ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; The Atlanta Hawks cleared significant salary cap space on Monday by agreeing to trade forward John Collins to the Utah Jazz for veteran forward Rudy Gay and a future second-round draft pick, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press.
Collins, who had been mentioned amid much trade speculation leading up to last week&rsquo;s NBA draft, finally was dealt to Utah, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the trade cannot become official before July 6.
The trade was first reported by ESPN.
Collins, 25, was a first-round pick in 2017 and scored in double figures in each of his six seasons with Atlanta. He averaged 21.6 points and 10.1 rebounds, both career bests, in the 2019-20 season and 17.6 points per game for the 2021-21 team that advanced to the Eastern Conference finals.
Collins&rsquo; scoring declined as Trae Young and other players assumed lead scoring roles. He averaged 13.1 points and 6.5 rebounds this season, when the Hawks suffered their second consecutive first-round exit in the playoffs.
&nbsp;

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; The Atlanta Hawks cleared significant salary cap space on Monday by agreeing to trade forward John Collins to the Utah Jazz for veteran forward Rudy Gay and a future second-round draft pick, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press.
Collins, who had been mentioned amid much trade speculation leading up to last week&rsquo;s NBA draft, finally was dealt to Utah, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the trade cannot become official before July 6.
The trade was first reported by ESPN.
Collins, 25, was a first-round pick in 2017 and scored in double figures in each of his six seasons with Atlanta. He averaged 21.6 points and 10.1 rebounds, both career bests, in the 2019-20 season and 17.6 points per game for the 2021-21 team that advanced to the Eastern Conference finals.
Collins&rsquo; scoring declined as Trae Young and other players assumed lead scoring roles. He averaged 13.1 points and 6.5 rebounds this season, when the Hawks suffered their second consecutive first-round exit in the playoffs.
With the Hawks looking to clear salary-cap room, Collins, who is guaranteed $25.3 million in the 2023-24 season, became a much-discussed trade target.
Gay, 36, is due approximately $6.5 million next season, creating significant savings for Atlanta.
Collins (6-foot-9, 235) brings size and scoring potential to a Utah front line that also includes Lauri Markkanen, 2023 rookie Walker Kessler and last week&rsquo;s No. 9 overall pick, Taylor Hendricks, a power forward from Central Florida.
Collins&rsquo; exit could create more playing time for young forwards AJ Griffin and Jalen Johnson, as well as veteran Saddiq Bay.
Gay (6-8, 250) averaged 5.2 points in 56 games, all as a backup, for Utah in the 2022-23 season. He has averaged 15.8 points per game for his career, including a personal-best 21.1 for Sacramento in the 2014-15 season.

The Atlanta Hawks cleared significant salary cap space on Monday by agreeing to trade forward John Collins to the Utah Jazz.

Hawks clear cap room by trading Collins to Jazz for Gay, 2nd rounder

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Trae Young made two free throws with 1.8 seconds remaining in overtime to give Atlanta the lead and the Hawks beat the Dallas Mavericks 132-130 on Sunday night to keep pace in the Eastern Conference play-in race.
Young was fouled by Kyrie Irving, who scored 41 points, with the game tied at 130. Following Young&rsquo;s free throws, Luke Doncic, who scored 22 points, missed a last-second 3-pointer.
The Hawks (39-39) moved back into eighth place in the play-in race. Toronto and Chicago put pressure on the Hawks with wins before Atlanta&rsquo;s game. The Hawks have the tiebreaker advantage over Toronto.
The Hawks entered the game only a half-game ahead of the 10th-place Bulls for the final play-in spot in the Eastern Conference.
Dallas (37-42) remained 11th in the Western Conference, one spot out of the play-in.
Irving&rsquo;s mid-range jumper with 37 seconds remaining in regulation tied the game at 121. Saddiq Bey&rsquo;s layup gave the lead back to Atlanta.
&nbsp;

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Trae Young made two free throws with 1.8 seconds remaining in overtime to give Atlanta the lead and the Hawks beat the Dallas Mavericks 132-130 on Sunday night to keep pace in the Eastern Conference play-in race.
Young was fouled by Kyrie Irving, who scored 41 points, with the game tied at 130. Following Young&rsquo;s free throws, Luke Doncic, who scored 22 points, missed a last-second 3-pointer.
The Hawks (39-39) moved back into eighth place in the play-in race. Toronto and Chicago put pressure on the Hawks with wins before Atlanta&rsquo;s game. The Hawks have the tiebreaker advantage over Toronto.
The Hawks entered the game only a half-game ahead of the 10th-place Bulls for the final play-in spot in the Eastern Conference.
Dallas (37-42) remained 11th in the Western Conference, one spot out of the play-in.
Irving&rsquo;s mid-range jumper with 37 seconds remaining in regulation tied the game at 121. Saddiq Bey&rsquo;s layup gave the lead back to Atlanta.
Christian Wood was fouled by John Collins and made one free throw before missing the second with 1.2 seconds remaining. With 0.4 seconds remaining, Atlanta&rsquo;s Clint Capela fouled JaVale McGee near the basket as McGee reached for Doncic&rsquo;s inbound pass. McGee missed the first free throw and made the second to tie the game at 123 and force overtime.
&nbsp;

