Hawks vs. Nets 2015 final score: 3 things we learned in Atlanta’s offensive collapse

The Hawks are officially in a first-round dogfight against a 38-win team that backed its way into the playoffs. The Hawks had enough to overcome their lethargic play in the first two games in Atlanta, but they couldn't come through in Game 3, falling to the Nets, 91-83.

The Hawks settled down a bit in the second quarter, then made their move in the third thanks to sloppy Nets passes. Atlanta's offense still struggled, but its defense forced turnovers and bad shots, leading to fast breaks. A Kent Bazemore alley-oop dunk off a missed shot with just over four minutes left tied the game, and Paul Millsap gave the Hawks the lead seconds later by stealing the ball and outrunning Thaddeus Young for a fast break layup.

But then the Hawks completely shut down. They went scoreless for over seven minutes, allowing the Nets to score 18 straight points to take a 14-point lead early in the fourth quarter. As it was earlier in the game, the Hawks were failing at rudimentary tasks like catching the ball. The Nets' offense, meanwhile, improved with a hobbling Deron Williams out of the game.

The Hawks hung around thanks to some stagnant Brooklyn offensive sets down the stretch, but they just couldn't convert enough open shots and layups to finish the comeback. Two straight missed fast break layups by Jeff Teague pretty much sealed the deal.

But most of it is because the Hawks' timing is way off. Millsap is playing, but he's out of form while overcoming a shoulder injury. Jeff Teague and Dennis Schroder played awfully, whether due to errors of omission (Teague) or commission (Schroder). Bazemore is an aggressive defender, but he has a bad habit of cutting into a teammate's lane instead of waiting for there to be a real opening. These issues add up.

Credit should be given to Brooklyn's defense, too. The Nets are using length and physicality to make every cut difficult and have locked in on stopping Kyle Korver, who went just 1-of-8 from the field. They're perfectly happy letting Teague and Schroder fire from the perimeter if it means not letting them get into the paint. The Nets were also much better marking shooters in transition after getting pulverized in those situations in the first two games.

Even if the Hawks win this series, these are serious concerns. The Wizards likely wait in the next round, and their defense is significantly better than Brooklyn's.

Where would the Nets be without Thaddeus Young? Getting him at the trade deadline for an old Kevin Garnett was a rare masterstroke for Billy King. The Hawks had trouble dealing with his cuts around the rim, forgetting time and time again that he's a lefty that doesn't ever shoot with his right hand. His length and speed were especially important defensively as well, as he held Millsap in check, helped and switched nicely when his man didn't have the ball and aggressively closed out on shooters in transition.

Their struggles are surprising. Teague has a history of raising his game in the playoffs, and you'd think Schroder would be able to get by Jarrett Jack whenever he wanted. The problem is that Atlanta succeeded all season by sharing the ball and not trying to do too much off the dribble. The Nets are letting Teague and Schroder fire away from the perimeter, which triggers anxiety about "settling" for jumpers, which leads to one-man drives that help nobody.