Bo Churney of Hawks Hoop:“The Hawks fell behind early to a hot-shooting Boston Celtics team, allowing 42 points on 17-for-22 (77%) in the first quarter. The lead ballooned to 23 early in the second quarter as Rajon Rondo continued to dish to open men, who promptly sank their uncontested jumpshots. The Hawks battled back in the second half, mostly behind the hot shooting of Kyle Korver and superb play of Dennis Schröder. Korver scored 10 points in the third quarter to help cut into the large Boston lead, and then Schröder took over in the fourth, scoring 10 points and failing to turn the ball over despite the intense defensive pressure applied by Avery Bradley. Schröder also gathered the final defensive rebound in a scramble with 14.9 seconds left, leading to a Kent Bazemore run out layup to secure the game for the Hawks with a score of 109-105.”
Matt Winkeljohn of the AJC: “The Hawks found themselves in a mess Tuesday night, and one of their saviors came off the bench as Dennis Schroder not only scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half but played the entire four quarter – as potential All-Star point guard Jeff Teague sat on the bench. A couple of unusual adjustments by Atlanta head coach Mike Budenholzer helped the Hawks rally to a 109-105 win in Philips Arena.”
Patrick Laney of Peachtree Hoops: “Evan Turner was due to make a lot of money this past offseason before being traded to the Indiana Pacers last year. In his brief time with the Pacers, he was exposed as a player who offered little on the court beyond scoring ability. What he has mostly brought to the NBA in recent months is a trail of bitterness and contempt since the ill-fated trade and last night’s blowout brought him to a new low:”