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Trae Young made two free throws with 1.8 seconds remaining in overtime to give Atlanta the lead and the Hawks beat the Dallas Mavericks 132-130 on Sunday night to keep pace in the Eastern Conference play-in race.
Young was fouled by Kyrie Irving, who scored 41 points, with the game tied at 130. Following Young&rsquo;s free throws, Luke Doncic, who scored 22 points, missed a last-second 3-pointer.
The Hawks (39-39) moved back into eighth place in the play-in race. Toronto and Chicago put pressure on the Hawks with wins before Atlanta&rsquo;s game. The Hawks have the tiebreaker advantage over Toronto.
The Hawks entered the game only a half-game ahead of the 10th-place Bulls for the final play-in spot in the Eastern Conference.
Dallas (37-42) remained 11th in the Western Conference, one spot out of the play-in.
Irving&rsquo;s mid-range jumper with 37 seconds remaining in regulation tied the game at 121. Saddiq Bey&rsquo;s layup gave the lead back to Atlanta.
Christian Wood was fouled by John Collins and made one free throw before missing the second with 1.2 seconds remaining. With 0.4 seconds remaining, Atlanta&rsquo;s Clint Capela fouled JaVale McGee near the basket as McGee reached for Doncic&rsquo;s inbound pass. McGee missed the first free throw and made the second to tie the game at 123 and force overtime.
John Collins&rsquo; 3-pointer, followed by Clint Capela&rsquo;s jam, gave Atlanta an 84-74 lead midway through the third period. The Hawks stretched the advantage to 15 points at 91-76, but Dallas used a 15-3 run to close the deficit to 94-91 entering the final period.
Hawks small forward De&rsquo;Andre Hunter missed his second consecutive game after an MRI on Saturday revealed a bone bruise and muscle strain in his left knee.
Hawks coach Quin Snyder said Hunter is &ldquo;a unique player and very important ... for his ability to take a defensive matchup.&rdquo; Snyder said before the game Hunter would have been valuable in the matchups against the Mavericks, where the presence of small forward Tim Hardaway Jr. makes it more difficult to devote extra defensive attention to Doncic and Irving.
TIP-INS:
Mavericks: Coach Jason Kidd made a pregame plea for improved contributions from his bench &ldquo;on both ends.&rdquo; It was part of his emphasis on improved overall defensive play. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s effort. It&rsquo;s grit,&rdquo; Kidd said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s what you want to do as much as energy.&rdquo; Kidd complained the Mavs&rsquo; defense was &ldquo;nonexistent&rdquo; in a 129-122 loss at Miami on Saturday night. ... Christian Wood had 18 points and 11 rebounds.
&nbsp;

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Trae Young made two free throws with 1.8 seconds remaining in overtime to give Atlanta the lead and the Hawks beat the Dallas Mavericks 132-130 on Sunday night to keep pace in the Eastern Conference play-in race.
Young was fouled by Kyrie Irving, who scored 41 points, with the game tied at 130. Following Young&rsquo;s free throws, Luke Doncic, who scored 22 points, missed a last-second 3-pointer.
The Hawks (39-39) moved back into eighth place in the play-in race. Toronto and Chicago put pressure on the Hawks with wins before Atlanta&rsquo;s game. The Hawks have the tiebreaker advantage over Toronto.
The Hawks entered the game only a half-game ahead of the 10th-place Bulls for the final play-in spot in the Eastern Conference.
Dallas (37-42) remained 11th in the Western Conference, one spot out of the play-in.
Irving&rsquo;s mid-range jumper with 37 seconds remaining in regulation tied the game at 121. Saddiq Bey&rsquo;s layup gave the lead back to Atlanta.
Christian Wood was fouled by John Collins and made one free throw before missing the second with 1.2 seconds remaining. With 0.4 seconds remaining, Atlanta&rsquo;s Clint Capela fouled JaVale McGee near the basket as McGee reached for Doncic&rsquo;s inbound pass. McGee missed the first free throw and made the second to tie the game at 123 and force overtime.
John Collins&rsquo; 3-pointer, followed by Clint Capela&rsquo;s jam, gave Atlanta an 84-74 lead midway through the third period. The Hawks stretched the advantage to 15 points at 91-76, but Dallas used a 15-3 run to close the deficit to 94-91 entering the final period.
Hawks small forward De&rsquo;Andre Hunter missed his second consecutive game after an MRI on Saturday revealed a bone bruise and muscle strain in his left knee.
Hawks coach Quin Snyder said Hunter is &ldquo;a unique player and very important ... for his ability to take a defensive matchup.&rdquo; Snyder said before the game Hunter would have been valuable in the matchups against the Mavericks, where the presence of small forward Tim Hardaway Jr. makes it more difficult to devote extra defensive attention to Doncic and Irving.
TIP-INS
Mavericks: Coach Jason Kidd made a pregame plea for improved contributions from his bench &ldquo;on both ends.&rdquo; It was part of his emphasis on improved overall defensive play. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s effort. It&rsquo;s grit,&rdquo; Kidd said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s what you want to do as much as energy.&rdquo; Kidd complained the Mavs&rsquo; defense was &ldquo;nonexistent&rdquo; in a 129-122 loss at Miami on Saturday night. ... Christian Wood had 18 points and 11 rebounds.
Hawks: Saddiq Bey had 13 points as the fill-in starter for Hunter. ... Capela had 14 points and 11 rebounds.
UP NEXT
Mavericks: Begin streak of three straight home games to finish regular season when they host Sacramento on Wednesday night.
Hawks: At Chicago on Tuesday night.

The Atlanta Hawks beat the Dallas Mavericks 132-130 on Sunday night to keep pace in the Eastern Conference play-in race.

