There would not be another 130-point night.
The Hawks exacted a measure of revenge against the Magic with a solid effort in a 111-92 victory Wednesday night at the Amway Center. After an 11-point loss in Atlanta in December, when the Magic hung a season-high 131 points on the Hawks, the defense was significantly better.
Until the fourth quarter.
The Hawks led by 16 points in the final period. The Magic pulled within four points, 88-84, with a 14-2 run. The Hawks answered with an 18-5 run over their own to regain control of the game.
Dennis Schroder led six Hawks players in double figures with a game-high 18 points. Kent Bazemore (17 points), Paul Millsap (16), Dwight Howard (13), Tim Hardaway Jr. (12) and Malcolm Delaney (11) also hit the mark. Howard had a double-double with 12 rebounds.
The Hawks (19-16) won their fourth straight game. They haven’t been three games over .500 since Nov. 27 when they were 10-7 after losing five out of six games. The Hawks have won nine of their past 13 games.
“Four in a row,” Millsap said. “We beat some pretty good teams in that span. We have to keep it going. We have some games we have to make up.”
The Magic (16-21) lost for the third time in four games. Elfrid Payton and Aaron Gordon have 15 points each.
The Hawks led by as many as nine points in the first half and took a 52-47 advantage into intermission. The Hawks shot 55 percent from the field through two quarters as the starters were 17 of 28 (.607).
The Hawks used a 9-0 run to end the third quarter and take a 13-point advantage into the final quarter.
“Coach said from the beginning there is no way they are going to get 130 again,” Schroder said. “They hit tough shots in Atlanta. From here, from the start of the game to the end of the game, we put pressure on them.”
About the Author
