Would the Atlanta Hawks Future Have Been Different If they Faced the Nets in the 2021 Conference Finals?

What if Kevin Durant hit the game winning shot vs Milwaukee in 2021?

Jun 17, 2021; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant (7) puts up a shot against Milwaukee Bucks forward P.J. Tucker (17) in the third quarter during game six in the second round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports / Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports

You know when we are deep in the NBA offseason when we are talking about past confernece finals appearances, but the NBA offseason is at a standstill so lets have some fun.

While the Hawks have been a team in the NBA Play-in Tournament over the past few seasons, they were two wins away from making the NBA Finals in 2021. After beating the New York Knicks in five games and then shocking the Philadelphia 76ers in seven games, the Hawks were matched up with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, who were the heavy favorites in the series.

It almost did not happen though. Kevin Durant nailed a shot as time was winding down in game seven of the second round matchup between the Nets and the Bucks, but by the smallest of margins, his foot was on the line and it counted as a two-pointer rather than a three-pointer. Milwaukee won the game and ended up beating the Hawks in six games and then winning the NBA Championship. While the Hawks gave Milwaukee all the could handle, you could even argue if Trae Young does not get injured they win the series, would they have been in a more favorable matchup against Brooklyn?

When talking about the most iconic basketball shots of the 21st century, CBS Sports Brad Botkin ranked the Durant "toe on the line" shot No. 14 and he talked about the fallout from that shot, including the Hawks:

"One of the league's all-time"what if" shots, Durant was an inch, literally, from eliminating the Milwaukee Bucks with a remarkable turnaround jumper to give the Brooklyn Nets what appeared to be a one-point lead with one second to play in Game 7 of in the 2021 Eastern Conference semifinals. However, upon review, Durant's "big-ass toe," as he called it, was barely on the line, turning the 3-pointer to a two and instead tying the score.

If Durant wears a size 17 shoe instead of a size 18, the Nets probably win that game and that series and end up playing the Atlanta Hawks in the conference finals. The what ifs from there can go any number of directions.

For one, Giannis Antetokounmpo doesn't have a ring. Maybe Chris Paul does. Or, maybe Durant gets his first away from Steph Curry and the Warriors, which would in turn have given James Harden his first ring and Kyrie Irving his first away from LeBron. In that case, maybe Durant, Irving and Harden are still playing for the Nets. Instead, they are playing for the Suns, Mavericks and Clippers, respectively.

Or, the conference finals go another way and the Hawks get into the Finals because the Nets were banged up (Harden left after one minute in Game 1 and sat through Game 4 with hamstring tightness while Irving missed Games 5-7 with a sprained ankle). How are we talking about Trae Young if he has an NBA Finals appearance under his belt. Hell, with the way the Hawks were playing that postseason, they might have won it all had the Bucks not stopped them.

Alas, none of it happened. Instead of ending the series, Durant't shot only sent Game 7 to overtime where the Nets fell short. And the rest, as they say, is history."

I think it is an interesting, although meaningless discussion. If the Nets were still banged up if they played the Hawks, Atlanta could have very well won and then faced Phoenix in the finals. Durant was playing like the best player in the league though in those playoffs and the Hawks would not have had an answer for him however. Since that conference finals appearance, Atlanta has two first round exits in the playoffs and then missed them altogether last season. While I think this team could be better this year, that run seems like a long time ago. I don't know if their future would be different if the Nets win that series, but it probably is not worse.