Fourth quarter condemns Hawks again in 125-113 loss to Pacers

After a hideous performance Friday night against the San Antonio Spurs, the Atlanta Hawks returned to action on Saturday by hosting the Indiana Pacers. For more than three quarters, the Hawks performed at a much higher level. In the home stretch, however, Atlanta melted and lost by a final score of 125-113, falling for the sixth time in seven games.

The start of the game was a bit sloppy on both sides offensively, including three quick turnovers for the Hawks. Atlanta weathered that storm, in large part thanks to quality passes from Trae Young and others, and the Hawks took a 13-12 lead in the first timeout.

The rest of the quarter was hotly contested, including a stretch at the end of the period when the Atlanta bench wobbled slightly. All told, the Hawks were trailing one point after 12 minutes, generating 11 assists in the opening period.

In fact, the Hawks assisted on their first 13 field goals until Kevin Huerter made a pretty impressive dribble play to beat Doug McDermott for a layup early in the second period.

The Atlanta defense couldn’t produce saves, however, and the Pacers took control as a result. Indiana scored 19 points within 4.30am of the first quarter of the second quarter to extend their advantage, although the Hawks produced some highlights that included a huge dunk from Cam Reddish.

Atlanta went on a 14-5 push to recover in less than a beat, but after a timeout Indiana responded with seven straight points. The Hawks were able to stabilize from there, however, entering the locker room with just a four-point deficit at 62-58.

Defense was a problem in the first half, especially as the Pacers made just three turnovers in the first 24 minutes. On the offensive side, Atlanta was balanced, with seven players scoring six or more points, and the Hawks generated 21 assists, which was a season high for any half in 2020-21.

The Hawks came out rolling in the third quarter, using a 7-2 run – capped by a three-point run by Kevin Huerter – to take a 1-point lead.

Young was masterful in the third quarter, racking up assists and effectively penetrating the Indiana defense. His offensive performance was the central momentum in a long 24-12 Hawks run, with Atlanta taking an eight-point lead.

Things came to a standstill from there, as the Hawks battled as Young rested at the end of the third quarter. Still, Atlanta managed to hold the lead, taking a three-point advantage in the closing period.

The Hawks led by a whopping nine points in the fourth quarter, and when Reddish had a three-point game with 6:29 remaining, Atlanta was leading by a 103-101 margin. From that moment on, the home team collapsed.

The Pacers zoomed in on a 17-2 run, failing to get saves as the offense stuttered ugly.

After the dust settled, the Hawks fell by a final score of 125-113, losing the fourth quarter by a margin of 41-26. The Pacers converted 12 of 17 shots, including 4 of 6 three-pointers in the last period, with the Hawks shooting just 9 of 24 in the final 12 minutes.

Individually, three members of the Hawks generated double-doubles. Young scored 15 points and distributed 14 assists, although he didn’t attempt a single three-pointer. Capela finished with 24 points and 10 rebounds, Huerter adding 10 points and 10 assists.

Atlanta produced 35 assists, a season-high, and from a full-game perspective, the team’s offensive production was enough to win. Defensively, however, the Hawks allowed the Pacers to score over 1.25 points per possession, and Indiana finished with a shooting line of 51/39/85 in that game.

The Hawks will now travel to New York to face the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Monday night.

Stay tuned.