Atlanta Hawks begin road trip with 98-92 win over Utah Jazz
By Brad Rowland
The Atlanta Hawks were in the news on Friday for news surrounding their ownership situation, but there was still the small matter of a basketball game to tend to in Salt Lake City. The Hawks took on the Utah Jazz, and the road team led throughout on the way to a 98-92 victory to start a west coast road trip on a positive note.
Jeff Teague was the brightest spot for Atlanta on this night, with 26 points on 9 for 17 shooting to go along with 8 assists and 3 steals. Behind him, the Hawks received a 15-point, 11-rebound double-double from Paul Millsap (despite 2 for 11 from the field) and double-digits from Al Horford (13 points, 5 rebounds) and DeMarre Carroll (10 points, 7 rebounds).
It was a less than ideal performance from a shooting standpoint for the Hawks, who made just 41% of their shot attempts and only 26% (6 for 23) of their long-range attempts. However, Atlanta converted 26 of their 30 free throw attempts (including the first 22) and that, along with quality defense, was enough to overcome the poor shooting.
The Atlanta Hawks will return to the floor with a quick turnaround on Saturday night, as they square off against the Portland Trail Blazers in the building formerly known as the Rose Garden. Stay tuned.