If any Atlanta Hawks (28-31) players could have left Thursday’s 112-108 loss to the Chicago Bulls feeling let down, it is Danilo Gallinari. The loss snapped a two-game winning streak they started before the break and brings their record to 2-3 after layoffs of three days or more. They are 1-3 against the top-seeded Bulls on the season.
What makes it sting even worse is that the Hawks led by three points with less than a minute to go before Chicago’s DeMar DeRozan hit back-to-back clutch shots to put the Bulls up for good.
It is the “clutch” part where Gallinari’s ire could have popped up.
Danilo Gallinari stays positive, focused on the team after big night in Atlanta Hawks loss
Gallinari finished with a season-high 26 points on the evening, second on the team behind only Bogdan Bogdanovic who had 27 points. It was the 6-foot-10, 14-year vet who was the more efficient player going 2-of-4 from deep as part of a 55.6 percent shooting performance. He also hauled in nine rebounds.
It was his third 20-point outing of the season and second since he was inserted into the starting lineup as an injury replacement for John Collins.
He didn’t commit any turnovers, nor did he have any assists. But he was the only starter outside of Trae Young to finish the game with a positive plus-minus and got to the line to shoot six free throws, though, he could only knock down four of them as the team struggled at the stripe.
Just the Hawks eighth-leading scorer on the season, Gallinari saved his best for last.
The former sixth-overall pick went for 13 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter, outdoing even DeRozan who leads the league in fourth-quarter scoring.
Gallinari shot 5-of-6 (83.3%) from the floor and hit 3-of-4 free throws when it mattered most while the rest of the team went 6-of-18 overall and 1-for-6 from three. No one else could get to the free-throw line to help extend the game down the stretch. Despite multiple Bulls being in foul trouble, the Hawks lack the personnel to make them pay.
What a pity! Another season-high, but it wasn't enough to win...we need to stay positive! #GoHawks #BelieveAtlanta pic.twitter.com/sfuxk5eOZR
— DANILO GALLINARI (@gallinari8888) February 25, 2022
Collins’ absence, missing shots they would typically make (like at the free-throw line where they are still shooting over 80.0 percent on the season), and some untimely turnovers wasted what was another vintage performance.
Gallinari is averaging 14.4 on 45.0 percent shooting and 43.3 percent from outside while grabbing 5.1 boards per game over his last eight appearances.
All of those numbers are above his season averages.
The Hawks need someone other than Young to step up in the fourth quarter when things get tight or, as was the case against the Bulls, when he has an off-night. That job usually falls on Bogdanovic’s shoulders. Thursday’s final attempt notwithstanding, he has done a bang-up job at it. It’s also probably too much to expect this kind of output from the 33-year-old Gallinari.
It is nice to know it is still in there though and that, just when the Hawks need it most, he can still turn the clock back.