Atlanta Hawks: Rapid Reactions to 146-115 Loss vs. Sacramento Kings

But, stop me if you’ve heard this before, the 3rd quarter proved to be the downfall of any chance the Atlanta Hawks had to compete for a win.

Getting outscored 46-23 in a quarter isn’t something that’s easily overcome.

The Kings’ well-oiled offensive machine (never thought I’d say that this year) pushed the ball from the get-go, and turned the game into a track meet with a dizzying pace. The Atlanta Hawks fed directly into it with the turnovers and poor transition defense. At many points, the young home team looked simply overwhelmed.

It’s tough to pick out bright spots, but DeAndre’ Bembry looked good on the way to 13 points and 5 rebounds. That simplistic stat-line doesn’t show the hustle plays and hockey assists the third-year wing registered, and he continues to look like an important piece moving forward.

I’m really high on his game.