Undefeated Hawks upend Hornets

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Undefeated Hawks upend Hornets

By SEKOU SMITH

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

New Orleans — Talk about change you can believe in.

The Hawks are making believers out of anyone who has seen them this season. They are 3-0 for the first time since 1997, when they won their first 11, courtesy of an impressive 87-79 victory over the previously unbeaten New Orleans Hornets on Wednesday night.

Time after the time the Hawks weathered the Hornets’ comeback blows to win their second consecutive road game. They opened the season with a win in Orlando last week.

If it wasn’t Joe Johnson, it was Flip Murray. If it wasn’t Murray, it was Josh Smith or Marvin Williams or Al Horford.

All of them took turns making huge plays down the stretch to help the Hawks continue an early-season run that has been highlighted by a smothering defense, the likes of which Hawks fans haven’t seen since Bill Clinton was in office.

“Never, not since I’ve been here,” Johnson said of the last time he has seen the Hawks play defense the way they did Wednesday night. “I know it’s early, and I don’t want to harp on it, but these three games have been tremendous. You can’t ask for anything better than that. Our offense is going to come. We haven’t been playing great offensively, but it’s going to come. As long as we keep playing defense like this, we’ll be all right.”

Before the game, Hawks coach Mike Woodson insisted that his team’s defensive prowess — they rank among the top two teams in the league in points allowed — would be tested by Hornets All-Star point guard Chris Paul.

Paul had a huge game, finishing with 22 points, 11 assists, five rebounds and three steals, but he wasn’t able to beat back the relentless Hawks by himself.

“We came out in our defensive scheme tonight and were right on the money in terms of our switches and trying to really control some of their big-time players,” Woodson said. “We did a great job on [All-Star power forward David] West early, I thought. Chris Paul is Chris Paul. He is a great point guard and the leader of his team. He does a lot of good things for his ball club. I just thought tonight that we were the aggressor from a defensive standpoint. We stayed with our game plan even when they made runs.”

And when they needed to, the Hawks were able to go on a run of their own to seize control of the game.

Trailing 62-58 at the start of the fourth quarter, the Hawks went on a 29-17 run to finish the game.

Mo Evans kicked off the run with a 3-pointer with 11:29 to play, and Murray’s 3-pointer with 4:36 to play for a 78-70 lead was the backbreaker the Hawks needed.

“In a long 82-game season, you just want to get off to a good start,” Murray said. “We’re trying to build our chemistry and get used to winning, so when we’re in a tough game down the line, we’ll be used to doing the right things when we need to.”

Johnson, the league’s leading scorer, led all scorers with 24 points, seven rebounds and four assists.

Murray added 14 points off the bench. Smith and Williams added 11 points each, with Smith also snagging 11 rebounds and blocking three shots. Horford finished with 10 points and eight rebounds.

Not even Paul’s Herculean effort could offset the Hawks’ balance and depth.

And ultimately Woodson was right. The Hawks’ defense was tested, along with their mettle. After winning only 12 road games last season, the Hawks have won both of their road tests this season in impressive fashion.

“There’s a long way to go,” Woodson said. “But we’re growing as a team, as a unit, every time out. And that’s what you want to see.”

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Our second unit is one of the best second units in the NBA. Only the Lakers have been better in their second unit.