[AJ-C] Three consecutive triple-doubles for Sura
http://www.ajc.com/hawks/content/sports/hawks/0404/13hawks.html
Three consecutive triple-doubles for Sura
By MICHAEL LEE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 4/12/04
Every night should be fan appreciation night. In the last home
game of the season, the Hawks showed a video montage of highlights
at halftime, but it couldn't match the exciting display on the
court Monday night.
The Hawks clearly saved their best for last in a 129-107 win
against the New Jersey Nets. They shot a season-high 58 percent
from the floor, hit a season-high 17 3-pointers -- including a
team-record 10 in the first half -- and won three games in a row
for the first time since April 11-14 of last sesaon.
"It was a fun basketball game," coach Terry Stotts said. "It's
been a long year, and nobody knows how it's going to play out,
but I think there has been a positive feeling. There is a lot of
optimism going toward the future."
Playing wild and free, the Hawks (28-53) turned in their most
dominant showing of the season and led the Nets by 31 points in
the fourth quarter. But that wasn't the only story line.
As the clock ticked down, Hawks guard Bob Sura had all but conceded
that his try for a third triple-double in a row wasn't going to
happen.
One rebound shy of the achievement, Sura slouched toward to bench
with his head held low -- until Nets reserve Brandon Armstrong made
a 3-pointer with four seconds left.
Sura perked up, quickly waved his hands, and Hawks reserve forward
Michael Bradley tossed the ball the length of the floor to him. Sura
then made a mad dash to the hoop, missed a layup intentionally and
grabbed the rebound with 0.2 seconds left to become the first NBA
player with three consecutive triple-doubles since Grant Hill did
it for Detroit in 1997.
"The ball slipped out of my hands, so I got it back," Sura said
jokingly after he finished with 22 points, 11 assists and 10
rebounds. "The guys were screaming at me on that last play to do
it."
Sura could've reached the triple triple-double earlier. With about
11 minutes left in the fourth, Hawks reserve center Mamadou N'diaye
fought Sura for a rebound. Stotts called a timeout to remind N'diaye
of what Sura was trying to accomplish.
"I was just focused on boxing my man out, and then I saw [Sura]
coming," N'diaye said. "I would've felt bad if he didn't get it,
but luckily he got it."
Although it could've served as the last home game for Stotts and
several players on the Hawks' roster, it didn't matter to them or
the 11,400 fans in Philips Arena -- they were having too much fun.
Terry led five Hawks in double figures with 30 points. Stephen
Jackson scored 23, Chris Crawford 22, and rookie Travis Hansen
managed a career-high 14 points.
The Hawks made 23 of their first 33 shots (69.7 percent) and led
57-33 in the first half after Hansen buried a 3-pointer from the
right baseline.
Early in the fourth quarter, fans rose and started doing the wave
when Sura found Terry wide open for a 3-pointer. On the Hawks' next
trip down, Terry stopped and popped a 15-foot jumper over Armstrong
to give the Hawks a 109-79 lead.
Terry chuckled as he ran down the court.
"The only reason I was laughing was because finally, Stotts said,
'Play loose. I don't care what you do. Play crazy!' " said Terry,
who was 6-for-8 from 3-point range. "Our whole intent was to go out
and score 130 and leave a good impression on the fans of Atlanta. I
believe we did that."
The Hawks finished the season with an 18-23 record at home and avoided
a season sweep by the Nets (47-34), who have clinched the Atlantic
Division title and the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.
"They've had a lot of struggles as a team," Nets forward Richard
Jefferson said of the Hawks. "If you can ever get a high note, why
not?"
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