The Hawks were digging the long ball again Wednesday night, and why not? When you’re third in the NBA in 3-point shooting percentage, and writing paychecks to the league’s top gunner and three of its top 25, why not let it fly?
Kyle Korver scored 17 points to match Paul Millsap, yet even after the NBA's most deadly shooter made 5-of-7 shots from 3-point distance on a night when Atlanta hoisted 22 long balls in the first half of a 95-79 win over the visiting 76ers, coach Mike Budenholzer's question was, Why?
The Hawks (15-6) won their eighth straight game for the first time since the fall of 1997, yet it was oddly difficult.
Atlanta played lazy ball against the NBA’s worst team and got away with it.
Perhaps the Hawks figured that no real hard, dirty work would be required against the league’s youngest roster. The 76ers are 2-19.
Budenholzer didn’t need to hear an interrogator finish the question of whether he was concerned that his red-hot team might have taken the 76ers lightly.
He interrupted and said, “Coaches are always worried. You can just put, ‘Yes,’ next to that question.”
The Hawks entered averaging 24.5 3-pointers per game at a 34 percent success rate.
They made just two of their first 16, although after Al Horford dunked to open the scoring Atlanta was never tied nor trailed in Philips Arena.
Owing a 47-38 halftime lead largely to a defense that has not been in a giving mood while allowing 87.9 points per during the streak, the Hawks capitalized on Philly’s overflow of young, imprudent shooters. The 76ers shot 41.7 percent, and 6-of-25 from beyond the arc.
So it didn’t hurt much that Atlanta made just 6-of-22 threes in the first half, when shooters other than Korver went 3-for-17 from afar. It just didn’t look very good.
“It was pretty sloppy tonight,” Korver said after pushing his season long ball percentage to 56.1 as teammates made 5-of-23. “For whatever reason, we just weren’t that sharp.”
After lifting 19 3-pointers over the first 17-plus minutes, the Hawks put up three in the final four-plus minutes of the first half, five in the third quarter and three in the fourth. Over the final two periods, Atlanta outscored Philadelphia 22-14 in the paint.
“One of the timeouts, we talked about shooting too many jump shots,” Budenholzer said. “I’m a big believer in shooting when you’re open … and the 3-ball is a big part of our game, but at times you have to drive more and have to attack more. I think there was a point early where we weren’t driving enough.”
Atlanta expanded the lead with a 27-21 fourth quarter in which reserve big man Mike Muscala scored eight of his 12, and helped the Hawks outrebound the 76ers 52-39.
It’s good to take 19 more shots than your opponent.
“Kind of an ugly … ” Budeholzer said. “Not the best basketball game for us.”
