Peachtree Hoops - Nov 4: Hawks 101, Nets 87The place to read about/discuss the Atlanta Hawks.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/8811/peachtree-fave.jpg2015-11-05T07:00:03-05:00http://www.peachtreehoops.com/rss/stream/94324012015-11-05T07:00:03-05:002015-11-05T07:00:03-05:00Horford, Schröder lead 2nd half surge for Hawks
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/3xNVLi0CF8VKVB5sBbvDEOnsSLc=/14x0:1886x1248/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47588663/495716878.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Atlanta Hawks found an offensive rhythm and rode it along with a consistent defensive effort to a 101-87 win over the Brooklyn Nets Wednesday night. </p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Atlanta Hawks</a> are still looking for a consistent offensive rhythm, but they continue to get by thanks to a strong defensive effort. Wednesday's game was a perfect example as Atlanta scored just 41 points in the first half and found themselves trailing the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.netsdaily.com/">Brooklyn Nets</a> by two points at the halftime buzzer.</p>
<p>The defensive effort however, continues to get better and it is allowing the offense time to get more comfortable. The Hawks totaled 15 steals and 10 blocked shots against the Nets and held them under 40 percent shooting in the first half. The recent addition of Justin Holiday to the rotation has added another defensive element to the lineup.</p>
<p>"The activity and the effort, particularly in the first and the fourth quarter, really allowed us to win a game tonight," <span>Mike Budenholzer</span> said after the game. " <span>Kent Bazemore</span> and <span>Justin Holiday's</span> activity, and their length on the wings, and Kent tracking down blocked shots in transition.....Justin with multiple efforts and multiple contests. Steals and hands, that is part of who we are. That's what we have to continue to do."</p>
<p>Atlanta's offense found a groove in the second half thanks to big performances from <span>Al Horford</span> and Dennis Schröder who combined to score 29 of the team's 60 second half points. The Hawks shot 59 percent from the field after halftime and were 6 for 12 from three-point range. A consistent three-point shot has been one area that has been missing from Atlanta's attack. After finishing last season as one of the best three-point shooting teams in the league, the Hawks are 17th in three-point percentage converting 32.9 percent so far this season.</p>
<p>When asked about Atlanta's second half surge, he linked it to improved ball movement. The Hawks recorded 27 assists in the game with 16 of those coming in the second half.</p>
<p>"I think the ball movement was much better, much quicker decisions," Budenholzer said. "The ball was moving from one side to the other. When the ball moves and you it in rhythm, you're going to shoot a better percentage. You're going to feel more confident. I think the ball movement led to making shots."</p>
<h4><strong>Justin Holiday getting his shot</strong></h4>
<p>Justin Holiday saw his most extensive playing time so far this season playing 29 minutes while finishing with six points on 3 of 9 shooting. His true value however, comes on the defensive end of the floor where he recorded a team-best four blocks and helped spearhead the Hawks defensively.</p>
<p>"Justin has been good. I think he really helps us defensively with his length," Budenholzer said before Wednesday's game. "He is great in some of our principles, understanding how important the weak side is and each kind of role or responsibility on a given play. Offensively he is finding a way to make a couple of shots and get to the basket. I think he is fitting in well."</p>
<p>This was the second straight game that Holiday saw extended minutes with those coming at the expense of rookie <span>Lamar Patterson</span> who didn't make an appearance until garbage time. Patterson was a surprise entry into the Hawks' rotation on opening night and played at least 18 minutes in each of the first three games. However, he played just nine minutes in Sunday's win at Charlotte and just eight in Tuesday's win at Miami. Mike Muscala also got into the game late in the fourth quarter for his first action since suffering an ankle injury in the season opener.</p>
<h4><strong>A tale of two halves for Schröder</strong></h4>
<p>Dennis Schröder made his second start of the season for the Hawks with <a href="http://www.peachtreehoops.com/2015/11/4/9671022/kyle-korver-out-ankle-nets-vs-hawks">Kyle Korver getting the night off</a> due to the back-to-back situation. He came out aggressive early and the results were not pretty. At halftime he had two points on 1 of 7 shooting to go along with four turnovers.</p>
<p>However, he gave the Hawks a spark in the third quarter scoring 13 of his 20 points in the period. Schröder went 6 for 8 from the field with no turnovers after halftime and was a catalyst for Atlanta down the stretch.</p>
