Jeff Teague did it.
The Hawks point guard scored back-to-back layups in the final minute in a 106-100 victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder in a dramatic game Monday night at Philips Arena. He also hit two free throws with 22.2 seconds left to give the Hawks a cushion.
The Hawks led by as many as 16 points but needed Teague’s late heroics to get the needed victory.
The Hawks (12-8) won for the fifth time in the past 12 games. The Thunder (11-7) had a four-game win streak snapped. The teams meet again in Oklahoma City on Dec. 10.
Here are the key players and five observations:
Three key players
Jeff Teague: He finished with 25 points, including the go-ahead layup with 1:09 remaining and a clincher with 26.3 seconds left.
Paul Millsap: He finished with a double-double of 26 points and 11 rebounds.
Al Horford: He finished with a double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds.
Five observations
1. Westbrook takeover
Russell Westbrook took off in the fourth quarter. The Thunder guard scored 17 points in the final period including a run of 10 straight. He helped the Thunder erase a nine-point deficit and build a four-point lead before the Hawks rallied. Westbrook finished with a game-high 34 points.
2. Checking Durant
The job of trying to contain Kevin Durant fell to Thabo Sefolosha and Kent Bazemore. Sefolosha started and did an admirable job. He did not score but helped limit Durant to 25 points through three quarters, including 10 in the third period. Durant was named the Western Conference Player of the Week on Monday after leading the Thunder to a 3-0 week behind averages of 30.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.3 blocks. Sefolosha did have nine rebounds, six assists and four steals.
3. Hawks hang on the boards
The Thunder entered the game as the NBA’s No. 1 rebounding team. The Hawks, by stark contrast, entered as the 28th-ranked team. The Hawks held a 29-19 lead at the half and 40-35 at the end of the third quarter. For the game, the Hawks held a 51-48 advantage.
4. Thunder bounce back
The Hawks kept the pressure on the Thunder for much of the second quarter and led by as many as 16 points. However their advantage was a mere one point, 53-52, at intermission after the Thunder closed on an 18-3 run in the final 2:54. Serge Ibaka had five points and two blocks during the stretch and nine points for the quarter. The Hawks went 1 of 7 with four turnovers in the final three minutes as the Thunder made it a game.
5. Strong start
The Hawks took advantage of a poor-shooting first quarter by the Thunder. They led by as many as 13 points in the opening period when the Thunder started 3 of 13 from the field. The quarter ended with a 31-21 advantage as the Hawks shot 57 percent (13 of 23) and the Thunder shot 36 percent (8 of 22). The Hawks held a 16-8 rebounding edge. They also assisted on 10 of 13 field goals. The only thing that hurt them was six turnovers.
About the Author
