The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Sekou Smith) reports: Spirit the Hawk, a bird from Zoo Atlanta, ignored his usual pre-game flight path in favor of a leisurely stroll around the arena that included stops in the stands, a trip to the top of the Jumbotron high over the center of court and finally a perch atop the camera on the shot clock above the basket in front of the Hawks’ bench. Spirit made a couple of trips back and forth to that final perch before the game officials stopped play with 8:48 to play in the first quarter to allow its handler, John Elmore, to retrieve the bird.
