ORLANDO — Larry Drew sees reason for concern.
In a two-point overtime loss in Boston on Wednesday night, one very ugly statistic stood out. The Hawks were 2-for-20 on 3-point attempts, a meager 10 percent success rate.
The problem was not that the Hawks missed often from long-range in the 88-86 loss. It was that they kept shooting, according to the Hawks coach.
“It’s always a concern when you are not making [the 3-pointer],” Drew said. “The concern is mainly when you are not making them to be smart enough to not settle for it. It’s one thing if you are in a rhythm and you are knocking down the 3, but if you are not making them you can’t keep launching them. That part is definitely a concern.”
Drew pointed to the Hawks’ poor shot selection down the stretch in the loss to the Celtics. Forcing 3-pointers was part of the issue. The Hawks were 0-for-6 in the fourth quarter and overtime. They made only 1-of-18 attempts after the first quarter, including missing all eight in the second quarter.
There were plenty of culprits. Every player who logged a minute, with the exception of Zaza Pachulia, attempted a 3-pointer: Joe Johnson (0-for-5), Josh Smith (1-for-4), Willie Green (0-for-3), Jeff Teague (1-for-1), Kirk Hinrich (0-for-2), Marvin Williams (0-for-2), Ivan Johnson (0-for-1), Tracy McGrady (0-for-1) and Jannero Pargo (0-for-1).
“It’s about shot selection and making the right decisions,” Drew said of the Hawks’ late-game troubles. “You have to be a little more selective and a little more creative off the dribble.”
The Hawks count three players in the NBA’s top 40 players in 3-point field-goal percentage — Green (12th, .429), Williams (27th, .397) and Pargo (35th, .389).
Key matchup
The Hawks meet the Magic on Friday in Orlando in a key Eastern Conference matchup. The teams, both 34-24, are battling for the fifth spot in the conference with an eye of moving into the top four. They are two games behind the Pacers for the third spot and a chance to host a first-round series.
The matchup has proved to be the most favorable for the Hawks this season against playoff contenders. They won both games against the Magic by a combined seven points, winning in overtime 89-87 on Feb. 10 in Orlando and 83-78 on Feb. 23 in Atlanta.
Of the other six teams currently in playoff position in the conference, the Hawks have a combined record of 5-13.
“They are looking to gain some ground on us as far as that fifth seed,” Smith said of the matchup with the Magic. “We have to whatever it takes to protect it and try to move up another notch.”
Etc.
Magic All-Star center Dwight Howard, from Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, is questionable for Friday’s game because of back spasms. ... Hawks forward Vladimir Radmanovic was available to the Hawks against the Celtics on Wednesday, but did not play. He missed the previous eight games with a back injury. ... The Hawks did not practice Thursday after traveling from Boston.
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