10/27/17 10:00pm
Instant Reaction: Hawks lose Home Opener to Nuggets 100-105
After starting the 2017 season with a 5 game road trip, and finishing it with a 1-4 record, the Hawks returned home to Philips Arena with hopes of winning their 2nd game of 2017.
But no game is a Hawks game without a little drama and tonight’s drama came in the form of Paul Millsap coming back to Atlanta for the 1st time as a Denver Nugget. After signing with Denver as a free-agent, Millsap is looking to continue his great play and become an All-Star once again.
As the 7:30pm tip-off took place, the Hawks turned to Taurean Prince to lead the team in scoring and he didn’t disappoint! To start off the game Prince connected on multiple 3’s that helped Atlanta get on a roll offensively! Taurean Prince led the team with 6 points and Dwayne Dedmon led the team with 3 rebounds to end the 1st quarter. The biggest difference between the 2 teams in the 1st quarter was Denver scoring 20 points in the paint compared to 0 for Atlanta. (Atlanta 23 Denver 26)
The 2nd quarter began and the Hawks defense got heated up as they were able to cause 2 turnovers within the first 3 minutes. Knowing that they hadn’t scored any points in the paint, the Hawks started attacking the rim which caused multiple free throw attempts and baskets as they tried to come back from a 3 point deficit. The Hawks defense stepped up in the 2nd quarter and was able to narrow the deficit to 1 point. Behind Taurean Prince’s 12 points and rookie John Collins’ 5 rebounds the Hawks headed into halftime down by 1. (Atlanta 52 Denver 53)
With the season opening festivities continuing, the Hawks welcomed Run the Jewels to preform at halftime. With Atlanta being the home of rap music, Run the Jewels brought the rap to Philips Arena.
As the 3rd quarter got underway, Schroder caught fire and began to take over the offense with big time shots and multiple assists. At the halfway mark of the 3rd quarter, the Hawks finally took the lead but couldn’t hold onto it towards the end. Taurean Prince’s 15 points and Dwayne Dedmon’s 9 rebounds led the team. (Atlanta 71 Denver 75)
In the final quarter of the home opener, Atlanta dug down deep in hopes of bringing the City of Atlanta a victory. But untimely turnovers and bad shot selections led to yet another loss for the Hawks. Led by Dwayne Dedmon’s 13 points and 10 rebounds, the Hawks fall to 1-5 for the season. (Atlanta 100 Denver 105)
The Hawks now 1-5 on the season, look ahead to a matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday at 3:30pm.
Notable Performances:
Dennis Schroder: 7-16 20 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists
Marco Belinelli: 5-8 15 points
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