Despite losing their past three home games, the Atlanta Hawks looked for another opportunity to break the streak Monday night against Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors. Although it was at times a close game, the Warriors defeated the Hawks, 102-92. Winning this game means a total of 50 wins and only five losses for the Warriors – the best record in NBA history.

Warriors Dominate First Quarter

Going into the game, the Atlanta Hawks knew they had three goals to focus on: limiting assists, defending the three-point line, and controlling the pace. However, that is much easier said than done, especially against an exceptionally talented team. The Golden State Warriors came out strong, with Steph Curry shooting threes early, while the Hawks got off to yet another slow start.

Halfway through the quarter, the Warriors had already taken the lead 21-9. While the Hawks continued to be dependent on three point attempts, as in previous games, the Warriors were making them. By the time there was one minute left on the clock, Golden State had made 13 three pointers. The Hawks shot a total of just 32%, while the Warriors shot 52%. The quarter ended with the Hawks trailing 30-15.

Hawks Can’t Find Their Rhythm

The Hawks looked to turn the game around in the second quarter. At just under nine minutes, the Hawks had cut the point deficit back to single digits. After the Warriors missed a couple of vital shots, the Hawks picked up points and momentarily trailed by seven at 37-30, largely due to plays by Al Horford.

Then, Hawk’s Head Coach Mike Budenholzer committed a technical foul after Draymond Green shoved Horford with no call. Curry made the free throw technical, followed by more shots for the Warriors. Jeff Teague, with the help of Kyle Korver, made a three point jump shot, followed by Paul Millsap for another three.

The Hawks were only trailing by a few, until Curry continued executing threes. With less than two minutes left in the half, Golden State took their biggest lead of the night at 54-37. By halftime, the Warriors were dominating the game 58-39.

Atlanta's Al Horford goes up against Golden State's Marreese Speights. Scott Cunningham/Getty Images
Atlanta's Al Horford goes up against Golden State's Marreese Speights. Scott Cunningham/Getty Images

Atlanta Changes The Momentum

Entering into the third quarter of the game, the Hawks knew they needed to make some changes, including slowing the Warriors down, playing physically, and hitting their shots consistently. The Warriors began missing opportunities as Horford continued to put up points early in the quarter. Horford persistently made plays that kept his team in the game.

The Hawks remained determined and worked to cut the deficit closer to ten points in order to go into the fourth quarter with a chance to win the game. Quick shots by the Warriors allowed the Hawks time to find their way back into the game. Atlanta also came up with the majority of loose balls, only aiding them further.

With 3:13 left in the quarter, Horford, with 18 points and 13 rebounds, brought the deficit back to seven points with a score of 72-65 after an alley-oop dunk with the help of Dennis Schroder. The quarter ended with the Hawks trailing by just a point at 76-75. Although they remained closely behind, the Hawks had outscored the Warriors in the third quarter 36-18.

Dennis Schroder goes head to head with Steph Curry. John Bazemore/The Associated Press
Dennis Schroder goes head to head with Steph Curry. John Bazemore/The Associated Press

The Beginning Of The End

What seemed like an outstanding comeback by the Hawks quickly faded as the clock continued to run. Seconds into the fourth quarter, the Hawks finally took the lead at 77-76, and then 80-76 after a three point shot by Thabo Sefolosha. Although the Hawks continued to execute plays and stay in the game, they led themselves to their own demise by settling, and missing, too many three-point shots.

Halfway through the quarter, Golden State had taken the lead again 88-84. From there, the Hawks continued to spiral downward with numerous turnovers and lack of control. With just over a minute left to play, the Hawks had returned to their ten point plus deficit, and the Warriors maintained control of the game from there on out.

The game ended with a Golden State win, 102-92. While this loss makes four consecutive losses at home for the Hawks, they put up a good fight against a very challenging team. At just 102 points, the Hawks held the Warriors far below their average.

In Coach Budenholzer’s post game press conference, he said, “I think we made it as difficult as you can in a lot of situations. There are some positives to build off of from tonight.” He also noted that in future games, the Hawks need to “play with more pace and more of an aggressive mindset.” Hopefully the Hawks can implement these principles and break their streak this Friday night, Feb. 26, at home against the Chicago Bulls.

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About the author
Kathryn Morrison
Current college journalism seeking future career in sports journalism. Fan of Atlanta Hawks, anything Auburn University, and the Carolina Panthers.