The Atlanta Hawks jumped all over the Golden State Warriors early, and that afforded them a cushion even as the visitors showed their championship mettle.
Golden State entered the game missing Stephen Curry, but they had Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler. Meanwhile, the Hawks were missing Jalen Johnson and Clint Capela, among others.
After the game, a solemn Green spoke to the gravity of the loss for the Warriors.
“We just didn’t come out ready to play. We came out like we were just gonna win the game. And I got diced up defensively in the first quarter,” Green told reporters on March 22. “From that point on, you’re fighting an uphill battle. Everybody’s comfortable, and they took it to us. We gotta be better. That starts with me. We were terrible defensively.”
The Hawks scored 40 points in the first quarter and they never trailed after erasing the Warriors’ 3-0 lead.
The Warriors won the second and fourth quarters by a combined 68-55 score. But the Hawks took advantage of their 17-point edge and won the third quarter 29-24. Both teams are fighting for postseason positioning.
The Hawks emerged as the winners of a much-needed contest for both sides.
“It’s the NBA. Once guys get into a rhythm, it’s hard. And they got into a rhythm, got it rolling. It’s tough to stop that, so we gotta come out ready to play,” Green said.
“It’s a bad loss. It’s a terrible loss. When you got a position when you got a chance to compete for something – 11 games left with everything to play for – you shouldn’t have a loss like this. It’s too much on the line. Gotta win the games you’re supposed to win. Obviously, Steph’s. It’s still a game we should win.”
Green had 5 points, 6 assists, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, and 1 block. He was 2-for-7 from the floor, 1-for-4 from downtown, and had 3 turnovers. The Hawks had three players score over 20 points in the win.
Hawks avenge loss with strong all-around effort
The Hawks got payback for a 120-97 thrashing at the Warriors’ collective hands in November with this win. The Hawks were healthy in that last meeting but were unable to score at a time when both teams were still forming their identities.
Golden State outscored Atlanta 41-22 in that contest, adding another layer of revenge for a Hawks team building chemistry and confidence at the right time.
The Hawks do not have long to enjoy their victory.
They are right back in action on Sunday against a Philadelphia 76ers team they just defeated 132-123 less than two weeks ago. The Hawks remain alive for the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference, currently held by the Detroit Pistons.
More importantly, they increased their advantage over the Orlando Magic for the No. 7 seed and a one-game homestand to make the playoffs.