With an energetic second half, the Hawks came back to beat the 76ers 103-100 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinal Monday at State Farm Arena.
Next up, Game 5 will be at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in Philadelphia.
Below are some takeaways from the win:
1. This was a strong, much-needed response from the Hawks after two straight blowout losses in games 2 and 3. They have now tied the series, 2-2, and will head back to Philly for Game 5 with a completely different vibe, on even footing. The No. 5 seed Hawks have already overperformed, since their goal entering the season was to qualify for the playoffs, but now they’re showing resiliency, battling back against the No. 1 seed in the East.
“We’ve been fighting all year and this team never gives up, no matter what the score is, throughout the game,” Trae Young said. “We know it’s a long game… I love the way we fight and I’m proud of our team tonight.”
2. Looking like a completely different team after trailing by as much as 18 in the first half, the Hawks came all the way back to lead by two with 5:15 to play in the fourth quarter. They stepped up on defense and started hitting the easy shots they had missed earlier (when they shot 33.3% from the field and 29.4% from 3-point range), surging to take control of the game. Up 101-100, the 76ers had a chance to tie it in the final minute after a Hawks turnover (one of just four they committed all night), but Philly squandered it, as Joel Embiid missed a bunny and the Hawks got the ball back with 8.2 seconds to play. Young made two free throws to ice it. The Hawks won despite shooting 36.6% from the field (30% from 3-point range) to the 76ers’ 43.5% (40.7% from 3).
3. Joel Embiid dominated the first three games of this series, but the Hawks finally found success limiting him just enough. He finished with 17 points and 21 rebounds, but shot just 4-20 from the field overall and 0-12 in the second half, with four turnovers. They also defended him without fouling, a tough task against Embiid, holding him to 8-8 from the free-throw line (he went 14-15 from the line in Game 1, 12-16 in Game 2 and 12-16 again in Game 3). Hawks center Clint Capela (12 points, 13 rebounds) did well battling Embiid on defense.
4. John Collins came alive in the second half, bursting with energy plays that got the Hawks back in this game. He had three dunks in the third quarter and three huge offensive rebounds in the second half, with a clutch 3-pointer to narrow the Hawks’ deficit to one, 98-97, with 2:15 left in the fourth. His physical performance was key as the Hawks battled the 76ers down the stretch, and he finished with a double-double of 14 points and 12 rebounds (five offensive), as a plus-nine.
Credit: Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com
Credit: Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com
“The hustle game, the scrap game was one of the keys that we felt we had to win tonight to beat Philadelphia,” interim coach Nate McMillan said. “John did a great job of getting us second and third opportunities. That was big.”
5. Trae Young finished with 25 points and a career-high tying 18 assists, which ties the second-most in a playoff game in Hawks history (Doc Rivers, former Hawk and now 76ers coach, holds the record with 22, set on May 16, 1988 vs. Boston). Young had athletic tape on his right shoulder and didn’t look 100% himself to start the game, though nothing had been reported on the Hawks’ injury report entering Monday. After the game, McMillan said he found out about Young’s shoulder when Young took his warm-up jersey off, so Young had kept it quiet. He said he had gotten hit in the previous game and was battling some soreness, but in the moment, he didn’t feel it. Seventeen of his points came in the second half.
“It was all off adrenaline at that point… I’m feeling it a little bit more right now,” Young said. “I’ll probably feel it a little bit more tomorrow, but I’m going to continue to get treatment on it and stuff like that.”
Star of the game
Collins (pumped energy into the Hawks in the second half to get them back in the game)
Stat of the game
4 (Hawks took care of the ball to finish with four turnovers, their fewest-ever in a Hawks playoff game, to the 76ers’ 12)
Quotable
“We felt the energy tonight. It was contagious.” (Capela on the crowd in State Farm Arena)
Hawks-76ers series
Game 1 - Hawks 128, 76ers 124
Game 2 - 76ers 118, Hawks 102
Game 3 - 76ers 127, Hawks 111
Game 4 - Hawks 103, 76ers 100
Wednesday, June 16: Game 5 - Hawks at 76ers, 7:30 p.m., TNT
Friday, June 18: Game 6 - 76ers at Hawks, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
Sunday, June 20: Game 7* - Hawks at 76ers, TBD, TBD
* — If necessary
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