Trae Young lifts Hawks past Mavericks in overtime, 132-130

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Waiting for just the right moment to launch his game-winning shot was no problem for Trae Young. He says he has been envisioning similar shots since he was a kid.
Young waited patiently for Mikal Bridges to fly past him before&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1629972871043768326" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">sinking a buzzer-beating jumper</a>&nbsp;over the reach of Spencer Dinwiddie to lift Atlanta to a 129-127 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, a few hours before the Hawks announced they hired Quin Snyder as their coach.
The Hawks took their final possession with 7.3 seconds remaining after Cam Johnson&rsquo;s 3-pointer tied the game at 127 with 7.8 seconds remaining. Young hit his&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1629973531160383488" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">pull-up 12-foot jumper</a>&nbsp;as Dinwiddie tried in vain to block the shot from behind.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been counting down those seconds since I was 5 years old, 6 years old,&rdquo; Young said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s nothing new.&rdquo;
Young finished with 34 points for the Hawks, who recovered after blowing an 18-point lead to overcome four Nets scorers with at least 20 points.
Atlanta, No. 8 in the East, won its second consecutive game under interim coach Joe Prunty after Nate McMillan was fired Tuesday. General manager Landry Fields announced Sunday night Snyder had been hired to replace McMillan. The team scheduled a news conference for Monday to introduce Snyder.
Johnson had 27 points for Brooklyn. Mikal Bridges scored 24 for the Nets, who have lost four of five. Cam Thomas added 22 points and Dinwiddie had 20.
The Nets began the day fifth in the Eastern Conference, only a half-game ahead of the New York Knicks. Coach Jacque Vaughn is trying to find a&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/brooklyn-nets-boston-celtics-nba-sports-jacque-vaughn-3bf0e66eaecd536eb8f8ca124e3cddba">new winning mix</a>&nbsp;after the team traded Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
&ldquo;You can&rsquo;t feel sorry for yourself,&rdquo; Vaughn said. &ldquo;What we have to do is continue to stay together and believe we can get it done.&rdquo;
Dorian Finney-Smith&rsquo;s 3 for Brooklyn with 48 seconds remaining cut Atlanta&rsquo;s lead to 127-124.
Both wins under Prunty have come against teams above the Hawks in the conference.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s great,&rdquo; said&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1629968509014007809" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dejounte Murray</a>, who scored 28 points. &ldquo;Like I continue to tell the players, we have no control over what the front office does. We&rsquo;re going to continue to work and try to build as many wins as we can.&rdquo;
Bogdan Bogdanovic added 22 for Atlanta. Bogdanovic&rsquo;s three 3-pointers early in the second quarter helped Atlanta take a 50-32 lead. Thomas had 11 points in the period, helping the Nets trim the Hawks&rsquo; lead to 64-57 at halftime.
&nbsp;

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Waiting for just the right moment to launch his game-winning shot was no problem for Trae Young. He says he has been envisioning similar shots since he was a kid.
Young waited patiently for Mikal Bridges to fly past him before&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1629972871043768326" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">sinking a buzzer-beating jumper</a>&nbsp;over the reach of Spencer Dinwiddie to lift Atlanta to a 129-127 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, a few hours before the Hawks announced they hired Quin Snyder as their coach.
The Hawks took their final possession with 7.3 seconds remaining after Cam Johnson&rsquo;s 3-pointer tied the game at 127 with 7.8 seconds remaining. Young hit his&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1629973531160383488" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">pull-up 12-foot jumper</a>&nbsp;as Dinwiddie tried in vain to block the shot from behind.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been counting down those seconds since I was 5 years old, 6 years old,&rdquo; Young said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s nothing new.&rdquo;
Young finished with 34 points for the Hawks, who recovered after blowing an 18-point lead to overcome four Nets scorers with at least 20 points.
Atlanta, No. 8 in the East, won its second consecutive game under interim coach Joe Prunty after Nate McMillan was fired Tuesday. General manager Landry Fields announced Sunday night Snyder had been hired to replace McMillan. The team scheduled a news conference for Monday to introduce Snyder.
Johnson had 27 points for Brooklyn. Mikal Bridges scored 24 for the Nets, who have lost four of five. Cam Thomas added 22 points and Dinwiddie had 20.
The Nets began the day fifth in the Eastern Conference, only a half-game ahead of the New York Knicks. Coach Jacque Vaughn is trying to find a&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/brooklyn-nets-boston-celtics-nba-sports-jacque-vaughn-3bf0e66eaecd536eb8f8ca124e3cddba">new winning mix</a>&nbsp;after the team traded Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
&ldquo;You can&rsquo;t feel sorry for yourself,&rdquo; Vaughn said. &ldquo;What we have to do is continue to stay together and believe we can get it done.&rdquo;
Dorian Finney-Smith&rsquo;s 3 for Brooklyn with 48 seconds remaining cut Atlanta&rsquo;s lead to 127-124.
Both wins under Prunty have come against teams above the Hawks in the conference.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s great,&rdquo; said&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1629968509014007809" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dejounte Murray</a>, who scored 28 points. &ldquo;Like I continue to tell the players, we have no control over what the front office does. We&rsquo;re going to continue to work and try to build as many wins as we can.&rdquo;
Bogdan Bogdanovic added 22 for Atlanta. Bogdanovic&rsquo;s three 3-pointers early in the second quarter helped Atlanta take a 50-32 lead. Thomas had 11 points in the period, helping the Nets trim the Hawks&rsquo; lead to 64-57 at halftime.
Brooklyn kept its momentum to open the second half, taking a 78-73 lead. Onyeka Okongwu scored the final four points of the third period as Atlanta took a 97-94 advantage into the final period.
&ldquo;We would not give up in the second half even though we were down by double digits,&rdquo; Vaughn said.
STICKING WITH THE STARTERS
Vaughn stuck with his starters after the first five combined for only 34 points as the team set a season scoring low in an ugly 131-87 loss at Chicago on Friday night.
Before the game, Vaughn said he&rsquo;s looking for consistency and a balance of offense and defense. He said Finney-Smith, who had only two points against the Bulls, is &ldquo;one of our best defenders we have on the team.&rdquo;
&nbsp;

