Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Jeff Teague and Zaza Pachulia each recorded
double-doubles as the surging Atlanta Hawks posted their fifth consecutive win
with a 104-93 triumph over the slumping Los Angeles Clippers at Philips Arena.
Both players finished with 19 points, with Pachulia adding 12 rebounds and
Teague notching 11 assists to help the Hawks earn their longest win streak
since a 5-gamer from Jan. 2-12, 2011.
Three others scored in double figures for the Hawks, who shot a solid 50.7
percent and never trailed since the initial stages of the second quarter.
Lou Williams netted 18 points off the bench, while Josh Smith had 17 and Al
Horford contributed 10 to go along with eight rebounds.
The Clippers were dealt a third straight defeat following a stretch of six
straight wins that included an 89-76 home decision over the Hawks on Nov. 11,
despite a 22-point, 11-rebound, 7-assist effort from Blake Griffin and 19
points out of Chris Paul.
Atlanta started out slowly, falling behind by a 24-19 count late in the
first quarter before reversing momentum with a huge run in which the Hawks
ripped off 18 consecutive points to claim a double-digit edge.
Pachulia had five points during the pivotal surge, including a runner in the
lane that put Atlanta up 35-24 with under eight minutes left in the second
quarter, and Williams capped it by sinking a jumper shortly afterward that
extended the margin to 13 points.
Atlanta was up by as many as 15 in the first half and went into the break
owning a 51-41 lead over a Los Angeles squad that was being carried by
Griffin. The All-Star forward amassed 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting prior to
intermission, but the rest of the Clippers went a poor 7-of-24 (29.2 percent)
from the field.
The Hawks then broke it open with an impressive third quarter highlighted by a
13-0 flurry that turned a 14-point cushion into a commanding 77-50 advantage
after Horford followed a Williams triple with a putback with just under three
minutes to play in the period.
Los Angeles did make a belated comeback attempt in the fourth quarter, with
Jamal Crawford registering the final six points of a 15-2 sequence that
brought the Clippers within 91-81 with under seven minutes remaining.
That was as close as they would get, however, as Atlanta ripped off 13 of the
next 17 points to claim a 104-85 lead on Smith's transition dunk with 2:53 to
play.
Game Notes
The Clippers have now lost four straight at Philips Arena since a 121-97 win
there on Feb. 7, 2009 ... Crawford went 5-for-5 from the foul line and has now
made 36 consecutive free throws, just one shy of a career high set while with
Portland last season ... Atlanta owned a 46-30 advantage in points in the
paint.
The Sports Network