Hawks blow huge lead, rally to beat Nuggets 97-92

Mar 15, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Aaron Brooks (0) defends Atlanta Hawks guard Jeff Teague (0) during the 1st period at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Liles-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Hawks were coming off a two-game winning streak when they took on the Denver Nuggets Saturday night. I don’t think anybody expected the thriller that unfolded inside Phillips Arena. The Hawks jumped out early to a 19-6 lead on the Nuggets before Denver even knew what happened. The first quarter was filled with three point shots from both sides, as each team put their outside shooting game on full display. At the end of the first quarter, the Hawks had a 28-15 lead and looked in complete control.

The second quarter saw more of the same as the Hawks continued to drain triples, making 4 in that period alone. The Nuggets looked completely off balance offensively for most of the first half, as they only managed to put up 37 points before heading to the locker room. The Hawks amassed a 16 point lead that felt like a million points the way the momentum was swinging. The only thing Atlanta had to do going into the second half was keep Denver from going on any big runs.

The third quarter, which is probably my least favorite quarter for the Hawks all season, saw the Hawks go on a six minute stretch with only 1 bucket. That untimely drought let the Nuggets back into the game, drawing within ten points. The quarter continued to unravel as the Hawks let the Nuggets go on a 9-2 run to close out the last minute and thirty seconds. That meant going into the 4th quarter, the Hawks lead had dwindled from 16 down to just 6.

With the game seemingly slipping away, the Hawks couldn’t seem to thaw out of their cold snap. In the first six minutes of the final period, the Hawks only made a single shot from the floor. With six minutes to go in the game, the Nuggets had tied it at 82, and Hawks fans were aghast at the horrible turn of events. However, give the Hawks a lot of credit for fighting back. They could have folded up and gone into a funk, but instead Paul Millsap and Jeff Teague wouldn’t let the Nuggets pull away. In the final minutes, Pero Antic made a ridiculous 20 footer to take the lead 93-92. The team then out-rebounded the Nuggets, closing the game out at the free throw line. By the time the dust cleared, the Hawks had blown as high as a 21 point lead, and then rallied back to win in the final minute.

Paul Millsap was the player of the game with a double-double, 24 points and 11 rebounds. DeMarre Carroll also had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Oh, and Jeff Teague? He had a double-double with 15 points and 10 assists. That’s right, three Hawks had double-doubles in this win. I’m not sure if that’s happened before this season, but it was well-earned in this game. The fans were also rewarded with a nail-biter that ended in a Hawks victory. Next, the Hawks look to continue their 3-game winning streak by heading to Charlotte to take on the Bobcats on Monday.