Horford
missed just four shots in scoring 23 points and reserve Lou Williams
tied a season-high with six 3-pointers on his way to a game-high 25
points and Atlanta never trailed in a 118-85 victory over the Utah Jazz
at Philips Arena.
Horford’s
work was done by the four-minute mark of the third quarter, when he
took a feed from Jeff Teague (eight assists) and hit a jumper to put the
Hawks (15-12) up 74-48. Williams
was hot all night. He tied a season-high with six 3-pointers on 10
attempts and led a strong effort from the Atlanta bench.
“He’s
a shot maker, he can make some tough shots,” Hawks coach Mike
Budenholzer said. “It’s good for him to see the ball go through, see him
developing his confidence. He’s got a lot more to give us.”
While
Atlanta point guard Teague had his 13th game with at least eight
assists, his counterpart, Utah rookie Trey Burke, had a tough night. The
ninth overall pick in the 2013 draft, who was coming off a career-high
30 points against the Magic Wednesday, was held to just two points as
the Hawks tied their best efforts of the season by allowing just 37
percent shooting from the field.
“Pleased
with the defensive effort, the attention to detail,” said Budenholzer,
whose team defeated Utah for the fifth consecutive time.
Utah
(7-22) got as close as 46-30 on two of Jeremy Evans’ 10 points off the
bench at the 4:07 mark of the second quarter. Horford hit a jumper,
Williams knocked down a 3-pointer and Teague’s bucket made it a 55-34
game at halftime.
Derrick
Favors, just miles from where he played his collegiate ball at Georgia
Tech, knocked down a jumper with 5:22 left in the first to get the Jazz
to within 14-10.
Atlanta
followed with a 9-0 run as four different players scored in the one
minute 36-seconds spurt and it was a 23-10 advantage.
That
was part of a 16-6, quarter-ending run for Atlanta as Williams added
five points over a 30-second stretch, including a three that gave the
Hawks a double-digit lead for good with a minute left. Meanwhile, the
defense held Utah to just 6-of-23 shooting in the opening 12 minutes.
The
Hawks went cold for a spell, missing nine of the their first 10 field
goal attempts in the second. But Kyle Korver and Williams each hit a
three, and Shelvin Mack and Mike Scott hooked up on an alley-oop lay up
and Mack hit a bucket of his own and Atlanta’s lead reached 18 points
midway through the period.
Horford
had a three-point play and a jumper, part of a 14-point first half on
7-of-9 shooting for the Hawks’ center. Williams also finished a solid
opening half with the last of his 11 points on a 3-pointer that made it a
53-32 game with 1:40 left until halftime.
Utah’s
Gordon Hayward hit a 3-pointer with 3:40 left in the third, but that
was Hayward’s only three in four attempts as the visitors’ other
starting guard struggled as well (4-of-14 on field goals). Alec Burks
and Enes Kanter each had 13 points off the bench to lead the Jazz, who
got just 33 points on 13-of-40 shooting from its starting five.
“It
was a night where…I think we caught (Utah) on an off night, one of
those nights where they couldn’t make shots,” said Budenholzer.
Though
the Hawks got 56 points from their starters, including 14 points and 10
rebounds from Paul Millsap, the bench, led by Williams, scored 62.
Scott had another nice night, contributing 11 points, six rebounds and
three of the team’s 32 assists, the third straight game Atlanta has had
30 or more assists.
“I think the bench was really good. When we can get that kind of production form our bench it’s helpful,” Budenholzer said.
After
a 3-0 homestead, the Hawks head out on the road for a pair, beginning
with a game at two-time defending league champion and Southeast
Division-leading Miami Monday.
“It’s always a greater challenge on the road, but hopefully our group is up to that,” Budenholzer said.
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