Atlanta Hawks Lose To Brooklyn Nets 91-82

The Atlanta Hawks lost to the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday evening. It was their second loss to the Nets in the last week.

The Atlanta Hawks aren’t quite at rock bottom, but they’re approaching it at a rapid pace. They just lost to the Brooklyn Nets for the second time in a week. The Nets, if you’ll recall, have only 18 wins this season. Times are bleak again in Atlanta.

Things seemed to be headed in a positive direction before the game. Pregame, it was announced that Paul Millsap would make his return to the court. Millsap came off the bench, seeing his first action in eight games.

Millsap wasn’t the reason Atlanta lost. He looked a little rusty early in the game, but he fought through a poor shooting night to finish with 14 points, four rebounds, and two assists on 4-for-14 shooting. He played just 26 minutes.

More from Soaring Down South

It was yet another up and down performance from Dennis Schroder. Schroder finished with 16 points, eight assists, and five rebounds on 7-for-20 shooting and 2-for-5 from three-point range. He also finished with five turnovers. The Hawks committed 19 turnovers as a team.

Dwight Howard posted a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Taurean Prince sparked the Hawks with his defense and scoring at the rim. He ended his night with 13 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block.

Tim Hardaway Jr. added 14 points on 5-for-10 shooting, while the bench players not named Paul Millsap combined for only 10 points. Atlanta shot 37.5 percent from the field and 29.2 percent from three-point range. They lost this game due to their poor offensive performance. Brooklyn didn’t exactly light the world on fire offensively.

The Nets shot 39 percent from the floor and 30.3 percent from outside. This game was not the most aesthetically pleasing sporting event the world has ever seen. It resembled a pickup game at your local YMCA at times.

Brook Lopez dominated this game on the offensive end. Lopez finished with 29 points and five rebounds on 12-for-21 shooting and 3-for-7 from outside. Millsap, Ersan Ilyasova, and even Mike Dunleavy Jr. spent time trying to guard him. The key word is trying. Lopez had his way with Atlanta’s defense.

Jeremy Lin also showed why the Nets are so much better with him in the lineup. Lin had 15 points, six assists, and six rebounds on 5-for-10 from the field and 2-for-4 from three-point distance. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson was the only other Net to finish in double figures. He had 11 points. Brooklyn’s bench combined to score 24 points.

The following quotes come from Chris Vivlamore’s recap in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Paul Millsap spoke about his return.

"“Overall I felt pretty good,” Millsap said. “I missed a lot of bunnies. It’s to be expected missing that many games. Rhythm is a little off. I felt good. I like the way we are headed. Just can’t wait for the next game."

Dennis Schroder remained positive, despite Atlanta’s outlook.

"“Everybody knows this is go time,” Schroder said. “Like I’ve said before, we can beat anybody but we’ve just got to be locked in. Everybody has to do what they do. Things they do well, we need that from them."

"“It’s five games, we’ve got to fight for the playoffs. We are going to take care of that. Going into the playoffs, we have to be sharper.”"

Atlanta is now in sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings. They lead the Chicago Bulls by one game and the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers by two games. The Pacers are currently on the outside looking in of the playoff picture in ninth place.

The Hawks have five games left on their schedule. Thursday they’ll face the Boston Celtics. Friday and Sunday they take on LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. They finish their season with a game against the Charlotte Hornets and a game against the Indiana Pacers.

Next: Ranking Possible First Round Opponents

The next week and a half is going to be nerve-wracking. Buckle up.

Home/Hawks News