The Atlanta Hawks have been playing some phenomenal basketball in the past couple months, running away with the best record in the East and surprising most fans along the way. Their balanced effort on both ends of the floor is what makes basketball enthusiasts swoon over, as the rest of the NBA and its fans have realized that the Hawks’ success this season is no fluke; they are for real.
The cheers in the jam-packed Phillips Arena were already blaring off the walls as the Hawks pulled away from the Thunder in the final 12 minutes. But a play from Jeff Teague, who finished with 17 points and nine assists, in the closing minute almost tore the roof off the building. Already sitting on an 11-point lead, Teague caught Russell Westbrook snoozing on the inbounds pass, and instead of playing it safe, the 26-year-old stole it from Russ and pounded in the jam for the exclamation point on the night:
Playing against a hot Thunder squad on Friday in front of a sellout crowd, the Hawks once again performed with their now signature balanced offensive campaign – four starters scored in double figures – to break away in the fourth quarter and finish with a 103-93 win, setting a new franchise-record with their 15th straight victory.
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