If the Atlanta Hawks can replicate the shooting they had on Monday night in Minneapolis, they should finish the season 70-12! Not that anyone is expecting that to happen, but the Hawks are tough to beat when they are unconscious from three-point land like they were in their 121-110 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Atlanta hit a franchise-record 25 three-pointers, on an absurd 51% shooting overall. It seemed like everyone wanted to join the fun, as six different players hit two three-pointers or more.
The barrage started with an unlikely name, but a savvy veteran, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, who hit a career-high seven three-pointers and finished with 23 points. TLC has been carving himself a nice role with the team, with players like: Bogdan Bogdanovic, DeAndre Hunter and Cam Reddish, all out due to injury. That is now the second straight promising-showing for the French national, coming off a 12-point effort against the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday.
After two disappointing losses, which included a fourth quarter-collapse against the Philadelphia 76ers’s, and an absolute DEFENSELESS showing against the Hornets, the Hawks showed up to play against the T-Wolves. A wire-to-wire finish, the Hawks controlled the young- ‘Wolves the entire night, with the largest lead being at 21 points. Trae Young kept up his MVP-caliber play finishing with another double-double, with 29 points and 11 assists. Danilo Gallinari also chipped in with 20 points off the bench, as well.
Atlanta played with effort, hustle and a little fire under their ass. The ball was moving side-to-side, and the effort defensively was a noticeable difference from what Hawks fans saw Sunday night against the Hornets.
Head Coach Nate McMillan saw the same thing everyone else did, and he liked what he saw.
“Ball movement. We shoot 3s that are open. We don’t want to come down and just jack a contested 3. If our offensive action can create those opportunities, the pick-and-roll or traps with good ball movement, you can get those shots. When we have moved the ball, tonight it was playing to our second and third option, we were getting wide-open looks and our guys were knocking those shots down (quote provided by ESPN/AP).”
The Hawks are shooting an average of 17 three-pointers and shooting at a scorching 47.7% from beyond the arc over their last four games.
Next up for the Hawks is a big measuring stick game, the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets make their first trip of the season to State Farm Arena, and you can bet that it will be a rowdy crowd. Brooklyn is currently the number one seed in the Eastern Conference. Tip-off for that game is at 7:30pm eastern, and this will be a nationally-televised via ESPN.
