Bo Churney of Hawks Hoop: “After having their nine-game win streak broken in Orlando, the Hawks were able to rebound (figuratively, not literally; the were outrebounded 57-40) against Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls with a scrappy 93-86 win. The Hawks were led by Al Horford, who had one of his best all-around games of the season. Horford tallied 21 points on 10-for-19 shooting, 10 rebounds, six assists, and two steals. It was Horford’s second 20-point/10-rebound game of the season. The six assists were a season-high for Horford, who appeared to take extra effort in trying to control the offense in the fourth quarter in order to try and keep Chicago’s defense on its heels.”
Mike Prada of SB Nation: “I wrote about the surprising Hawks Monday, explaining why they are a real East threat at 17-7 despite playing an easy schedule. The one caveat in that piece: Al Horford, while still very good, has not been at his best after offseason shoulder surgery. That’s why this play from the Hawks’ grind-it-out 93-86 win over the Chicago Bulls on Monday is significant.”
The Associated Press: “ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks know it’s going to take more than a couple of strong months to prove this franchise has really turned things around after so many dashed hopes. The next week or so could be very telling. After a tumultuous summer, the Hawks are off to a promising start with a roster that’s short on megastars but deep in versatility. Already, they’ve strung together a nine-game winning streak — the team’s longest in 17 years — and pushed themselves near the top of the Eastern Conference.”
