Atlanta Hawks Flat in Durant’s Triple-Double, Lose 107-94
By John Buhler
The Atlanta Hawks split their season series with the Oklahoma City Thunder, losing to 107-94 in Kevin Durant‘s seventh career triple-double performance.
The Atlanta Hawks came out flat in their loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, 107-94, in the second of a road back-to-back. Atlanta has largely relied on the strong play of center Al Horford and power forward Paul Millsap to carry them thus far this season. In Thursday night’s contest with the Thunder, the frontcourt duo of Horford and Millsap combined for only 16 points against OKC.
Though Kent Bazemore had a sensational 22 points off the bench, Atlanta did not generate enough offense to catch the Thunder in Kevin Durant’s seventh career triple double. Durant had five assists in the first quarter and that set up a fantastic night for the Oklahoma City small forward. He had game highs in points with 25, rebounds with 12, and assists with 10.
It also helped that both power forward Serge Ibaka and point guard Russell Westbrook had double-doubles. Ibaka had 23 points and 10 rebounds. Westbrook had 23 points and 10 assists.
More from Atlanta Hawks
- Atlanta Hawks Sweep Back-to-Back Games Over Weekend
- Atlanta Hawks Look to Continue Momentum Tonight Against Portland
- Joel Embiid Leads Sixers Over Hawks On Monday Night
- Atlanta Hawks: John Collins Playing His Best Basketball Of Season
- Atlanta Hawks Win Second Straight Against the Dallas Mavericks
Atlanta did play two of the four best Western Conference teams in a back-to-back on the road, but I felt that Horford’s poor shooting (3-14 from the field) and Millsap’s limited scoring opportunities (five field goal attempts) were a major reason the Atlanta Hawks could not complete the season sweep of the Oklahoma City Thunder. To the Thunder’s credit, these are two evenly matched teams and a draw in the season series with the home team winning both games was honestly expected entering 2015-16.
The Atlanta Hawks fall to 14-10 on the year and who knows where the club will land in the super tight standings in the Eastern Conference. Atlanta will have tomorrow off before hosting another Western behemoth in the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night.
Atlanta was not likely going to go 3-0 in this current stretch of games. Outside of Golden State and maybe Cleveland, who would go 3-0 @Dallas, @Oklahoma City, and at home versus San Antonio in a four-day stretch?
The Atlanta Hawks’ record isn’t spectacular, but it isn’t all that bad. Keep in mind that come Monday, the Atlanta Hawks will have played five of their eight games on the year against the best of the West (Dallas, Oklahoma City twice, and San Antonio twice).
Next: Atlanta Hawks: Eastern Conference Power Rankings, Dec. 10
Though Atlanta still has Golden State on the slate two more times, like the gauntlet of their 2015 part of their schedule, things may open up nicely for the club once the calendar turns to 2016. After the Spurs, we’ve got the Sixers! Go Hawks!