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Waiting for just the right moment to launch his game-winning shot was no problem for Trae Young. He says he has been envisioning similar shots since he was a kid.
Young waited patiently for Mikal Bridges to fly past him before&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1629972871043768326" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">sinking a buzzer-beating jumper</a>&nbsp;over the reach of Spencer Dinwiddie to lift Atlanta to a 129-127 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, a few hours before the Hawks announced they hired Quin Snyder as their coach.
The Hawks took their final possession with 7.3 seconds remaining after Cam Johnson&rsquo;s 3-pointer tied the game at 127 with 7.8 seconds remaining. Young hit his&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1629973531160383488" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">pull-up 12-foot jumper</a>&nbsp;as Dinwiddie tried in vain to block the shot from behind.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been counting down those seconds since I was 5 years old, 6 years old,&rdquo; Young said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s nothing new.&rdquo;
Young finished with 34 points for the Hawks, who recovered after blowing an 18-point lead to overcome four Nets scorers with at least 20 points.
Atlanta, No. 8 in the East, won its second consecutive game under interim coach Joe Prunty after Nate McMillan was fired Tuesday. General manager Landry Fields announced Sunday night Snyder had been hired to replace McMillan. The team scheduled a news conference for Monday to introduce Snyder.
Johnson had 27 points for Brooklyn. Mikal Bridges scored 24 for the Nets, who have lost four of five. Cam Thomas added 22 points and Dinwiddie had 20.
The Nets began the day fifth in the Eastern Conference, only a half-game ahead of the New York Knicks. Coach Jacque Vaughn is trying to find a&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/brooklyn-nets-boston-celtics-nba-sports-jacque-vaughn-3bf0e66eaecd536eb8f8ca124e3cddba">new winning mix</a>&nbsp;after the team traded Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
&ldquo;You can&rsquo;t feel sorry for yourself,&rdquo; Vaughn said. &ldquo;What we have to do is continue to stay together and believe we can get it done.&rdquo;
Dorian Finney-Smith&rsquo;s 3 for Brooklyn with 48 seconds remaining cut Atlanta&rsquo;s lead to 127-124.
Both wins under Prunty have come against teams above the Hawks in the conference.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s great,&rdquo; said&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1629968509014007809" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dejounte Murray</a>, who scored 28 points. &ldquo;Like I continue to tell the players, we have no control over what the front office does. We&rsquo;re going to continue to work and try to build as many wins as we can.&rdquo;
Bogdan Bogdanovic added 22 for Atlanta. Bogdanovic&rsquo;s three 3-pointers early in the second quarter helped Atlanta take a 50-32 lead. Thomas had 11 points in the period, helping the Nets trim the Hawks&rsquo; lead to 64-57 at halftime.
Brooklyn kept its momentum to open the second half, taking a 78-73 lead. Onyeka Okongwu scored the final four points of the third period as Atlanta took a 97-94 advantage into the final period.
&ldquo;We would not give up in the second half even though we were down by double digits,&rdquo; Vaughn said.
STICKING WITH THE STARTERS
Vaughn stuck with his starters after the first five combined for only 34 points as the team set a season scoring low in an ugly 131-87 loss at Chicago on Friday night.
Before the game, Vaughn said he&rsquo;s looking for consistency and a balance of offense and defense. He said Finney-Smith, who had only two points against the Bulls, is &ldquo;one of our best defenders we have on the team.&rdquo;
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s pretty tough to take him out of the lineup when there&rsquo;s other offensive guys he&rsquo;s covering sins up for,&rdquo; Vaughn said of Finney-Smith.
TALKING ABOUT PRACTICE
When asked how many practices he has had with the team since the All-Star break, Vaughn referred to the blowout loss to the Bulls as &ldquo;a scrimmage with referees.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Nets: C Nic Claxton, from the University of Georgia, had four steals, three blocked shots and 11 rebounds. ... G Ben Simmons (left knee soreness) missed his second consecutive game.
Hawks: F John Collins returned with 12 points after missing one game while on concussion protocol. Collins was questionable with lower back tightness and cleared to start after pregame warmups, but his minutes were restricted. Collins logged almost 26 minutes, which Prunty acknowledged was more than planned.
UP NEXT
Nets: Host Milwaukee on Tuesday night.
Hawks: Host Washington on Tuesday night.

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Waiting for just the right moment to launch his game-winning shot was no problem for Trae Young. He says he has been envisioning similar shots since he was a kid.
Young waited patiently for Mikal Bridges to fly past him before&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1629972871043768326" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">sinking a buzzer-beating jumper</a>&nbsp;over the reach of Spencer Dinwiddie to lift Atlanta to a 129-127 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, a few hours before the Hawks announced they hired Quin Snyder as their coach.
The Hawks took their final possession with 7.3 seconds remaining after Cam Johnson&rsquo;s 3-pointer tied the game at 127 with 7.8 seconds remaining. Young hit his&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1629973531160383488" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">pull-up 12-foot jumper</a>&nbsp;as Dinwiddie tried in vain to block the shot from behind.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been counting down those seconds since I was 5 years old, 6 years old,&rdquo; Young said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s nothing new.&rdquo;
Young finished with 34 points for the Hawks, who recovered after blowing an 18-point lead to overcome four Nets scorers with at least 20 points.
Atlanta, No. 8 in the East, won its second consecutive game under interim coach Joe Prunty after Nate McMillan was fired Tuesday. General manager Landry Fields announced Sunday night Snyder had been hired to replace McMillan. The team scheduled a news conference for Monday to introduce Snyder.
Johnson had 27 points for Brooklyn. Mikal Bridges scored 24 for the Nets, who have lost four of five. Cam Thomas added 22 points and Dinwiddie had 20.
The Nets began the day fifth in the Eastern Conference, only a half-game ahead of the New York Knicks. Coach Jacque Vaughn is trying to find a&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/brooklyn-nets-boston-celtics-nba-sports-jacque-vaughn-3bf0e66eaecd536eb8f8ca124e3cddba">new winning mix</a>&nbsp;after the team traded Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
&ldquo;You can&rsquo;t feel sorry for yourself,&rdquo; Vaughn said. &ldquo;What we have to do is continue to stay together and believe we can get it done.&rdquo;
Dorian Finney-Smith&rsquo;s 3 for Brooklyn with 48 seconds remaining cut Atlanta&rsquo;s lead to 127-124.
Both wins under Prunty have come against teams above the Hawks in the conference.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s great,&rdquo; said&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1629968509014007809" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dejounte Murray</a>, who scored 28 points. &ldquo;Like I continue to tell the players, we have no control over what the front office does. We&rsquo;re going to continue to work and try to build as many wins as we can.&rdquo;
Bogdan Bogdanovic added 22 for Atlanta. Bogdanovic&rsquo;s three 3-pointers early in the second quarter helped Atlanta take a 50-32 lead. Thomas had 11 points in the period, helping the Nets trim the Hawks&rsquo; lead to 64-57 at halftime.
Brooklyn kept its momentum to open the second half, taking a 78-73 lead. Onyeka Okongwu scored the final four points of the third period as Atlanta took a 97-94 advantage into the final period.
&ldquo;We would not give up in the second half even though we were down by double digits,&rdquo; Vaughn said.
STICKING WITH THE STARTERS
Vaughn stuck with his starters after the first five combined for only 34 points as the team set a season scoring low in an ugly 131-87 loss at Chicago on Friday night.
Before the game, Vaughn said he&rsquo;s looking for consistency and a balance of offense and defense. He said Finney-Smith, who had only two points against the Bulls, is &ldquo;one of our best defenders we have on the team.&rdquo;
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s pretty tough to take him out of the lineup when there&rsquo;s other offensive guys he&rsquo;s covering sins up for,&rdquo; Vaughn said of Finney-Smith.
TALKING ABOUT PRACTICE
When asked how many practices he has had with the team since the All-Star break, Vaughn referred to the blowout loss to the Bulls as &ldquo;a scrimmage with referees.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Nets: C Nic Claxton, from the University of Georgia, had four steals, three blocked shots and 11 rebounds. ... G Ben Simmons (left knee soreness) missed his second consecutive game.
Hawks: F John Collins returned with 12 points after missing one game while on concussion protocol. Collins was questionable with lower back tightness and cleared to start after pregame warmups, but his minutes were restricted. Collins logged almost 26 minutes, which Prunty acknowledged was more than planned.
UP NEXT
Nets: Host Milwaukee on Tuesday night.
Hawks: Host Washington on Tuesday night.

