The Hawks’ hold on a playoff spot is gone.
If the Hawks are to make their seventh consecutive postseason appearance, they will have to earn it over the final eight games of the regular season. They find themselves in that predicament following a 105-92 loss to the Bulls on Wednesday night at Philips Arena.
The Hawks (32-42, .432) fell behind the Knicks (33-43, .432) by .002 percentage points for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks, though, lead in the loss column. The Knicks, who have only six games remaining, drubbed the Nets 110-81 on Wednesday at home.
The defeat was the 21st in the past 28 games for the Hawks. The loss means the Hawks cannot finish above .500. The Bulls swept the season series 4-0 in winning their sixth consecutive game against the Hawks.
The Bulls used a 17-5 run between the third and fourth quarters to pull ahead after the Hawks closed to within two points after trailing by as many as nine. They pushed their lead to a game-high 14 points and coasted.
Paul Millsap had a double-double, with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Jeff Teague added 21 points, and Kyle Korver scored 12 points, on four 3-pointers.
The Bulls (43-32) have won three consecutive and five of their past six games. D.J. Augustin scored 23 points, and Jimmy Butler and Kirk Hinrich added 17 each as the Bulls placed six players in double-figures.
The Hawks got as close as two points twice in the third quarter. After the second time, on two free throws by Mike Muscala, the Bulls closed on a 8-4 run to take a 78-72 lead into the fourth quarter.
The Bulls took a 57-49 halftime lead as Augustin made a corner 3-pointer at the second-quarter buzzer. The basket was part of Augustin’s 14 second-quarter points off the bench.
The Hawks led by as many as seven points in the first quarter, when they shot 66.7 percent and made their first four 3-pointers. The Bulls responded in the second quarter and used a 16-3 run to open a nine-point lead before taking the eight-point cushion into intermission.
The Hawks play host to the Cavaliers on Friday.
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