PHILADELPHIA — As far as Hawks coach Larry Drew is concerned, this loss wasn’t about missing Al Horford as much as it was an indication that his team still hasn’t shed its bad traits.
Philadelphia buried the Hawks after halftime Friday night to send them to a 92-76 defeat, their first in five games since Horford was lost to injury. The way it happened, with the Hawks failing to respond to Philadelphia’s blitz, left Drew fuming about the effort.
“It got tough for us in the third quarter and we quit,” said Drew, who was visibly upset after meeting with his players and assistant coaches. “That’s what happened.”
The Hawks led 47-39 at halftime and 51-44 early in the third quarter. Then the Sixers buried them with a flurry of steals, dunks and 3-pointers during a 20-3 run.
Just like that, the Hawks were finished, and so were the good vibes generated by their four-game winning streak without Horford. Drew was angry at his team, and his players were left to reject their coach’s conclusion that his team gave up.
“Everybody is entitled to their opinion,” Hawks forward Josh Smith said. “If he felt that way, that’s his opinion. I just felt we got a little careless with the basketball.
“In times of adversity, everybody has to stick together. Everybody — players and everybody — and keep everything positive. The slightest thing can deter a situation or an individual.”
Georgia Tech product Thaddeus Young scored 12 of his game-high 20 points in the second half. Former Norcross High star Jodie Meeks made three 3-pointers in the third quarter, when Philadelphia outscored the Hawks 25-10.
The Hawks faltered in their toughest test since Horford suffered a torn pectoral muscle that required surgery. They had bested struggling foes Charlotte, Minnesota and Toronto before defeating Portland, the only one of the four with a winning record, Wednesday, but that was at Philips Arena.
Philadelphia, the Atlantic Division leader, started slowly, but recovered to overwhelm the Hawks with their speed and athleticism while taking control in the third quarter.
“They just played harder than us in the second half,” said Willie Green, who played for the Sixers from 2003-04 through 2009-10. “They got loose balls, they pounded us on the boards and got to the free-throw line.”
The Sixers were lethargic in the first half, prompting their fans to boo their effort. The arena came alive when the Sixers erupted for the 20-3 burst.
During the run, Meeks made back-to-back 3-pointers, and the Sixers scored on three consecutive dunks. The Hawks were down 64-57 by the end of the quarter and needed a 27-foot jump shot Green to keep things that close.
The Hawks had six turnovers in the third period, leading to eight points by Philadelphia, and missed 14 of 17 shots.
“They picked up the intensity, and we couldn’t make a shot,” Hawks guard Jeff Teague said. “That combination is always going to be bad.”
It didn’t get any better in the final period. After Hawks forward Tracy McGrady scored to cut the lead to 64-59, Philadelphia responded with a 10-5 run for a 78-64 lead, and the Hawks got no closer than 11 points from there.
The Hawks in the second half looked nothing like they did at the start. They recorded six assists on their first nine baskets and scored 12 of their first 20 points in the paint while building a 24-18 lead after a period.
The Hawks led 47-39 at halftime, but couldn’t sustain it. Teague said they were outplayed, but didn’t quit.
“I don’t think nobody out there is trying to quit,” Teague said. “They just made good plays. We don’t have no quitters on this team.”
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