The Atlanta Hawks needed Game 4 to avoid falling behind 1-3 and being on the brink of elimination. They faced a big test on Monday and passed with flying colors, controlling most of the game and tying the series with a 106-101 win over the Washington Wizards on the road. Jeff Teague led the Hawks with 26 points while Bradley Beal had 34 in the losing effort.
Hawks vs. Wizards 2015 final score: Jeff Teague leads Atlanta to 106-101 win in Game 4
The Hawks controlled Game 4 from start to finish and tied the series.
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The Hawks looked sharp and aggressive to start the game. They were running when they could and the ball was moving, leading to 10 assists on 13 made field goals in the first 12 minutes of the game. Unfortunately for them, they couldn't create separation early because the Wizards were scorching hot from outside, shooting 6-of-9 from beyond the arc, led by Paul Pierce's three makes. At the end of the first quarter they were only up three.
The Wizards’ shooting was unsustainable, and with the Hawks tightening up their defense it came back to Earth. Their small lineup created some problems for Atlanta but was not as deadly as it has been at other points in the series. Defensively Washington struggled mightily to contain anything the Hawks were attempting, as the assisted buckets continued. As the minutes passed they found themselves down double-digits after allowing Atlanta 65 first-half points.
The Wizards' starters came out with a sense of urgency to start the second half and went on a 9-0 run. The Hawks remained calm even after Paul Millsap picked up his fourth foul early and continued to execute. Soon, they were in control again despite not receiving big contributions from Kyle Korver or DeMarre Carroll. After a third quarter in which the defenses prevailed, the Hawks still had the 10-point lead they had at the break.
The Wizards refused to go away, knowing that they’ve been great in close games this postseason. Yet the Hawks responded, like they did all night whenever Washington tried to close the gap. They got stops when they needed them and always found someone to connect on a timely bucket, none bigger than this Teague dagger.
The Wizards still found a way to put themselves in a situation to tie it, but Paul Pierce couldn’t be the hero this time -- he missed a three-pointer with a few seconds to go.
With this road win the Hawks tied the series, and they will have a shot at taking control when they host the Wizards in Atlanta for Game 5.
3 things we learned
1. The Hawks’ offense is great when the ball moves
The Hawks had 30 assists on 41 made field goals while the Wizards had 21 on 38. Four Atlanta players finished with four assists or more, led by Teague and Dennis Schroder with eight apiece. After logging only 23 assists in a Game 3 loss, the Hawks went back to the basics and moved the ball to find the open man.
Atlanta can’t match the individual talent of other contenders but got the first spot in the East due to its ability to get its specialists the shots they’re good at hitting. At some times in the postseason they strayed from that selfless approach and struggled. If they remember to stick with it from now on, they could easily advance to the East finals and maybe past that.
2. Dennis Schroder gives the Hawks’ offense another dimension
Jeff Teague is the engine that powers Atlanta's offense, and their ball and player movement help them create open shots. It's an approach that won the Spurs a championship and it maximizes the talent of the players on their roster. However, every team needs someone who can just take the ball and create every once in a while when the offense stagnates. That's what Schroder often does for the Hawks.
The second-year point guard finished the game with 14 points, some of which came on tough looks he created for himself. Sometimes Schroeder can get tunnel vision and take shots he should pass up. There was some of that in Game 4 but he mostly found the right balance, dishing out eight assists. Schroder gives the Hawks some unpredictability, which they definitely need.
3. Bradley Beal played like a superstar
With John Wall out and the starting bigs struggling, the scoring and creation burden was on Bradley Beal and Paul Pierce. Both answered the call, but Beal’s play was something else. He attacked the rim and hit outside shots. There was no one on the Hawks’ roster who could contain him.
He finished with a game-high 34 points along with seven assists, all while also doing a good job on defense. It wasn’t enough to get his team the win, but it’s one of those performance that foreshadows stardom in the near future. There could be great things to come for Washington and its talented starting backcourt.
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