Hawks-Wizards: Five Observations

The Hawks broke open the game with a 25-5 run between the third and fourth quarters. It was impressive. They ran. They made layups. They dunked. They hit 3-pointers. The Wizards were left shaking their heads. The Hawks made shots, but they also stopped the Wizards.

“On Monday, they flat-out played better than us,” Tim Hardaway Jr. said, referring to the Wizards win in Atlanta. “They made a lot of tough shots that game and some shots they were supposed to make. Today, we just wanted to focus on the defensive end and be more locked-in. And when we get stops, make sure we secure the ball and get out in transition.”

2. Turnover trouble

The Hawks forced the Wizards into 18 turnovers. They committed just nine in their win on Monday. The Hawks forced the Wizards into a season-high 25 turnovers in their win in November. It’s a key for the Hawks against the Wizards stellar backcourt.

The 18 turnovers led to 25 points. John Wall committed seven turnovers and Markieff Morris had five.

“Defensively, we tried every single coverage that we have,” Kyle Korver said. “We literally played five or six different coverages. We finally found one that enabled us to be more aggressive. That really just turned our energy up. When we are getting turnovers and getting out on the break, that just feeds us, gives us energy, gives us life.”

3. Sefolosha on the defensive

The Hawks used Thabo Sefolosha to help neutralize the Wizards’ back court of Wall and Bradley Beal. Sefolosha played 25 minutes, 14 in the first half, mostly in place of starter Kent Bazemore and guarded both Wall and Beal. The Hawks’ biggest concern was slowing Beal, who finished with 25 points Monday. Wall finished with 13 points and Beal finished with seven points. Both had just two points in the second half.

“I think we switched (the defense) up earlier,” Sefolosha said. “On Monday, we kind of went with the same type of defense a little bit too long so they got a chance to get adjusted. Tonight, we did a better job of switching it up and not letting them get too comfortable.”

4. Giving Teague room

The Wizards continued their defensive scheme on Jeff Teague by going under screens, allowing the Hawks point guard room to shoot. He missed his first five shots before coming out for Dennis Schroder. Teague hit a second-quarter 3-pointer for his first basket. Schroder made the Wizards pay when on the court. He finished with a game-high 23 points, including 11 in the first half aided by five free throws. Teague finished with nine points and six assists.

5. Raining 3’s

The Hawks used the 3-point shot. They finished with a season-high 17 makes on a season-high 42 attempts. Half of the Hawks field goal attempts were from long range. In the first half, they took 22 long-range shots and made eight, a 36.4 percent success rate. Korver hit two first-quarter 3-pointers to match his total field goal attempts in Monday’s game. The Hawks were 9 of 20 from 3-point range in the second half.

“It was great,” Schroder said. “I told Mike (Scott) to shoot every chance he gets. He made some open 3’s. It was open for us, after the pick-and-roll too. When we make our 3-point shots it opens everything up.”