Five observations from the Hawks’ 104-100 loss to the Wizards Wednesday.
1. The Hawks led 76-72 with 8:56 to play on Kris Humphries' dunk. They would not score a field goal for the next 4:41 when Thabo Sefolosha hit a 3-pointer. During that time, the four-point lead turned into a 10-point deficit. The Hawks were 0 of 4 from the field with two turnovers as the Wizards went on a 19-5 run. The Hawks managed just free throws in the drought.
The Wizards’ run would get to 24-8 for a 12-point lead.
“In general, we had too many turnovers tonight,” Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “We have to take care of the ball. It felt like a couple times we settled for average shots. We didn’t keep attacking. I think the offensive rebounds, it was a one-point game and they got three or four possession on one possession because of offensive rebounds and then the next time they had the ball they got another offensive rebound. Between not taking care of the ball and not taking care of the defensive rebounds it led to the run.”
The Hawks got as close as three points late in the game but they couldn’t completely get themselves out of the hole.
2. About those turnovers. Dennis Schroder committed 10 of the Hawks' 16 turnovers. He had a costly one late when the Hawks were within four points.
“We, or I, have to close out the game better,” Schroder said. “Take care of the ball and make better decisions. I hurt my team. We could have won that game easily. Sometimes, it happens. I just try to keep getting better and do it better the next game.
“Sometimes I just try to get someone an easy one. Like Dwight, when he goes coast to coast I want to reward him. Sometimes, it’s not working out. Maybe I need to slow down a little bit more and do the easy ones.”
3. The Hawks are now 0-6 in games without All-Star Paul Millsap this season. Unlike losses without their star in the previous two games, Budenholzer said he saw improvement in the defense. Improvement that will be needed with 11 games remaining in the regular season.
“Learning to play without Paul is going to be important for us,” Budenholzer said. “He’s not going to be able to play all 48 minutes. Can we get more efficient? Can we get better defensively? Can we get better offensively? Maybe not be as dependent upon him. There was some progress tonight. Until he comes back, we are going to have to make more progress.”
There were positives and negatives for the Hawks. They were right there without two starters. Yet they lost.
“You see both positives and negatives,” Tim Hardaway Jr. said. “All in all we got better. Coach says we got better. I think as an individual and as a team we did get better. We have to continue to compete.”
4. Without Millsap, in addition to Kent Bazemore, the Hawks used a 10-man rotation by the first quarter. Budenholzer said while Millsap is out, the team will need Mike Muscala and Humphries.
“We are probably going to need Muskie and Hump until Paul is back,” Budenholzer said. “Ersan (Ilyasova) had a little bit of foul trouble and I think we looked a little better with small ball and so we didn’t use Muskie in the second half. Unless the matchups don’t dictate it, we are probably going to need both those guys. I think I need to put them out there more.”
5. The Hawks remain fifth in the Eastern Conference, thanks to a Pacers loss to the Celtic. The Hawks can all but forget about a fourth seed and hosting a first-round playoff series as the trail the Raptors by five games. They lead the Pacers by one game, the Bucks by 1-1/2 games and the Heat by two games. Friday's game at the Bucks looms large.
“It’s the time of the season right now where dwelling on the negative nothing good will come of it,” Thabo Sefolosha said. “We go to practice. We work hard. We have to be honest with each other and talk about what we see. After a game like this we just have to be positive.”
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