Suns-Hawks: Five Observations

A look inside the Hawks’ 103-90 win over the Suns Tuesday:

Five observations

1. Finding motivation

The Hawks, to varying degrees, indicated that part of their motivation in a second-half comeback came from some calls that went against them. There were several, especially in the second half, but the rallying point seemed to come on a technical foul on Kent Bazemore with 9:07 remaining in the third quarter. Bazemore was called for a foul on Devin Booker attempting a 3-pointer with the Suns leading 59-49. They would trail be 13 points after Booker made 3 of 4 free throws (including the technical).

“I think there was an intensity to us, a competitiveness to us, in the second half whether it was getting in the passing lanes, getting on the boards,” Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “When you don’t feel like a call is going against you, instead of feeling sorry for yourself you get getter, you get more loose balls, you get more aggressive. I think everything we did, all of our reactions, whether it be to officiating or anything in the second half was to be more aggressive.”

2. Fourth-quarter run

The Hawks turned a three-point deficit into a 17-point lead with a 26-6 run to start the fourth quarter. The Hawks scored the first nine points and kept piling on. The fourth-quarter lead would grow to as many as 19 points. Al Horford has 10 points, Jeff Teague has seven points and Paul Millsap has seven rebounds in the decisive quarter.

“Most of our motivation was us having something to fight for going into the playoffs,” Millsap said. “They don’t. Obviously, we are the better team. That’s where our motivation comes from, just taking pride in who we are and what we are trying to accomplish.”

3. Suns woeful third

The Hawks got back into the game, erasing a double-digit deficit, as the Suns muddled through the third quarter. The Suns missed 13 of their first 14 shots in the period. They finished 4 of 19 from the field in the quarter with eight of their 17 points coming from the free-throw line. Devin Booker accounted for 13 of the Suns’ points in the period. The Suns also had seven turnovers. The Hawks got 10 points from Bazemore in the period. It started a second half where the Hawks allowed a total of 34 points – after surrendering 38 first-quarter points.

4. Another halftime speech needed

The Hawks have made a habit – a bad habit – of falling behind in the first half of late. They fell behind by double-digits to the Raptors and Cavaliers, both losses, and trailed by as many as 14 points to the Suns in the first two quarters. The Suns took a 56-44 advantage into intermission as the Hawks scored just 16 second-quarter points. The Hawks were 1 of 10 from 3-point range in the period as they fell behind. Coach Mike Budenholzer had a simple halftime message: ‘You guys have something to play for. Do you want it or not?’ They did.