The Hawks got right – in a hurry.
Thanks to the 76ers.
The Hawks (15-12) led wire-to-wire, up by as many as 27 points, for a 127-106 win over the lowly 76ers Wednesday at Philips Arena. The point total was a season high. The victory snapped a three-game losing streak. It was the Hawks’ eighth win in the past 19 games.
The 76ers (1-26) lost their eighth straight.
Here are the key players and five observations on the game:
Three key players
Paul Millsap: The power forward scored 21 points, including 14 in the third quarter, on 7 of 8 shooting. Oddly, he did not have a rebound.
Jeff Teague: The point guard had a strong effort with 18 points and four assists.
Al Horford: The center finished with 17 points and four rebounds.
Five observations
1. Good – and needed – shooting night
The Hawks have struggled offensively during recent inconsistent play. It has been the subject of much scrutiny and speculation. They got right against the 76ers. The Hawks shot 62.3 percent (38 of 61) from the field and 50 percent (7 of 14) from 3-point range through three quarters. The Hawks pulled most of their starters early in the fourth quarter. They finished shooting 61.5 percent from the field and 47.6 percent from 3-point range.
2. Breathing room
The Hawks led by as many as 23 points in the second quarter but watched the lead slowly dwindle. The 76ers began clawing back by shooting 71 percent (12 of 17) in the second quarter. They got as close as seven points, 75-68, in the third quarter after Robert Covington completed a four-point play. The Hawks answered by ending the quarter on a 27-8 run to push their lead back up to 27 points, 102-75. They eclipsed the 100-point mark on Dennis Schroder’s 3-pointer with 1:01 remaining in the period.
3. Teague back
Teague has been his worst critic of late. Following a loss to the Heat, the Hawks point guard admitted he hasn’t been good the past two games. Teague combined for 13 points on 2 of 17 shooting in those contests. He was excellent against the 76ers. He had 16 points at the half on 6 of 9 shooting, including 2 of 3 from 3-point range, with eight points in each of the first two quarters.
4. And Schroder too
Like Teague, Schroder has been off his game of late. He came off the bench with a strong effort. Schroder finished with 17 points, on 6 of 12 shooting, and seven assists in 23 minutes. He scored nine second-quarter points as the Hawks opened a sizeable lead.
5. The Sixers are bad
It probably doesn’t have to be noted with a 1-26 team. However, the 76ers are simply not a quality team, especially defensively. The Hawks built a 23-point lead in the second quarter as the 76ers allowed back-door cuts under the basket and twice failed to stop a Hawks dribbler from going coast-to-coast for a layup.
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