[外電]Another OT, another win
Another OT, another win
By SEKOU SMITH
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/02/06
Toronto — Whatever this Hawks team accomplishes this season, they can
point to the stretch of games that started Feb. 15 and continues as the
turning point.
A road win over Lakers, their first over a Western Conference foe in 24
tries, kicked things off. Their latest triumph came Wednesday night at
Air Canada Centre in a gutsy 113-111 overtime win over the Toronto Raptors,
their second straight overtime win and third in their last four games.
It was a win that on the surface wouldn't seem as significant
when you examine the records of both teams, the Hawks left the
building 19-37 and the Raptors 20-37. But when you consider that
the Raptors had been the one team this season, good or bad, that
the Hawks hadn't been able to figure out, the win means so much
more.
Much like the spell the Hawks have used to dominate Indiana this
season, they're 3-0 against the Pacers with the series finale
March 29 at Philips Arena, the Raptors have been immune to every
dart the Hawks throw their way.
Until Wednesday night, when they finally won in their yellow road
jerseys.
It wasn't over until the Hawks stopped the Raptors twice in the
final 13 seconds of overtime, Joe Johnson slapped the ball away
from Chris Bosh on the Raptors' first possession. And he guarded
Morris Peterson on the Raptors' final try with 4.8 seconds to
play, Peterson's jumper bouncing off the front of the rim as time
expired.
Johnson played all grueling 53 minutes, finishing with 26 points,
nine assists, seven rebounds and seven turnovers.
"He can rest tomorrow," Hawks coach Mike Woodson said with a
smile.
"That's the biggie right there," Johnson said as he dragged his
tired body from the floor after doing a radio interview. "We
earned that one. It took everything we had from every guy on this
team. But we had to have this one."
The Hawks appeared to have the game won when Al Harrington
drained a baseline jumper with 34.3 seconds to play to push the
lead to 105-99. But the Raptors got a deep 3-pointer from Mike
James on the next possession to trim the deficit to 105-102 with
25.5 seconds left.
Needing just two foul shots to preserve the win, the Hawks
turned the ball over on an inbounds play. Peterson was fouled
by Josh Childress on a 3-pointer from the same corner James hit
from. Peterson made all three free throws, leaving the Hawks 7.8
seconds to win the game. But Johnson's jumper bounced off the
back of the rim at the buzzer.
Harrington fouled out in overtime, but scored 26 points, grabbed
nine rebounds and dished out five assists before he left.
Josh Smith and Childress, who were huge in Monday night's
overtime win over New Jersey, were just as big Wednesday night.
Smith blocked seven shots and added nine point and nine rebounds,
while Childress scored 15 points and 10 rebounds off the bench
and made up for his ill-timed foul on Peterson in regulation with
five of the Hawks' eight points in overtime.
資料來源
http://www.ajc.com/hawks/content/sports/hawks/stories/0302hawks.html
--
※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc)
◆ From: 59.121.97.27
Hawks 近期熱門文章
PTT體育區 即時熱門文章
