Atlanta Hawks Impress with 116-101 Win at The Grind House

The Atlanta Hawks pulled off an impressive victory on Friday night on the road, defeating the Memphis Grizzlies at the FedEx Forum by a final score of 116-101.

The Atlanta Hawks got off to a sluggish start, but weathered an impressive first quarter by the Grizzlies in which they shot 70 percent. Vince Carter, a known Hawk Hater throughout his career, put the exclamation point on an excellent first quarter for the Griz by sinking almost a full court heave at the end the quarter. The Atlanta Hawks found themselves in an early hole, as Memphis stretched their lead to 12 at one point, but found a way to dig deep and grind out a win (pun intended).

Though the Grizzlies got off to a hot start, the Atlanta Hawks weathered the storm, and kept the game within reach. By the end of the 3rd quarter, the Atlanta Hawks had gained a lead. In the fourth quarter, Paul Millsap and Al Horford powered the Hawks to an important victory on the road.

Once again, yeoman’s work by Paul Millsap led the Atlanta Hawks to victory. Millsap continued his All-Star caliber play on Friday by recording another double-double, leading the Hawks in scoring with 23 points and in rebounding with 14 boards. Millsap also added 4 assists and was a +27 on the night. Al Horford also chipped with 16 points, and shot 2-3 from outside the three-point line.

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Jeff Teague added 20 points and continues to look as if he is fully recovered from an ankle injury he suffered a few weeks ago in Boston. Kent Bazemore returned to the Atlanta Hawks starting lineup on Friday after missing four straight games with an ankle injury. Bazemore was active the entire game and showed no signs of discomfort. He finished with 14 points and went 2-5 from beyond the arc, and looked exceptionally good when cutting to the basket.

The unsung hero for the Atlanta Hawks on Friday was Mike Muscala. Muscala’s efficient offensive play and solid defense allowed the Hawks to rest Al Horford and Paul Millsap against Memphis, while also playing well alongside both All-Stars. Moose finished with 11 points on 5-10 shooting in 24 minutes off the bench, while also recording 6 rebounds and 2 assists. Lamar Patterson continued to get extended playing time, recording 26 minutes off the bench and scored 7 points.

Despite a hot shooting first quarter, the Memphis Grizzlies came back down to Earth for the rest of the game. Vince Carter played like he was a Toronto Raptor again, tormenting the Atlanta Hawks with 4 three-pointers on the night. Mike Conley led the Grizzlies with 16 points. The Hawks were able to contain Mark Gasol on a night when Zach Randolph was absent from the Memphis starting lineup. Gasol finished with only 13 points, and the Atlanta Hawks out-rebounding the Grizzlies 40-37 — a welcome change from recent games in which Atlanta was destroyed on the glass.

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While this victory is excellent for the Atlanta Hawks’ morale, they must put it in the past and prepare for perhaps their greatest test of the year tomorrow as they face off on the road against the San Antonio Spurs. Let’s savor this victory tonight and hope it portends good things on the horizon for the Hawks.

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