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The Atlanta Hawks come up with one of their best offensive performances of the season as they grab a much needed win by knocking off the Miami Heat 121-114. Atlanta got off to an unbelievable start offensively only to see Miami answer, but the Hawks were able to get enough stops at the end to preserve a victory.
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Neither team gave much effort to the defensive side of the game in the first half as the Hawks set a season high for points with 71 and points allowed with 70 as they took the one point lead to the intermission. Things slowed down somewhat in the second half as compared to the first but Atlanta was able to hold onto their good rhythm offensively.
Despite the good offense, Atlanta wasn't able to garner any separation as the Heat seemingly matched them bucket for bucket. Miami made a charge in the fourth with behind a pair of three pointers from LeBron James that put the Heat up 107-104. DeMarre Carroll answered with a three of his own to tie the game. Paul Millsap began an 8-0 Atlanta run with a pair of free throws with 4:28 remaining that put the Hawks back in front for good.
James pulled Miami to within two at 116-114 with 1:12 left but Kyle Korver's three from the corner with just 55 seconds on the clock cemented the win.
Millsap turned in a sterling performance finishing with 26 points seven rebounds and four assists. He hit 8-13 field goal attempts and was 10-11 from the free throw line. Atlanta played through him down the stretch as he either got to the free throw line or assisted on key buckets like Korver's three.
DeMarre Carroll went 3-5 from downtown and finished with 19 points. Pero Antic overcame foul trouble to finish with 17 and six while Shelvin Mack came off the bench to add 13 points and seven assists. Jeff Teague struggled to a 1-7 start from the field so it was Mack who was on the court in the fourth quarter and down the stretch. Korver, Lou Williams and Mike Scott finished with 12 points each.
James led Miami with 30 points and six assists. Chris Bosh added 21 while Mario Chalmers finished with 17. Ray Allen snapped out of his shooting slump by making his first four three-point attempts and finished with 14 points. Shane Battier chipped in 11.
Atlanta got a huge lift from its bench outscoring Miami 45-21. The Hawks piled up 33 assists on 42 made baskets and went 12-31 from three-point range. They also did plenty of work in the paint outscoring the Heat 48-34 in close.
Miami was wrapping up the last game of a six-game road trip and were without Dwyane Wade for the third straight game. Nevertheless, it was a much needed win for Atlanta who had lost five of their last seven.
