Five observations from the Hawks’ 109-108 victory over the Nuggets Friday.
1. The Hawks have won some dramatic road games this season. They came back from a 20-point deficit to beat the Bucks. They defeated the Thunder without Dwight Howard.
And then there was this one.
The Hawks scored the game’s final nine points – all from the free-throw line – for the victory. The Nuggets led 108-100 with 1:43 remaining. The Hawks went to the line on their next four possessions and the Nuggets missed four straight times and had a turnover.
“It’s crazy how it happened,” Paul Millsap said. “You never know in this league how you can win a game.”
Dennis Schroder was fouled twice. Thabo Sefolosha was the recipient of a loose ball foul. Millsap was fouled on the Hawks’ final possession. Oh, and add a technical foul from Nuggets coach Mike Malone for good measure – as it ended up being the final margin. Credit Schroder and Millsap with big rebounds in the final minutes to end Nuggets possessions.
2. Millsap and Schroder continue to carry the Hawks. Schroder scored a game-high 27 points with 12 in the fourth quarter. Millsap finished with 20 points with six in the final period.
“Those two guys led us,” coach Mike Budenholzer said. “They dug deep and the rest of the team followed their lead.”
Both players said after the game that playing aggressively, especially down the stretch, key to the victory.
“I was a little bit more aggressive and tried to go to the basket,” Schroder said.
3. Sefolosha quietly had one of the biggest plays of the game. He drew a loose ball foul on Nuggets center Nikola Jokic with 42.8 second left. It was the sixth foul for the big man, sending him to the bench for good. Jokic picked up an fourth foul early in the third quarter and had to sit for a long stretch.
The play also drew the ire of Malone, who picked up the technical. After Schroder made that freebie, Sefolosha made his two attempts to pull the Hawks within a point.
4. The Hawks were going to have to turn in a new direction with the lack of wing players. The loss of Kyle Korver due to illness just before game time set the coaching staff in scramble mode. Tim Hardaway Jr. was already out. Rookies Taurean Prince and DeAndre Bembry were going to get a chance to play meaningful minutes.
Prince got the first chance but was removed after just 1:14. Enter Bembry.
Having just re-joined the team after a one-game NBA Development League stint in Salt Lake City the previous day, Bembry played a career-high 19:15. He finished with a career-high nine points on 4 of 6 shooting with four rebounds.
“I thought he was really good tonight,” Budenholzer said. “I thought the way he moved off the ball and the way he competed defensively, he just filled his role. Particularly it stood out how he was moving off the ball, getting a couple easy layups, getting out in transition. Defensively, they run a lot of hand offs and (dribble hand offs), and he is effective guarding that stuff. Very happy for him. To play last night in a D-League game and come here tonight and play in an NBA game, it’s great growth for him.”
5. The Hawks turned to Kris Humphries to start at center with Howard out for the third straight game with back tightness. The early returns were good. Humphries had six points, three rebounds and two assists in the first quarter.
“Especially, his first run I thought was really, really good,” Budenholzer said. “I thought really the whole game, I thought his physicality, his effort on the boards, I thought he was exactly what we needed tonight.”
Humphries finished with 10 points and eight rebounds.
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