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Waiting for just the right moment to launch his game-winning shot was no problem for Trae Young. He says he has been envisioning similar shots since he was a kid.
Young waited patiently for Mikal Bridges to fly past him before&nbsp;sinking a buzzer-beating jumper&nbsp;over the reach of Spencer Dinwiddie to lift Atlanta to a 129-127 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, a few hours before the Hawks announced they hired Quin Snyder as their coach.
The Hawks took their final possession with 7.3 seconds remaining after Cam Johnson&rsquo;s 3-pointer tied the game at 127 with 7.8 seconds remaining. Young hit his&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1629973531160383488" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">pull-up 12-foot jumper</a>&nbsp;as Dinwiddie tried in vain to block the shot from behind.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been counting down those seconds since I was 5 years old, 6 years old,&rdquo; Young said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s nothing new.&rdquo;
Young finished with 34 points for the Hawks, who recovered after blowing an 18-point lead to overcome four Nets scorers with at least 20 points.
Atlanta, No. 8 in the East, won its second consecutive game under interim coach Joe Prunty after Nate McMillan was fired Tuesday. General manager Landry Fields announced Sunday night Snyder had been hired to replace McMillan. The team scheduled a news conference for Monday to introduce Snyder.
Johnson had 27 points for Brooklyn. Mikal Bridges scored 24 for the Nets, who have lost four of five. Cam Thomas added 22 points and Dinwiddie had 20.
The Nets began the day fifth in the Eastern Conference, only a half-game ahead of the New York Knicks. Coach Jacque Vaughn is trying to find a&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/brooklyn-nets-boston-celtics-nba-sports-jacque-vaughn-3bf0e66eaecd536eb8f8ca124e3cddba">new winning mix</a>&nbsp;after the team traded Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
&ldquo;You can&rsquo;t feel sorry for yourself,&rdquo; Vaughn said. &ldquo;What we have to do is continue to stay together and believe we can get it done.&rdquo;
Dorian Finney-Smith&rsquo;s 3 for Brooklyn with 48 seconds remaining cut Atlanta&rsquo;s lead to 127-124.
Both wins under Prunty have come against teams above the Hawks in the conference.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s great,&rdquo; said&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1629968509014007809" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dejounte Murray</a>, who scored 28 points. &ldquo;Like I continue to tell the players, we have no control over what the front office does. We&rsquo;re going to continue to work and try to build as many wins as we can.&rdquo;
Bogdan Bogdanovic added 22 for Atlanta. Bogdanovic&rsquo;s three 3-pointers early in the second quarter helped Atlanta take a 50-32 lead. Thomas had 11 points in the period, helping the Nets trim the Hawks&rsquo; lead to 64-57 at halftime.
Brooklyn kept its momentum to open the second half, taking a 78-73 lead. Onyeka Okongwu scored the final four points of the third period as Atlanta took a 97-94 advantage into the final period.
&ldquo;We would not give up in the second half even though we were down by double digits,&rdquo; Vaughn said.
STICKING WITH THE STARTERS
Vaughn stuck with his starters after the first five combined for only 34 points as the team set a season scoring low in an ugly 131-87 loss at Chicago on Friday night.
Before the game, Vaughn said he&rsquo;s looking for consistency and a balance of offense and defense. He said Finney-Smith, who had only two points against the Bulls, is &ldquo;one of our best defenders we have on the team.&rdquo;
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s pretty tough to take him out of the lineup when there&rsquo;s other offensive guys he&rsquo;s covering sins up for,&rdquo; Vaughn said of Finney-Smith.
TALKING ABOUT PRACTICE
When asked how many practices he has had with the team since the All-Star break, Vaughn referred to the blowout loss to the Bulls as &ldquo;a scrimmage with referees.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Nets: C Nic Claxton, from the University of Georgia, had four steals, three blocked shots and 11 rebounds. ... G Ben Simmons (left knee soreness) missed his second consecutive game.
Hawks: F John Collins returned with 12 points after missing one game while on concussion protocol. Collins was questionable with lower back tightness and cleared to start after pregame warmups, but his minutes were restricted. Collins logged almost 26 minutes, which Prunty acknowledged was more than planned.
UP NEXT
Nets: Host Milwaukee on Tuesday night.
Hawks: Host Washington on Tuesday night.

