Atlanta Hawks: Rapid Reaction to 116-100 Loss vs. Nets

After being down by as much as 16, Brooklyn would come roaring back in the second quarter, cutting Atlanta’s lead to 57-51 at the halftime break. A big reason for that stretch was Brooklyn’s switch to a match-up zone, something Toronto had success with against the Hawks the night before.

The third quarter saw the Nets finally take their first lead of the game with 9:37 left in the period at 63-61. From there, both teams traded punches en route to an 86-80 Nets advantage going into the final frame.

But, as Hawks broadcaster Bob Rathbun mildly put it, Atlanta “ran out of gas” as the fatigue from the second night of a back-to-back finally caught up to them.

No sugar-coating it, the fourth quarter was vomit-inducing. The only stat you need to know is this: a Brooklyn 22-3 run broke this one wide open.

When the final buzzer sounded, the Brooklyn Nets had won their 13th game in the last 17 tries, embracing their mantle as the East’s hottest team. This team could be headed for a playoff spot–a remarkable possibility considering where this franchise has been since the disastrous trade with Boston back in 2014.