The Hawks found their groove Saturday night, and there seemed nothing the Nets could do to keep Atlanta from passing and shooting co cleanly as if to make it appear as though only one team was playing.
In scoring a season-high 131 points on the way to tying the franchise record for wins in a season, the Hawks (57-19) shot 59.8 percent (49-of-82), made 51.5 percent of their 3-pointers (17-of-33) and registered a whopping 40 assists.
Atlanta’s 131-99 win over the heretofore hot Nets was an offensive clinic.
As Brooklyn’s six-game winning streak was snapped by 32 points, the possibility of a chicken-egg chat popped up.
After the Hawks joined themselves as one of two NBA teams to bank 40 or more dimes in a game this season and the only team to do it twice, you wondered: what comes first when you see numbers like these? Is it great passing, or does top-shelf shooting lead to higher assist numbers?
“We trust one another on the floor. I would say just making the right play,” point guard Jeff Teague said after scoring 17 and assisting a game-high eight times. “Most of our shots were open, good lucks. Guys were in the right place.”
Great passes won’t wind up assists without shots being made.
Atlanta assisted on its first three made shots Saturday, and 10-of-12 in the first quarter on the way to 31-22 lead.
There were arguments both ways.
On the way to a 108-71 lead after three quarters, the Hawks shot 64.6 percent (42-of-65), including 58.3 percent of their 3-pointers (14-of-24). That’s crazy stuff.
“We just got whooped,” said New Jersey guard Deron Williams. “They were hitting shots from everywhere, and pretty much got anything they wanted on us.”
Atlanta assisted on 34-of-42 made shots in over those three quarters (80.9 percent ), better than the Hawks’ NBA-leading 67.6 percent rate entering the game.
“They do a good job of moving the basketball and making you defend multiple situations,” said Nets guard Jarrett Jack. The Hawks registered 42 assists in 130-105 win over Sacramento.
After DeMarre Carroll tied his season high with five assists, in addition to 20 points, and Kent Bazemore added a season-high five dimes, it can safely be said: usually, a lot of assists leads to a lot of points.
“The unselfishness and making shots tonight really stood out,” said Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer. “Usually hand in hand with assists is making shots, and I thought our guys shot the ball well. “You’re not always going to shoot it [that well]; you can’t count on that. But if you’re moving the ball, and getting good opportunities it increases your likelihood of making shots.”
Bazemore was diming.
“That’s how much we concentrate on getting the best shot,” he said. “That’s been something I’ve trying to add to my game, my play making ability and learning how to work better with the ball in my hands. Tonight was great. The time off, I think everybody took advantage of it. I’d say it paid off.”
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