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Waiting for just the right moment to launch his game-winning shot was no problem for Trae Young. He says he has been envisioning similar shots since he was a kid.
Young waited patiently for Mikal Bridges to fly past him before&nbsp;sinking a buzzer-beating jumper&nbsp;over the reach of Spencer Dinwiddie to lift Atlanta to a 129-127 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, a few hours before the Hawks announced they hired Quin Snyder as their coach.
The Hawks took their final possession with 7.3 seconds remaining after Cam Johnson&rsquo;s 3-pointer tied the game at 127 with 7.8 seconds remaining. Young hit his&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1629973531160383488" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">pull-up 12-foot jumper</a>&nbsp;as Dinwiddie tried in vain to block the shot from behind.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been counting down those seconds since I was 5 years old, 6 years old,&rdquo; Young said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s nothing new.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
Young finished with 34 points for the Hawks, who recovered after blowing an 18-point lead to overcome four Nets scorers with at least 20 points.
Atlanta, No. 8 in the East, won its second consecutive game under interim coach Joe Prunty after Nate McMillan was fired Tuesday. General manager Landry Fields announced Sunday night Snyder had been hired to replace McMillan. The team scheduled a news conference for Monday to introduce Snyder.
Johnson had 27 points for Brooklyn. Mikal Bridges scored 24 for the Nets, who have lost four of five. Cam Thomas added 22 points and Dinwiddie had 20.
The Nets began the day fifth in the Eastern Conference, only a half-game ahead of the New York Knicks. Coach Jacque Vaughn is trying to find a&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/brooklyn-nets-boston-celtics-nba-sports-jacque-vaughn-3bf0e66eaecd536eb8f8ca124e3cddba">new winning mix</a>&nbsp;after the team traded Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
&ldquo;You can&rsquo;t feel sorry for yourself,&rdquo; Vaughn said. &ldquo;What we have to do is continue to stay together and believe we can get it done.&rdquo;
Dorian Finney-Smith&rsquo;s 3 for Brooklyn with 48 seconds remaining cut Atlanta&rsquo;s lead to 127-124.
Both wins under Prunty have come against teams above the Hawks in the conference.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s great,&rdquo; said&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1629968509014007809" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dejounte Murray</a>, who scored 28 points. &ldquo;Like I continue to tell the players, we have no control over what the front office does. We&rsquo;re going to continue to work and try to build as many wins as we can.&rdquo;
Bogdan Bogdanovic added 22 for Atlanta. Bogdanovic&rsquo;s three 3-pointers early in the second quarter helped Atlanta take a 50-32 lead. Thomas had 11 points in the period, helping the Nets trim the Hawks&rsquo; lead to 64-57 at halftime.
Brooklyn kept its momentum to open the second half, taking a 78-73 lead. Onyeka Okongwu scored the final four points of the third period as Atlanta took a 97-94 advantage into the final period.
&ldquo;We would not give up in the second half even though we were down by double digits,&rdquo; Vaughn said.
STICKING WITH THE STARTERS
Vaughn stuck with his starters after the first five combined for only 34 points as the team set a season scoring low in an ugly 131-87 loss at Chicago on Friday night.
Before the game, Vaughn said he&rsquo;s looking for consistency and a balance of offense and defense. He said Finney-Smith, who had only two points against the Bulls, is &ldquo;one of our best defenders we have on the team.&rdquo;
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s pretty tough to take him out of the lineup when there&rsquo;s other offensive guys he&rsquo;s covering sins up for,&rdquo; Vaughn said of Finney-Smith.
TALKING ABOUT PRACTICE
When asked how many practices he has had with the team since the All-Star break, Vaughn referred to the blowout loss to the Bulls as &ldquo;a scrimmage with referees.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Nets: C Nic Claxton, from the University of Georgia, had four steals, three blocked shots and 11 rebounds. ... G Ben Simmons (left knee soreness) missed his second consecutive game.
Hawks: F John Collins returned with 12 points after missing one game while on concussion protocol. Collins was questionable with lower back tightness and cleared to start after pregame warmups, but his minutes were restricted. Collins logged almost 26 minutes, which Prunty acknowledged was more than planned.
UP NEXT
Nets: Host Milwaukee on Tuesday night.
Hawks: Host Washington on Tuesday night.

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Waiting for just the right moment to launch his game-winning shot was no problem for Trae Young. He says he has been envisioning similar shots since he was a kid.
Young waited patiently for Mikal Bridges to fly past him before&nbsp;sinking a buzzer-beating jumper&nbsp;over the reach of Spencer Dinwiddie to lift Atlanta to a 129-127 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, a few hours before the Hawks announced they hired Quin Snyder as their coach.
The Hawks took their final possession with 7.3 seconds remaining after Cam Johnson&rsquo;s 3-pointer tied the game at 127 with 7.8 seconds remaining. Young hit his&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1629973531160383488" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">pull-up 12-foot jumper</a>&nbsp;as Dinwiddie tried in vain to block the shot from behind.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been counting down those seconds since I was 5 years old, 6 years old,&rdquo; Young said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s nothing new.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
TRAE YOUNG 🥶❄️🧊 <a href="https://t.co/fpxYBApcJr">pic.twitter.com/fpxYBApcJr</a>
&mdash; Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) <a href="https://twitter.com/ATLHawks/status/1629972871043768326?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2023</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Young finished with 34 points for the Hawks, who recovered after blowing an 18-point lead to overcome four Nets scorers with at least 20 points.
Atlanta, No. 8 in the East, won its second consecutive game under interim coach Joe Prunty after Nate McMillan was fired Tuesday. General manager Landry Fields announced Sunday night Snyder had been hired to replace McMillan. The team scheduled a news conference for Monday to introduce Snyder.
Johnson had 27 points for Brooklyn. Mikal Bridges scored 24 for the Nets, who have lost four of five. Cam Thomas added 22 points and Dinwiddie had 20.
The Nets began the day fifth in the Eastern Conference, only a half-game ahead of the New York Knicks. Coach Jacque Vaughn is trying to find a&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/brooklyn-nets-boston-celtics-nba-sports-jacque-vaughn-3bf0e66eaecd536eb8f8ca124e3cddba">new winning mix</a>&nbsp;after the team traded Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
&ldquo;You can&rsquo;t feel sorry for yourself,&rdquo; Vaughn said. &ldquo;What we have to do is continue to stay together and believe we can get it done.&rdquo;
Dorian Finney-Smith&rsquo;s 3 for Brooklyn with 48 seconds remaining cut Atlanta&rsquo;s lead to 127-124.
Both wins under Prunty have come against teams above the Hawks in the conference.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s great,&rdquo; said&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1629968509014007809" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dejounte Murray</a>, who scored 28 points. &ldquo;Like I continue to tell the players, we have no control over what the front office does. We&rsquo;re going to continue to work and try to build as many wins as we can.&rdquo;
Bogdan Bogdanovic added 22 for Atlanta. Bogdanovic&rsquo;s three 3-pointers early in the second quarter helped Atlanta take a 50-32 lead. Thomas had 11 points in the period, helping the Nets trim the Hawks&rsquo; lead to 64-57 at halftime.
Brooklyn kept its momentum to open the second half, taking a 78-73 lead. Onyeka Okongwu scored the final four points of the third period as Atlanta took a 97-94 advantage into the final period.
&ldquo;We would not give up in the second half even though we were down by double digits,&rdquo; Vaughn said.
STICKING WITH THE STARTERS
Vaughn stuck with his starters after the first five combined for only 34 points as the team set a season scoring low in an ugly 131-87 loss at Chicago on Friday night.
Before the game, Vaughn said he&rsquo;s looking for consistency and a balance of offense and defense. He said Finney-Smith, who had only two points against the Bulls, is &ldquo;one of our best defenders we have on the team.&rdquo;
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s pretty tough to take him out of the lineup when there&rsquo;s other offensive guys he&rsquo;s covering sins up for,&rdquo; Vaughn said of Finney-Smith.
TALKING ABOUT PRACTICE
When asked how many practices he has had with the team since the All-Star break, Vaughn referred to the blowout loss to the Bulls as &ldquo;a scrimmage with referees.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Nets: C Nic Claxton, from the University of Georgia, had four steals, three blocked shots and 11 rebounds. ... G Ben Simmons (left knee soreness) missed his second consecutive game.
Hawks: F John Collins returned with 12 points after missing one game while on concussion protocol. Collins was questionable with lower back tightness and cleared to start after pregame warmups, but his minutes were restricted. Collins logged almost 26 minutes, which Prunty acknowledged was more than planned.
UP NEXT
Nets: Host Milwaukee on Tuesday night.
Hawks: Host Washington on Tuesday night.

