Capping off a banner night - in which bench boss Mike Budenholzer received his Coach of the Year trophy and the sale of the franchise was finally announced - the Atlanta Hawks took a 2-0 series lead on the surprisingly scrappy Brooklyn Nets with a 96-91 win.
The Hawks got off to a blazing start, taking a 10-point lead midway through the first quarter. But the Nets clawed their way back and then managed to hang tough, thanks in large part to backup point guard Jarrett Jack, who got plenty of run thanks to the continued struggles of Deron Williams.
Jack hit an array of runners, contested jumpers and off-balance floaters on his way to 23 points (9-of-13 shooting); Brook Lopez continued his run of strong interior play with 20 points, seven rebounds and three blocks; and the Hawks, despite keeping their noses ahead, couldn't quite pull away.
Turning Point
The Nets were right there in the game's final minute, trailing 90-89. The sequence of events that followed made the rest of Deron Williams's dismal night look positively rosy by comparison.
First, Williams completely abandoned his man, DeMarre Carroll, leading to an uncontested layup.
Then, after an Alan Anderson dunk and a missed Paul Millsap free throw had the Nets holding the ball down two, Williams missed a wide-open jumper from the short corner.
The Hawks secured the rebound and iced the game with free throws. Williams finished the game shooting 1-of-7 from the field, with more turnovers (three) than points (two).
Star Performer
Millsap had shot just 4-of-20 in his first two games back from a right shoulder injury. His shoulder was tested out early in this one, and, in an omen of things to come, proved that he was healing up just fine.
Millsap would go on to have a monster game at both ends of the floor, drilling all four of his 3-point attempts, shooting 7-of-11 from the field, and finishing with a team-high 19 points and a game-high plus-17 rating.
Highlight Reel
The Hawks got a big boost off the bench from point guard Dennis Schroder, who scored two of his 12 points with this acrobatic layup.
Kyle Korver continued to do Kyle Korver things.
Al Horford, on top of adding to Williams's woes, provided a clinic on how to block a shot while also retaining possession.
And Horford's backup, Pero Antic, capped a huge stint late in the third quarter - helping turn a one-point deficit into an eight-point lead - with two of his eight points in the final five minutes of the frame.
Series at a Glance
Game 1: Hawks 99, Nets 92
Game 2: Hawks 96, Nets 91
Game 3: Saturday, April 25, 3 p.m. ET
Game 4: Monday, April 27, TBD
Game 5*: Wednesday, April 29, TBD
Game 6*: Friday, May 1, TBD
Game 7*: Sunday, May 3, TBD
*If necessary
