The Atlanta Hawks (9-5) defeated the Sacramento Kings (4-8) 103-97 on Wednesday at Philips Arena in Atlanta.
The Kings were the superior shooting team in this game, going 44 percent from the field and 31 percent from the three-point line compared to the Hawks who finished at 43 percent from the field and just 30 percent from deep. The Hawks overcame the shooting difference, though, through a strong defensive performace. They forced the Kings into a combined 20 turnovers as a team, while posting just 12 of their own, which gave them just enough of a boost to take the victory in front of their home crowd.
Paul Millsap was the Hawks' scoring leader, torching the Kings for 23 points (9-19 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 5-6 FT), while also adding 16 rebounds, three steals and a pair of blocked shots. The double-double was his sixth of the season, pushing his season averages to 18.1 points, 9.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. Dennis Schroder was another player who had a strong showing. Starting his third game in a row with Jeff Teague sidelined due to an ankle injury, Schroder continued to show his worth. He recorded 22 points (9-21 FG, 3-9 3Pt, 1-2 FT), two rebounds and six assists over 32 minutes. Schroder had shot 30 percent or less from the field in his previous three games, so it was a nice bounce back showing for the guard. The only other Hawk in double figures was Al Horford, who finished with 17 points (6-15 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 4-4 FT). Horford had just one rebound on the night, which was his first time this season with less than four rebounds.
DeMarcus Cousins did everything he could to keep the Kings close. He went 7-for-20 from the field and 1-for-5 from the three-point line to score a game-high of 24 points. He also added 12 rebounds, giving him his third double-double in a row. Cousins has been dominating opponents recently, averaging a ridiculous 33.3 points and 11.0 rebounds over his last four games. Rajon Rondo continued his impressive start to the season. He recorded his third triple-double over his last four games, finishing with 12 points (6-9 FG), 12 rebounds and 10 assists. He did have seven turnovers, though, so it wasn't all good for him. Rudy Gay and Ben McLemore also reached double figures with 14 and 11 points respectively.
The Kings' next game will be on the road against the Miami Heat on Thursday, while the Hawks will travel to Cleveland to play the Cavaliers on Saturday.
