That's the only way the Hawks are going to survive and advance in their first-round playoff series against Miami, which is tied at 2-2. The teams meet tonight in a pivotal Game 5 at Philips Arena.

The Hawks' fortunes shifted dramatically in South Florida. They endured a blowout loss in Game 3 Saturday but survived a first-half scare Monday night --- when their lead went from 21 points to just four --- to secure a feisty Game 4 victory by leading from the opening tip to the final buzzer.

Woodson praised his team for locking in early and, despite their struggles, grinding out the victory in a hostile environment.

"Our energy was sky-high," Woodson said. "We played out of desperation, really. We didn't want to [come home] down 3-1. Our guys really came committed from beginning to end."

The Hawks avoided the 3-1 deficit in the series with a gritty performance that saw them outplay the Heat in all the necessary spots, something they couldn't do in Game 2 in Philips Arena or in Game 3.

"The important thing is that we're back to even now and it's a three-game series," Hawks point guard Mike Bibby said. "And we've got the home-court advantage. Now we have to handle our business."

As big a confidence-builder as the Hawks' 90-64 blowout victory in Game 1 was, rebounding from their two-game skid made an even bigger impression in the Atlanta locker room.

"I don't think we were surprised at all that we did it," Hawks forward Josh Smith said. "We had the confidence that we could get it all straightened out. But this is the playoffs. You're playing against another team that made the cut to get here, so they're not going to make it easy on you.

"And we know the same pressure we put on them at their place they're going to try and put on us in Game 5. That's what playoff Basketball is all about."

Just as the Hawks fumbled their chance to take control of the series by losing Game 2 at home, the Heat know they squandered their chance to take control by losing on their home floor Monday.

"It's going to be tough," Heat forward James Jones said. "You can't take any game lightly, home or away. It's going to be extremely difficult to pull off a win because the series is even now and they have home-court advantage again. It's up to us to go out there and try to put up the effort because they are going to want to defend their home court this time."

If the Hawks can't locate the energy and the resolve that carried them Monday night, they'll leave the door cracked for the Heat.

Game 4 hero Zaza Pachulia promised that his team has learned its lesson and that Hawks players won't take anything else for granted in this series.

"You never know when you're going to be in this position again," the backup Hawks center said. "We still have to win two more games. We have to use our [home-court advantage] and play the way we played [in Game 4]."

Hawks schedule

Series tied 2-2

Game 1: Hawks 90, Heat 64

Game 2: Heat 108, Hawks 93

Game 3: Heat 107, Hawks 78

Game 4: Hawks 81, Heat 71

Today: at Atlanta, 8 p.m., TNT, FSSO

Friday: at Miami, 7 or 8 p.m., FSSO

Sunday*: at Atlanta, TBA, FSSO

*If necessary