HAWKS DEFENSE SMOTHERS HEAT IN SERIES OPENER

It would have been hard for the Atlanta Hawks to have put together a better series opening game than they did on Sunday.  All five Hawks’ starters scored in double figures, but the team did their best work on the defensive end of the floor where they contained Dwayne Wade and completely shut down his teammates.  In their second biggest playoff margin of victory since moving to Atlanta in 1969, the Hawks destroyed the Miami Heat by a 90-64 score.

Atlanta held Miami to 36.6% shooting, and only two Heat players managed to score in double digits.  Dwayne Wade led the team with 19 points, while reserve forward Michael Beasley eked out a ‘double/double’ with 10 points and 10 rebounds.  The Hawks were led by Josh Smith’s ‘double/double’ performance as he scored 23 points and pulled down 10 boards.  Joe Johnson added 15, Al Horford 14 and Mike Bibby, Marvin Williams and Zaza Pachulia all chipped in for 10 points (Pachulia adding 10 rebounds for his own ‘double/double’). 

Miami’s Wade explained the loss as a confluence of factors all going against his team:

"Josh Smith got a lot of lobs and fast-break dunks that helped with the energy in the building. When that happens, the game can get away from you pretty fast. When you miss as many shots as we did tonight, the game can get away from you pretty quickly."

Heat coach Erik Spolestra added:

"Defensively, we were slow. We were slow in the mind, and whenever there seemed to be a loose ball or rebound, they seemed to have much more desperation than we did, and more physicality than we did."

Hawks’ coach Mike Woodson didn’t have much to say, other than to express his pleasure with the outcome:

"I didn't know it would turn out THIS way. I just thought our guys were so focused coming into tonight."

Game two is Wednesday night in Atlanta, with the series moving to South Florida for the next two games on Saturday and next Monday.