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Nets finally figure out how to close out on the Hawks, win 94-89

After losing to the Hawks on Wednesday, the Nets look to get some revenge.

By Tom Lorenzo
Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

It was an ugly loss for the Nets on Wednesday night against the Hawks, but tonight, in Brooklyn the Nets were able to figure out how to finish off the Hawks, winning 94-89.

The Nets were relatively healthy, with Gerald Wallace being inserted back into the starting lineup. For the Hawks, though, Al Horford was dealing with a hamstring injury and did not play in this one.

Former Net Devin Harris, in his Brooklyn debut, started and played well. He finished the game with 17 points, three rebounds and three assists in 32 minutes.

Deron Williams came out hot, scoring 13 first-quarter points and dishing three dimes. The defense, however, lagged, allowing the Hawks to shoot 57.1 percent from the floor, ending the first quarter in 29-29 tie.

In the second half, the Nets figured out better rotations, defensively, but struggled to distance themselves from the Hawks on the offensive side of the ball. Andray Blatche did come off the bench to score 11 points and pull down five rebounds in 10 minutes, but the rest of the bench contributed to just four first-half points.

Both teams entered halftime with 49 points apiece.

The third quarter started off with the Nets going on a 6-0, before the Hawks got going. The third became one of those "match bucket-for-bucket" quarters, as the Nets and Hawks finished the third knotted up at 74-74.

In the fourth, the game remained "ugly," so to speak, before Williams returned to spark the offense. Really, Williams was the difference maker in giving the Nets that final push in the fourth. There was no complete rhythm in the quarter, actually, but Williams did enough, especially in the final minute of the game by driving and drawing fouls.

And after a Josh Smith highlight dunk -- one that left my jaw dragging across the floor of the Barclays Center -- the Nets were eventually able to pull away, winning 94-89.

Reggie Evans finished with 20 rebounds, while Williams had 24 points and seven assists. Johnson had 18 points and three rebounds against his former team.

For more on the Hawks, see: Peachtree Hoops

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