<h4><strong><span>Shelvin Mack</span> makes season debut</strong></h4>
<p>Schröder's first half struggles combined with Korver's night off allowed Mike Budenholzer the opportunity to play Shelvin Mack for the first time this season. Mack was admittedly rusty going scoreless in eight minutes with a pair of turnovers. With Mack getting into the game that leaves just Tim Hardaway Jr as the only player on the roster not to make an appearance in a game so far this season.</p>
<h4><strong><span>Jeff Teague</span> moves into 9th place on Hawks career list for assists</strong></h4>
<p>Jeff Teague moved into sole possession of ninth place on the Hawks' all-time list for career assists passing Jason Terry. Teague has 2236 career assists and is just six behind Cliff Hagen for eighth. <span>Doc Rivers</span> holds the franchise record with 3866.</p>
https://www.peachtreehoops.com/2015/11/5/9674066/nets-vs-hawks-al-horford-dennis-schroderKris Willis2015-11-04T22:17:45-05:002015-11-04T22:17:45-05:00Hawks pull away late in 101-87 win over Nets
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/UddlloeY3KKfk0qrHlX8XoRykbg=/0x0:2758x1839/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47587085/usa-today-8902982.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Five straight wins? Five straight wins. </p> <p>The <a href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Atlanta Hawks</a> entered Wednesday night's contest with a four-game winning streak, and while they performed in relatively mediocre fashion for much of the night, that streak remains active. The Hawks pulled away late from the <a href="https://www.netsdaily.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Brooklyn Nets</a>, and when the dust settled, Atlanta improved to 5-1 on the young season with a 101-87 victory.</p>
<p>From a visual perspective, the first half of Wednesday's game was... appalling. The Hawks grabbed a six-point lead after the first quarter largely on the strength of lockdown defense (38% FG, 6 TO from Brooklyn), and offensively, Atlanta was little more than subpar in the first 12 minutes. On the bright side, the Hawks put together four steals and four blocks in the first period, flying around with activity, but the offense was uninspiring (outside of 3-for-3 for 6 points from <span>Tiago Splitter</span>) and that sadly continued in the second quarter.</p>
<p>A 6-0 "run" from the Nets over three mid-quarter minutes knotted the game at 34-34, and from there, the Hawks simply couldn't establish any cushion because of their offensive limitations. On the whole, Atlanta shot just 6 of 17 in the quarter on the way with 18 points, and with an uptick from Brooklyn (26 points!), the home team actually went into the half with an inexplicable two-point deficit.</p>
<p class="p1">After the halftime break, though, things changed considerably... on both ends. The Hawks came out of the gate flying around offensively, putting together a sequence with three consecutive threes (two by Dennis Schröder, one by <span>Al Horford</span>), and the team scored 15 points in the first 3:58 of the third quarter. Al Horford was the engine, scoring 19 points in his first 20 minutes of game action after that strong start to the half, and a 7-0 run eventually gave Atlanta a 56-50 lead.</p>
<p class="p1">The defense became an issue, however, as the Nets immediately reeled off a 9-0 run to reclaim the lead. Brooklyn scored 27 points of their own in the third period, and while Atlanta was able to build a lead based on 31 points (on 22 shots) in the quarter, it wasn't as large as it would have been otherwise. Still, Dennis Schröder was must-see TV throughout the period, scoring 13 points and knocking down three triples, and that was undeniably fun.</p>
<p class="p1">While the fourth quarter kept proceeding along the lines of the third, the Hawks began to take control with a 6-0 run that ended with a 90-82 lead with 6:45 to play. From that point forward, Atlanta never led by fewer than six points, and the home team built the lead to an insurmountable 14-point margin in the closing moments. It was a highly encouraging end to an otherwise so-so overall performance, but it is better to be good late than to be good early.</p>
<p class="p1">It was also a wild individual night for the Hawks, including the fact that <span>Paul Millsap</span> posted an NBA season-high with five steals. As a team, Atlanta compiled 15 steals and 10 blocked shots in the game, both of which stood out significantly, and <span>Justin Holiday</span> added four (!) blocked shots on the wing for good measure. Al Horford was the "star" of the night, finishing with 21 points and 8 rebounds, with Dennis Schröder scoring 20 points and <span>Jeff Teague</span> adding 16 points and 6 assists.</p>
<p class="p1">The Hawks will continue their schedule on Friday night with a quick road trip to New Orleans before hosting Washington on Saturday night. Stay tuned.</p>