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Waiting for just the right moment to launch his game-winning shot was no problem for Trae Young. He says he has been envisioning similar shots since he was a kid.
Young waited patiently for Mikal Bridges to fly past him before&nbsp;sinking a buzzer-beating jumper&nbsp;over the reach of Spencer Dinwiddie to lift Atlanta to a 129-127 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, a few hours before the Hawks announced they hired Quin Snyder as their coach.
The Hawks took their final possession with 7.3 seconds remaining after Cam Johnson&rsquo;s 3-pointer tied the game at 127 with 7.8 seconds remaining. Young hit his&nbsp;pull-up 12-foot jumper&nbsp;as Dinwiddie tried in vain to block the shot from behind.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been counting down those seconds since I was 5 years old, 6 years old,&rdquo; Young said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s nothing new.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
TRAE YOUNG 🥶❄️🧊 <a href="https://t.co/fpxYBApcJr">pic.twitter.com/fpxYBApcJr</a>
&mdash; Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) <a href="https://twitter.com/ATLHawks/status/1629972871043768326?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2023</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Young finished with 34 points for the Hawks, who recovered after blowing an 18-point lead to overcome four Nets scorers with at least 20 points.
Atlanta, No. 8 in the East, won its second consecutive game under interim coach Joe Prunty after Nate McMillan was fired Tuesday. General manager Landry Fields announced Sunday night Snyder had been hired to replace McMillan. The team scheduled a news conference for Monday to introduce Snyder.
Johnson had 27 points for Brooklyn. Mikal Bridges scored 24 for the Nets, who have lost four of five. Cam Thomas added 22 points and Dinwiddie had 20.
The Nets began the day fifth in the Eastern Conference, only a half-game ahead of the New York Knicks. Coach Jacque Vaughn is trying to find a&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/brooklyn-nets-boston-celtics-nba-sports-jacque-vaughn-3bf0e66eaecd536eb8f8ca124e3cddba">new winning mix</a>&nbsp;after the team traded Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
&ldquo;You can&rsquo;t feel sorry for yourself,&rdquo; Vaughn said. &ldquo;What we have to do is continue to stay together and believe we can get it done.&rdquo;
Dorian Finney-Smith&rsquo;s 3 for Brooklyn with 48 seconds remaining cut Atlanta&rsquo;s lead to 127-124.
Both wins under Prunty have come against teams above the Hawks in the conference.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s great,&rdquo; said&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1629968509014007809" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dejounte Murray</a>, who scored 28 points. &ldquo;Like I continue to tell the players, we have no control over what the front office does. We&rsquo;re going to continue to work and try to build as many wins as we can.&rdquo;
Bogdan Bogdanovic added 22 for Atlanta. Bogdanovic&rsquo;s three 3-pointers early in the second quarter helped Atlanta take a 50-32 lead. Thomas had 11 points in the period, helping the Nets trim the Hawks&rsquo; lead to 64-57 at halftime.
Brooklyn kept its momentum to open the second half, taking a 78-73 lead. Onyeka Okongwu scored the final four points of the third period as Atlanta took a 97-94 advantage into the final period.
&ldquo;We would not give up in the second half even though we were down by double digits,&rdquo; Vaughn said.
STICKING WITH THE STARTERS
Vaughn stuck with his starters after the first five combined for only 34 points as the team set a season scoring low in an ugly 131-87 loss at Chicago on Friday night.
Before the game, Vaughn said he&rsquo;s looking for consistency and a balance of offense and defense. He said Finney-Smith, who had only two points against the Bulls, is &ldquo;one of our best defenders we have on the team.&rdquo;
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s pretty tough to take him out of the lineup when there&rsquo;s other offensive guys he&rsquo;s covering sins up for,&rdquo; Vaughn said of Finney-Smith.
TALKING ABOUT PRACTICE
When asked how many practices he has had with the team since the All-Star break, Vaughn referred to the blowout loss to the Bulls as &ldquo;a scrimmage with referees.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Nets: C Nic Claxton, from the University of Georgia, had four steals, three blocked shots and 11 rebounds. ... G Ben Simmons (left knee soreness) missed his second consecutive game.
Hawks: F John Collins returned with 12 points after missing one game while on concussion protocol. Collins was questionable with lower back tightness and cleared to start after pregame warmups, but his minutes were restricted. Collins logged almost 26 minutes, which Prunty acknowledged was more than planned.
UP NEXT
Nets: Host Milwaukee on Tuesday night.
Hawks: Host Washington on Tuesday night.

