There was a time not long ago when Hawks’ starters were all the rage, but as Philips Arena was packed and rocking Friday for perhaps the NBA’s biggest game to date, Atlanta’s bench men made the biggest collective splash.
Mike Scott scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half, Dennis Schroder made several electric plays, Kent Bazemore threw a few daggers at his former team and Atlanta’s subs outscored Golden State’s reserves 26-12 over the final two quarters to help the Hawks out-point the Warriors, 124-116.
Scott hit the two biggest shots, back-to-back 3-pointers with 42 and 22 seconds left in the third quarter to break the game’s 11th and final tie and send the Hawks (42-9) to the fourth quarter with an 89-85 lead. He grabbed a defensive rebound between the two shots, too, and Schroder assisted on both bombs.
So dizzy are the times in Atlanta, where the starting quintet earlier in the week was collectively named the NBA’s player(s) of the month for January, that when Scott was asked what was more meaningful — the back-to-back treys or his dunk to start the fourth quarter for eight straight points — he didn’t even remember he had a dunk.
“I did?” he said. “I’m just trying to make plays. I don’t really care about which one is best.”
Moments later, Schroder fed Al Horford for a dunk, and then on back-to-back possessions the backup point guard nailed a 3-pointer and a 20-foot pull-up jumper for a 98-90 Atlanta lead with 9:14 left.
Schroder finished with 11 points and five assists, seven and three coming in the second half, yet had his eye on Scott all along. The reserve forward was cooking on a 5-of-7 shooting night, hitting all three of his 3-pointers — like Bazemore.
“I recognized that, and coaches’ remind me, too,” Schroder said. “When Mike was open, I gave it to him. He had a hot hand.”
Starting point guard Jeff Teague paced the Hawks with 23 points, Horford added 12 points and 14 rebounds, and Paul Millsap went for 21 points. Atlanta’s three All-Stars were good, and so were starters Kyle Korver, who made 5-of-9 3-pointers in scoring 17, and DeMarre Carroll (12 points).
The subs were super. Bazemore made all three of his longballs in the first half on the way to scoring 11. After adding five rebounds, he was to take home a momento from a game against the team that gave him his NBA break.
“I played there [sparingly] so it was extra sweet for me. I’m definitely saving these box scores,” said Bazemore, who joined the Warriors two years ago as an undrafted free agent. “It was good to see my old friends.”
It was better still to beat Golden State (39-9).
“Our starting five has gotten some love this week with the Player of the Month, but Mike Scott and Dennis Schroder came in and hit big buckets,” Korver said. “They were huge.”
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