The Atlanta Hawks got a signature performance from Bogdan Bogdanovic but could not pull out the win, falling 115-105 to the Miami Heat. They are down 0-2 heading back home to the friendly confines of State Farm Arena where they posted the NBA’s eighth-best record and the third-best in the Eastern Conference.
This one is going to sting because the Hawks gave great effort, staying attached at the very least up until the break. Trailing by just two points to begin the third quarter, the Hawks got outscored 59-51 the rest of the way.
It puts them into a hole that, historically speaking. Only 31 teams have ever come back from an 0-2 series deficit and won, per Land of Basketball.
To join that roughly 7%, the Hawks will need more efforts like the one Bogdanovic gave them.
The Atlanta Hawks rally fell short despite Bogdan Bogdanovic’s usual fourth-quarter efforts
Bogdanovic had just three points at halftime. He was not struggling with his shot – he made his lone attempt in the first 24 minutes of play. Instead, the Hawks’ closer was plagued by foul trouble with three of them in the first two quarters. He did dish out two assists, but the fouls disrupted any sort of rhythm he could have established.
The fifth-year NBA veteran saw just 6:27 in the first half, his fewest in any half this season.
He picked up his fourth foul just 1:36 after re-entering the game after halftime but wound up seeing 10 minutes in the third quarter, the second-most on the team. Bogdanovic scored seven points on 3-of-5 shooting in the frame also hauling in a rebound.
"“They’re a really experienced team…They use advantages from the crowd. It’s tough to play against them here.” Bogdanovic on Heat via Brady Hawk/5 Reasons Sports"
But, as has been his specialty this season, Bogdanovic took off in the fourth quarter scoring 19 points trying to will the Hawks to victory. He got to 25 points in the game on a triple that brought the Hawks to within three points at 104-101 with 3:15 left in the contest.
"I felt I had to do something. I just played freely."@LeaderOfHorde discusses his 29-point performance in Game 2. pic.twitter.com/HCzWp0WxWj
— Bally Sports: Hawks (@HawksOnBally) April 20, 2022
He would miss his next three shots as Trae Young – who also had 10 turnovers – missed a pair of ill-advised threes and Kevin Huerter was charged with a turnover on a failed lob attempt.
The 19 points are a new career-high in a regular-season or postseason appearance.
Atlanta only had a player score at least 19 points in a quarter four times during the regular season; all of them were by Young.
"“The way he was into a rhythm tonight, it was great to see, and we’ve just got to all kind of follow up on him and catch up on his speed and get into a rhythm, especially at home.” Young on Bogdanovic via Sarah K. Spencer/Atlanta Journal-Constitution"
Bogdanovic is the NBA’s 17th leading scorer in the fourth quarter since January 26 when he was moved to his current sixth-man role with 6.3 fourth-quarter points per game. Perhaps if he wasn’t on the wrong side of the whistle so early and often in this one, the outcome would have been different.
It is still a nice bounceback from his six-point outing in Game 1.
As it stands, Atlanta will try to get back into the series on Friday when the Heat come to State Farm Arena where they split their two meetings during the regular season.