Hawks best 76ers in first game back from All-Star break
PHILADELPHIA — The Hawks needed to come out of the All-Star break on the right foot. On the first night of a back-to-back, the Hawks downed the 76ers 117-107.
The Hawks took advantage on the offensive glass, with the 76ers missing both Joel Embiid (right shin soreness) and Paul George (suspension).
Their swarming of the glass has been a point of emphasis for the Hawks this season and they executed for much of the game.
Quick stats: Jalen Johnson, fresh off his appearance in the All-Star game, had 32 points and eight rebounds. CJ McCollum had 23 points off the bench.
Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey had 27 points, while rookie VJ Edgecombe had 20.
Key moment
The Hawks led the game 108-94 with 5:12 to play in the game after a second putback dunk from second-year forward Zaccharie Risacher. But the Hawks gave up a second-chance shot to Andre Drummond, and Edgecombe followed with a quick layup that forced Hawks coach Quin Snyder to call a timeout with 4:37 to play.
But the timeout didn’t quite reset the Hawks and they gave up four more unanswered points. It prompted Snyder to call a second timeout in less than one minute of game play.
Highlight play
The Hawks needed a spark coming out of the locker room at halftime and Risacher delivered with a putback dunk.
With 9:20 to play in the third quarter, Onyeka Okongwu attempted a 3 that hit the front of the rim. But Risacher did not give up on the play, sidestepping a defender to get to the rim and up for the offensive board. He stuck the landing with two hands to put the Hawks up 68-59.
It kicked off a mini-scoring run for Risacher, who followed it with a 3-pointer.
What they said
“Just making the right plays, that’s the biggest thing. Make the right plays over and over again, and don’t fret, no. Speed up. Understand that it’s a long game, and teams are gonna go on runs.” -- CJ McCollum on weathering the 76ers’ fourth quarter run.
“They both like play well off each other. They’re just really good players. They’re quick. They can shoot it, really everything in their game. And, it’s trying to slow down guys like them as a team effort. Got to be shifted, but we got to be good at the point of attack, really trying to keep them out of the paint, making him take tough twos, tough step-back threes. And I thought we did that tonight.” -- Dyson Daniels on how the Hawks tried to slow down Maxey and Edgecombe.
“I thought Zacch was terrific going (to the glass). You either have a great offensive rebounder, or you swarm and make it hard for them. They can’t block everybody out. It’s something that they do very well and those plays give you a lift.” -- Snyder on the Hawks offensive rebounding.
Up next
The Hawks return to Atlanta to host the Heat Friday night at State Farm Arena.
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