https://www.peachtreehoops.com/2015/11/4/9671672/atlanta-hawks-brooklyn-nets-final-score-recapBrad Rowland2015-11-04T15:45:11-05:002015-11-04T15:45:11-05:00Korver out against Nets
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/_wOyRJc4_LzlgP74iCP6G2ggLaM=/0x1010:3096x3074/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47584811/usa-today-8892120.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Atlanta Hawks will hold shooting guard Kyle Korver out against the Brooklyn Nets. </p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Atlanta Hawks</a> continue to be extremely careful with the players they have that are working their way back from offseason surgery. <span>Kyle Korver</span> is listed as out on the team's updated injury report for Wednesday's game against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.netsdaily.com/">Brooklyn Nets</a>. Korver played 34 minutes in Tuesday's win over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.hothothoops.com/">Miami Heat</a>. Atlanta has opted to rest Korver along with <span>Thabo Sefolosha</span> during back-to-back situations so far this season.</p>
<p>Korver continues to work his way back after ankle surgery altered his offseason routine. He has appeared in four games so far this season and is averaging 9.3 points on 43 percent shooting. His three-point percentage has dipped to 25 percent in the early going including a 1 for 6 performance in Miami on Tuesday.</p>
<p><span>Mike Muscala</span> remains questionable and is still not 100 percent recovered from the ankle injury that he suffered on opening night. Both Jeff Teague and Thabo Sefolosha are listed as probable. Sefolosha sat out Tuesday's game against the Heat.</p>
https://www.peachtreehoops.com/2015/11/4/9671022/kyle-korver-out-ankle-nets-vs-hawksKris Willis2015-11-04T08:00:02-05:002015-11-04T08:00:02-05:00Nets vs Hawks preview: Playoff Rematch
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/wioGUBnF3AqzDhgh6UCbb0EVc_Q=/0x150:2850x2050/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47568639/usa-today-8547369.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Can the Hawks keep up their impressive recent pace? We will find out on Wednesday night on the second half of a back-to-back.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Atlanta Hawks</a> are rolling. The <a href="https://www.netsdaily.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Brooklyn Nets</a> are, well, not.</p>
<p>That is the backdrop of Wednesday evening's game at Philips Arena, as a lot has changed since these two teams met in the 2015 Eastern Conference Playoffs. The Hawks have won four consecutive games after dropping their season opener, including an <a target="_blank" href="http://www.peachtreehoops.com/2015/11/3/9667014/atlanta-hawks-vs-miami-heat-final-score-recap">impressive road victory</a> over the <a href="https://www.hothothoops.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Miami Heat</a> on Tuesday night. On the flip side, the Nets have begun the 2015-16 season with an 0-4 mark amid whispers that Brooklyn might be the worst team in the league.</p>
<p>To be fair, it is far too early to judge the Nets on the whole at this point, but Brooklyn has been incredibly poor on both ends, resulting in the fact that they have been outscored by 17.1 points per 100 possessions this season. The Nets still have some talented players, led by <span>Brook Lopez</span>, <span>Thaddeus Young</span> and <span>Joe Johnson</span>, but the backcourt is something of a mess, and there is not a lot to get excited about when chronicling this team.</p>
<p>From a Hawks standpoint, the story of the day will be Mike Budenholzer's rotation on the second game of a back-to-back. To make things even more interesting, this game comes in the middle of a four-game, five-night stretch for Atlanta, and with <span>Kyle Korver</span> playing on Tuesday, there is some uncertainty about his status here. <span>Thabo Sefolosha</span> is expected to play after sitting out the game against Miami, but until Budenholzer and company elect to reveal the inactives for this one, nothing is certain.</p>
<p>Regardless, the Hawks and Nets will take the floor on Wednesday, and we will be here throughout the day to keep you up to date. Stay with us.</p>
<h3>Game Info</h3>
<p><b>Game Date/Time:</b> Wednesday, November 4, 8:00 p.m. ET</p>
<p><b>Location: </b>Philips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia</p>
<p><b>TV: </b>Fox Sports Southeast, NBA League Pass</p>
<p><b>Radio:</b> 92.9 "The Game" FM</p>
<div class="likebox-fullwidth"><iframe src="//www.facebook.com/plugins/likebox.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpeachtreehoops&width=560&height=185&colorscheme=light&show_faces=true&show_border=false&stream=false&header=false" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden;" allowtransparency="true"></iframe></div>
https://www.peachtreehoops.com/2015/11/4/9658556/nets-vs-hawks-preview-start-time-tv-radioBrad Rowland