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 Paul Millsap led Atlanta (3-3) with a season-high 19 points.
The Knicks (2-6) dropped their fifth straight game. They entered the
game tied for last in the league in scoring, averaging 92 points per
game.
Atlanta lost at Toronto, San Antonio and Charlotte before winning at
New York, completing a home-and-home sweep of the Knicks. It
defeated New York 103-96 on Nov. 8 in Atlanta.
Millsap, a power forward, was 6 of 14 from the field, including 3 of
4 from 3-point range and 4 of 4 from the line. He had three of
Atlanta's seven steals.
"Finding a way to win on the road is obviously very difficult in
this league," Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer said. "If you're going
to be a good team in this league, you have to win on the road."
Forward Carmelo Anthony led the Knicks with 25 points, including 11
in the fourth quarter. Guard Kyle Korver added 17 points and center
Al Horford contributed 12 points for the Hawks.
Iman Shumpert scored in double figures for the seventh straight game
for New York. The shooting guard tossed in 18 points and is
averaging 15.8 points this month.
The Knicks trailed 75-74 after an Anthony 16-foot jumper with 2:51
to play, but the Hawks used a 6-0 burst to move ahead 81-74 on a
Dennis Schroder drive with 59 seconds remaining in the game.
Schroder, a reserve point guard, scored 12 of his career-high 14
points in the fourth quarter. Schroder, a second-year guard from
Germany, burned the Knicks for 11 points on Saturday in Atlanta.
With the Hawks clinging to a three-point lead, Schroder knocked down
a jumper with 1:55 to play, then followed with the aforementioned
layup.
"I thought Dennis (Schroder) was playing very well all night,"
Budenholzer said. "He gave us a big boost in the first half. Second
half he gave us a big boost. Defensively, he had a presence on the
ball and it was getting in the paint and cresating problems either
finishing for himself or creating open shots.
"That's why you have a bench and why you have depth."
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Korver's 3-pointer ignited a 7-3 run for the Hawks with 5:26 left in
the third quarter and a 60-54 lead. The shooting guard had eight
points in the quarter, helping Atlanta to a 64-59 cushion.
The score was tied seven times in the second quarter as neither team
shot particularly well. Knicks guard Tim Hardaway Jr.'s 3-pointer
with 39 seconds left in the half tied the score at 38. The
second-year pro scored all of his seven points in the second
quarter.
Atlanta, a normally good-shooting 3-point squad, made just 4 of 14
shots from beyond the arc in the first half.
The Hawks closed the first quarter on an 8-2 run in the last 3:02 en
route to a 17-16 edge. Horford led Atlanta with six points in the
quarter.
"I think it's early in the season for sure to learn how to finish
and close games," Knicks coach Derek Fisher said. "A lot of times it
takes a group of five guys to become "that group" that will be on
the court at the end of the fourth quarter.
"I told the guys tonight that I'm sorry that I can't chalk up a 'W'
for them with the kind of effort that they are giving."
NOTES: Hawks G Kyle Korver moved into 19th place in NBA history in
3-pointers with his first-quarter trey. He has 1,530 in his career.
... Beginning with Monday's game against Atlanta, the Knicks play a
season-tying four straight games at Madison Square Garden. ...
Atlanta F/C Adreian Payne missed his fourth straight game because of
plantar fasciitis in his left foot. ... Hawks C Elton Brand is one
of 10 players in NBA history to accumulate at least 15,000 points,
8,000 rebounds, 2,000 assists and 1,500 blocks. ... Knicks G Jose
Calderon missed his sixth straight game with a strained right calf.
... Knicks C Andrea Bargnani hasn't appeared in a game this season
because of a sore right hamstring. ... Knicks president and GM Phil
Jackson addressed the media before the game, saying "I think the
coaching staff has done a great job. I see growth in this team and
I'm optimistic."
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