The Hawks locker room has been buzzing about it for weeks now, the big showdown between the top rookie and the top veteran.

When the battle actually went down there were few witnesses to the surprise outcome.

But make no mistake about it, rookie forward Al Horford routed All-Star and team captain Joe Johnson in a post-practice ping-pong game Wednesday that will have far reaching ramifications for the rest of this season.

"He beat you Joe?" an incredulous Marvin Williams asked Johnson afterward. "Oh no. I can't believe he beat you."

Johnson didn't want to divulge any details, especially the score, grumbling only that Horford has, "no respect for his elders" as he came back into the locker room from the players' lounge.

Horford, who said the first thing he moved into his new digs were his pool table and ping-pong table, hasn't lost a match.

"I've been playing since I was 7," a grinning Horford said while trying to contain his smile. "And we played all the time in college."

Johnson, who uses an unorthodox style that involves holding his paddle in the palm of his hand, was the unofficial locker room champ until Wednesday. But he proved to be no match for the former Florida Gator.

"I was up 5-0 and spiking off the table and everything," Johnson said. "But he's so consistent. He keeps everything on the table. I've just got to play every day now and keep my game sharp and I'll be fine. When that tournament comes, then we'll see who the top dog really is."