NBA News Wire
Hawks 102, Bucks 97
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
ATLANTA — Guard Kyle Korver scored seven of his 15 points in the final two minutes to help the Atlanta Hawks earn a 102-97 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday.
Korver made a 3-pointer to give Atlanta a 90-89 lead, then hit an off-balance baseline jumper with 1:11 left to give the Hawks a five-point lead.
The win was the second straight for Atlanta, which had lost 14 of its last 16. The Hawks (28-35) posted consecutive wins for the first time since Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, and they recorded their sixth consecutive win over the Bucks.
Atlanta also got 22 points and eight assists from point guard Jeff Teague, who added an emphatic dunk with 27 seconds left that iced the game. Forward Paul Millsap scored 17, and forward DeMarre Carroll added 15 points. Millsap pulled a team-high eight rebounds.
Milwaukee (13-52) was led by forward Ersan Ilyasova, who had 22 points and 10 rebounds, and rookie guard Brandon Knight, who scored 20 points. Center John Henson and forward Jeff Adrien each scored 12.
The lead changed 15 times in the fourth quarter before Atlanta was able to take the lead for good on Korver’s 3-pointer with 2:15 remaining. Korver, who averages 12.2 points, averaged 19 over his past three games.
Milwaukee scored the first six points of the game, but Atlanta came back to catch and pass the Bucks at 15-12 on back-to-back 3-pointers by Millsap and Carroll. The Bucks closed the period by scoring the final 10 points to take a 33-20 lead after one quarter.
The Hawks closed to within a point when guard Dennis Schroder made a four-footer to cut the lead to 35-34 with 8:24 left. But the Bucks responded by outscoring Atlanta 20-6 to take its largest lead at 53-40. Atlanta closed with a 7-0 run and cut the margin to 53-47 at intermission.
Milwaukee stretched its lead to 66-57 with 4:04 left in the third quarter before Atlanta staged a rally. The Hawks outscored the Bucks 11-1 and took their first lead of the game when guard Shelvin Mack scored on a fast-break layup with 35 seconds remaining to give Atlanta a 68-67 lead after three periods.
NOTES: Atlanta C Al Horford (right pectoral) spoke publicly for the first time since his season-ending surgery. Horford said his rehab was progressing well, but said he would not be able to return this season, even if the Hawks reached the second round of the playoffs. Atlanta G Lou Williams missed the morning shoot-around because of an unspecified family issue and was not dressed for the game. Williams has not played the last three games because of a coach’s decision. … Milwaukee C Zaza Pachulia, who played eight seasons for Atlanta, said he had 50 family members and friends in the stands in his first game back in Atlanta. The Hawks ran a “thank-you” video for Pachulia on the scoreboard at the first break. … Atlanta plays again Saturday at home against the Denver Nuggets. Milwaukee play the Knicks in New York on Saturday.
