Balanced Hawks race past Bulls in fourth quarter
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[January 26, 2017]
CHICAGO -- It was a remarkable
comeback and a remarkable failure.
The comeback belonged to the Atlanta Hawks, who overcame a 10-point
deficit with a 19-4 run in the final 2:52 of the fourth quarter to
defeat the Chicago Bulls 119-114 on Wednesday night at the United
Center.
"We talk all the time about playing 48 minutes," Hawks coach Mike
Budenholzer said. "A lot of nights you are not mentally here or
struggling. Tonight, our guys just kept fighting."
Down the hallway, the exact opposite sentiment was expressed in the
Bulls' locker room -- primarily by star guards Jimmy Butler and
Dwyane Wade.
Despite getting 40 points from Butler and 33 from Wade, the failure
in this game belonged to the Bulls (23-24) -- and their stars made
sure they owned it.
"I wish that I could say that everyone in here is going to go home
and not eat tonight," Wade said. "I can't say that. I wish I could,
but I don't know if it hurts. Games like this are supposed to hurt
you. You're not supposed to sleep. You don't want to go up and talk
to nobody. These games are supposed to hurt. I don't know if it's in
the guys in this locker room."
Butler concurred, citing a drop in focus during Chicago's meltdown.
"We weren't guarding anybody, doing whatever we wanted to do, and we
lost," he said, after his fifth game with at least 40 points this
season. "Story of our year. Over and over. Same thing. It's not the
first time we've seen this. It's not the first time we've done it."
The Hawks (27-19), who went 17-of-30 from the 3-point line, hung
around just long enough to surge ahead late. Despite trailing for
three-plus quarters, they got hot and found a way to win their third
game against the Bulls in as many games this season and seventh
straight victory against Chicago overall.
Dennis Schroder had 24 points, Paul Millsap had 21 and Thabo
Sefolosha had 18 to lead Atlanta, which had six players finish in
double-figure scoring.
The Bulls appeared to take control midway through the fourth, when
Wade and Butler combined for 15 points in a 3:20 stretch that
resulted in a 110-100 lead. The Hawks responded by scoring on their
next four possessions to take their first lead, 112-110, including
three unanswered 3-pointers from Millsap, Schroder and Tim Hardaway
Jr., who finished with 17 points.
Butler tied it 112-112 with 44.3 seconds remaining, on his 39th and
40th points, but the Hawks finished the game on a 7-2 run.
"We made a lot of bonehead mistakes out there, especially in the
first half," Millsap said. "We were just not focused. We were not
locked in that first half, but down the stretch, fourth quarter
especially, we were able to focus in and do the things we were
supposed to do."
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Bulls forward Jimmy Butler (21) sits on the bench during the first
half against the Atlanta Hawks at the United Center. Mandatory
Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
The Bulls were unable to do those things. They forced some
ill-advised shots in the final minute, missed them, and the Hawks
capitalized to seal it.
"I don't know if I see enough guys who really want it," Wade said.
"Losses like this, it has to hurt them. I'm 35-years old, man. I got
three championships. It shouldn't hurt me more than it hurts these
young guys. They have to want it."
Atlanta (27-19) trailed by eight points to start the second half but
chipped away to force a 74-74 tie on Millsap's turnaround jumper
with 2:56 left in the quarter.
Chicago responded with a 9-4 run to close out the third. Butler
scored seven of his 13 points in the frame to put Chicago up 83-78
starting the fourth -- including a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Butler had 30 points after three quarters, going 9 of 9 from the
free-throw line. He finished 13 of 22 from the field, 4 of 8 from
3-point range and 10 of 10 from the free-throw line.
Atlanta outscored Chicago 41-31 in the fourth to complete the
comeback, shooting 13-of-23 from the field (56.5 percent) and 4-of-5
from the 3-point line (80 percent).
"Games like this will come up," Millsap said. "Hopefully we don't
get ourselves in a hole like we did, but at some point, we have to
win with whatever they will come at you with."
NOTES: Hawks F/C Mike Muscala tested out his left ankle during
pregame, but missed his sixth straight game because of the sprain.
... Hawks G Malcolm Delaney was not selected for the Rising Stars
Challenge as part of the NBA's upcoming All-Star weekend. ... Bulls
PG Jerian Grant started for the second night in a row, making his
seventh start of the season. He scored five points. "He's got some
size," Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said. "He gives you a guy who can
handle it, and has played a lot of point guard over the course of
his life and has some size to guard wings, and we can put Jimmy
(Butler) on the ball, which we've done the past couple games."
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