Sure, there will be a film study. There always is one.
However, the Hawks will look to soon move on from Saturday night’s loss to the 76ers, even as they played without three starters.
“You don’t want to use that as an excuse,” Mike Scott said following the loss without DeMarre Carroll, Kyle Korver and Paul Millsap. “A lot of guys picked up and played big minutes and got better. We still need to get better. There is room for improvement.”
The Hawks scored just 31 points and shot 27.5 percent (11 of 40) in the second half against the lowly 76ers. The point total was a season-low for any half this season. For only the third time in 44 games they failed to hold a double-digit lead, even as they led 31-20 after one quarter. They allowed 17 and got just five offensive rebounds as they were beaten on the boards. Jeff Teague and Dennis Schroder had five turnovers apiece.
There was plenty of blame to go around.
Coach Mike Budenholzer and several players pointed to the team’s poor play in transition – both on offense and defense – as a major factor in the loss. Even playing short-handed without five regulars, the three resting starters, Pero Antic (left ankle sprain) and Thabo Sefolosha (right calf strain), the Hawks had an opportunity to build chemistry and get playing time for little-used players such as John Jenkins and Mike Muscala.
“It’s learning,” Al Horford said. “I feel like that playing time (for reserves) is important. You obviously want to win every game. But we’ll regroup and get ready for the next game.”
It’s the NBA and the time for review is short. The Hawks host the Kings on Monday with 20 regular-season games remaining.
The Hawks (49-13) have clinched a playoff berth. The magic number to clinch the Southeast Division is just five. The postseason will likely begin at home. The Hawks have made the playoffs eight straight seasons but haven’t hosted a first-round series since 2012.
Moving on is easier with the Hawks holding a 10-1/2 game lead in the Eastern Conference. Their magic number to clinch the No. 1 seed was 10 entering Sunday’s NBA schedule.
The Hawks play 11 of the final 20 games on the road, including a six-game, 11-day trip that begins at the Nuggets on Wednesday. Of those 20 games, 11 are against teams with a below .500 record. The franchise record of 57 wins, last done in 1993-94, remains well in reach.
The Hawks may well look to get additional rest for some players in the final six weeks of the season. They will play three games in four nights three more times, including the final week of the season. There is also one more stretch of four games in five days on the schedule.
Millsap has said following losses that the team goal is to start a new winning streak. The Hawks have had five win streaks this season of at least four games, including the six-game stretch just snapped by the 76ers. They have not lost three straight games this season and have only dropped two straight three times.
“A lot of players got a chance to learn and grow,” Budenholzer said following Saturday’s loss. “It wasn’t our best night but sometimes you learn from those just as much or more than your good nights.”
Note: Antic remains on the injury report as questionable against the Kings.
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