was little used during the season with some fans wondering if it was because of something personal between coach Larry Drew and the player. On Monday Teague came out and outplayed the MVP in the first quarter of the game. Scoring the first points of the game and holding Rose scoreless.

Thought the Hawks won the first quarter and had a one point lead at the half the Bulls were able to take the lead in the third and make it a game. Then Joe Johnson and Jamal Crawford started hitting shots to go on a 15-2 run. When the run finished the Hawks were ahead 80-71 and there were only 10 and a half minutes left in the game.

Johnson started to show why he is the highest paid player in the league. He was 12 of 18 from the field and perfect on all five shots from three point range. It seemed like every time Atlanta needed a big basket he was able to deliver.

The Bulls hope to move on from this and play better as the series continues but were put into a brief panic near the end of the game. Rose stepped on Crawford's foot while guarding him and turned his ankle. He limped off the court with the help of a trainer and hopes to be back for the next game Wednesday.