No Starters, No Problem… Hawks Blow Out Cavs

Within moments in the third quarter, the Hawks had stretched the lead to 20 and it looked to be a breezy evening for the home team.

Only Sefolosha (right groin strain) missed the Hawks’ 123-116 win over Boston on Thursday.

“I thought they were better, quicker to the ball, you name it – they were quicker in every category, and made it really tough on us“. “Sometimes you feel like you found something in a loss and I feel like we can build off this one”. The Hawks had 71 last night – in the first half.

Westbrook now has four more games to achieve the mark, with the Thunder due to face Phoenix on Friday in their next game.

Millsap didn’t start for the second straight game as Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer works him back from a sore left knee. They outscored the Celtics inside 58-48 and pulled down 51 rebounds to Boston’s 38. It was easily one of Cleveland’s most complete games this season, and while James insisted it wasn’t meant to send an external message, Love felt the victory resonated inside Cleveland’s locker room. “We lost the game, obviously. We just played hard like you’re supposed to do”. We dictated the game the way we wanted to dictate.

He added, “we dug ourselves a hole and the outcome is the outcome”. Especially if the Celtics and the Wizards continue to surprise us in the playoffs, this season might come to an abrupt end for the defending champs.

Atlanta had 25 second-chance points and 17 more on fast breaks.

One night after getting blown out by the Cavaliers in a showdown for the No. 1 seed, the Celtics journeyed to Atlanta and played like a team that’s forgotten what got it here.

Down by 19 with a little more than two minutes left in the period, Crowder and some Celtics subs showed signs of life.

“I think it’s a mental fatigue as much as physical because it is so crippling to him to restrict him to 24 minutes”, Brett Brown said following the Sixers’ 102-90 loss to the Bulls on Thursday (see Instant Replay). “We’re not going to be happy about this”. IN has had a odd season: They were supposed to be very good, then they were mediocre, then they were going to trade Paul George, and now they’re struggling to stay alive.

Irving finished with 18 points and 7 assists in the loss.

He’s still coming off the bench since returning from his knee injury, but everyone knows Millsap is an elite, All-Star caliber starter.

Now, Cleveland’s lead in the East is down to one game over Boston with three to play. Prince scored Atlanta’s first seven points and the Hawks bolted to a 14-point lead, going ahead 32-18 on a basket by Prince with 49 seconds left in the first quarter.

Much of that blitz was executed with no point guard on the floor, as Dennis Schröder picked up two quick fouls, but the Hawks executed at a high level regardless.

So this was a pretty bad time to lay an egg in back-to-back huge games.

A triple-double is the achievement of double-digit totals in three of the five key statistical categories – points, assists, rebounds, blocks and steals – and is regarded as a barometer of all-round versatility.

The defense has still been susceptible at times, but the effort is noticeably improving and it would appear the players actually give a damn about guarding the entire floor, instead of just whoever is in front of them.