Game 3: Atlanta Hawks Grades In Heartbreaking Defeat

May 9, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Atlanta Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer reacts to a foul call from the sidelines against the Washington Wizards in the third quarter in game three of the second round of the NBA Playoffs. at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 103-101. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Mike Budenholzer, C

The lack of energy from his starters, coupled with the hostile home crowd, pounded his squad into a huge deficit. It was a very bold decision not substituting the starters back into the game late in the fourth quarter and riding the hot hands while sending a message to the players that they were being benched and weren’t playing with any motivation. He can only hope that it spurned an awakening in his starters to come out running in Game 4 and at the same time, while not completely breaking them, the run by the bench to almost pull the impossible will at least fragment the psyche of the Wizards.