Balanced Kings put away Hawks
By
SEKOU SMITH
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/04/06
Youthful exuberance alone will take you only so far.
There have been, and will be, more nights when the Hawks won't be able to use their young legs to overcome their own mistakes and whatever outside forces are pressuring them.
Friday night they let early foul trouble knock them off their stride and the Sacramento Kings knock them off of their two-game high in a 102-93 loss to the Kings before 15,200 at Philips Arena.
The Hawks won in overtime at home over New Jersey Monday and in overtime at Toronto on Wednesday, two games in which they dictated the tempo from start to finish.
They had no such luck against a Kings team that has grinded its way back into playoff contention in the Western Conference in the month since Ron Artest was obtained in a trade with Indiana.
Artest was one of four starters to reach double figures for the Kings, who had a decided advantage at the foul line (36 attempts to 23) and in the paint (46 points to 34). Former Hawks forward and Atlanta native Shareef Abdur-Rahim added 12 points off the bench.
While Artest (18), Brad Miller (24 and 10 rebounds, Mike Bibby (17 and eight assists) and Kevin Martin (19 and nine rebounds), dictated the pace, the Hawks struggled to get out of their own way.
In addition to early foul trouble, the Hawks turned the ball over relentlessly, they allowed 26 points off their 16 turnovers.
"Guys got early fouls and they got real lackadaisical on defense," Hawks coach Mike Woodson said. "I don't think we had any defensive pressure tonight. They were able to move the ball and pretty much do what they wanted to do defensively.
"You're not going to beat a team like that with that kind of effort. I thought we were very tentative once we got into foul trouble. Guys were worried about fouling out. If you foul out, we just go to someone else on the bench."
That's easier said than done for the Hawks (19-38), who most likely will be a man down Saturday night in Miami.
Second-year forward Josh Childress sprained his left ankle in the third quarter and did not return. He had a string of 11 straight games where he scored in double figures before Friday, he finished with just three in 23 minutes against the Kings.
Woodson said he'd get treatment before the game and a decision would be made before tip off as to whether or not he'd be able to play. But Childress was limping significantly on the swollen ankle in the locker room after the game and said he was doubtful he'd be able to play on it tonight.
Without that spark off the bench that has been a staple lately, rookies Marvin Williams and Salim Stoudamire did finish with 17 and 14 points respectively, the Hawks never were able to find a rhythm.
Al Harrington led the way with 23 points and 10 rebounds and Joe Johnson added 19 and six assists. But after taking a seven-point lead early, the Hawks seemed to be running in place for much of the night.
The Kings used their size advantage and continuous attacks at the basket to wear the Hawks down late, they led by as many as 14 in the fourth quarter.
"We just didn't play together tonight," Hawks forward Josh Smith said after his first off night in at least two weeks, he was the victim of the early foul calls and finished with just eight points, six rebounds and two blocked shots. "We've been playing well lately and it's been because all of us have been making extra passes and really making an effort to find each other on the floor.
"We got away from that a little bit tonight. Sacramento had a lot to do with that, but we didn't help ourselves. We have to fix that against the Heat or it will be another long night."