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Waiting for just the right moment to launch his game-winning shot was no problem for Trae Young. He says he has been envisioning similar shots since he was a kid.
Young waited patiently for Mikal Bridges to fly past him before&nbsp;sinking a buzzer-beating jumper&nbsp;over the reach of Spencer Dinwiddie to lift Atlanta to a 129-127 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, a few hours before the Hawks announced they hired Quin Snyder as their coach.
The Hawks took their final possession with 7.3 seconds remaining after Cam Johnson&rsquo;s 3-pointer tied the game at 127 with 7.8 seconds remaining. Young hit his&nbsp;pull-up 12-foot jumper&nbsp;as Dinwiddie tried in vain to block the shot from behind.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been counting down those seconds since I was 5 years old, 6 years old,&rdquo; Young said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s nothing new.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
TRAE YOUNG 🥶❄️🧊 <a href="https://t.co/fpxYBApcJr">pic.twitter.com/fpxYBApcJr</a>
&mdash; Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) <a href="https://twitter.com/ATLHawks/status/1629972871043768326?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2023</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Young finished with 34 points for the Hawks, who recovered after blowing an 18-point lead to overcome four Nets scorers with at least 20 points.
Atlanta, No. 8 in the East, won its second consecutive game under interim coach Joe Prunty after Nate McMillan was fired Tuesday. General manager Landry Fields announced Sunday night Snyder had been hired to replace McMillan. The team scheduled a news conference for Monday to introduce Snyder.
Johnson had 27 points for Brooklyn. Mikal Bridges scored 24 for the Nets, who have lost four of five. Cam Thomas added 22 points and Dinwiddie had 20.
The Nets began the day fifth in the Eastern Conference, only a half-game ahead of the New York Knicks. Coach Jacque Vaughn is trying to find a&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/brooklyn-nets-boston-celtics-nba-sports-jacque-vaughn-3bf0e66eaecd536eb8f8ca124e3cddba">new winning mix</a>&nbsp;after the team traded Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
&ldquo;You can&rsquo;t feel sorry for yourself,&rdquo; Vaughn said. &ldquo;What we have to do is continue to stay together and believe we can get it done.&rdquo;
Dorian Finney-Smith&rsquo;s 3 for Brooklyn with 48 seconds remaining cut Atlanta&rsquo;s lead to 127-124.
Both wins under Prunty have come against teams above the Hawks in the conference.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s great,&rdquo; said&nbsp;Dejounte Murray, who scored 28 points. &ldquo;Like I continue to tell the players, we have no control over what the front office does. We&rsquo;re going to continue to work and try to build as many wins as we can.&rdquo;
Bogdan Bogdanovic added 22 for Atlanta. Bogdanovic&rsquo;s three 3-pointers early in the second quarter helped Atlanta take a 50-32 lead. Thomas had 11 points in the period, helping the Nets trim the Hawks&rsquo; lead to 64-57 at halftime.
Brooklyn kept its momentum to open the second half, taking a 78-73 lead. Onyeka Okongwu scored the final four points of the third period as Atlanta took a 97-94 advantage into the final period.
&ldquo;We would not give up in the second half even though we were down by double digits,&rdquo; Vaughn said.
STICKING WITH THE STARTERS
Vaughn stuck with his starters after the first five combined for only 34 points as the team set a season scoring low in an ugly 131-87 loss at Chicago on Friday night.
Before the game, Vaughn said he&rsquo;s looking for consistency and a balance of offense and defense. He said Finney-Smith, who had only two points against the Bulls, is &ldquo;one of our best defenders we have on the team.&rdquo;
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s pretty tough to take him out of the lineup when there&rsquo;s other offensive guys he&rsquo;s covering sins up for,&rdquo; Vaughn said of Finney-Smith.
TALKING ABOUT PRACTICE
When asked how many practices he has had with the team since the All-Star break, Vaughn referred to the blowout loss to the Bulls as &ldquo;a scrimmage with referees.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Nets: C Nic Claxton, from the University of Georgia, had four steals, three blocked shots and 11 rebounds. ... G Ben Simmons (left knee soreness) missed his second consecutive game.
Hawks: F John Collins returned with 12 points after missing one game while on concussion protocol. Collins was questionable with lower back tightness and cleared to start after pregame warmups, but his minutes were restricted. Collins logged almost 26 minutes, which Prunty acknowledged was more than planned.
UP NEXT
Nets: Host Milwaukee on Tuesday night.
Hawks: Host Washington on Tuesday night.

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Waiting for just the right moment to launch his game-winning shot was no problem for Trae Young. He says he has been envisioning similar shots since he was a kid.
Young waited patiently for Mikal Bridges to fly past him before&nbsp;sinking a buzzer-beating jumper&nbsp;over the reach of Spencer Dinwiddie to lift Atlanta to a 129-127 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, a few hours before the Hawks announced they hired Quin Snyder as their coach.
The Hawks took their final possession with 7.3 seconds remaining after Cam Johnson&rsquo;s 3-pointer tied the game at 127 with 7.8 seconds remaining. Young hit his&nbsp;pull-up 12-foot jumper&nbsp;as Dinwiddie tried in vain to block the shot from behind.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been counting down those seconds since I was 5 years old, 6 years old,&rdquo; Young said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s nothing new.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
TRAE YOUNG 🥶❄️🧊 <a href="https://t.co/fpxYBApcJr">pic.twitter.com/fpxYBApcJr</a>
&mdash; Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) <a href="https://twitter.com/ATLHawks/status/1629972871043768326?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2023</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Young finished with 34 points for the Hawks, who recovered after blowing an 18-point lead to overcome four Nets scorers with at least 20 points.
Atlanta, No. 8 in the East, won its second consecutive game under interim coach Joe Prunty after Nate McMillan was fired Tuesday. General manager Landry Fields announced Sunday night Snyder had been hired to replace McMillan. The team scheduled a news conference for Monday to introduce Snyder.
Johnson had 27 points for Brooklyn. Mikal Bridges scored 24 for the Nets, who have lost four of five. Cam Thomas added 22 points and Dinwiddie had 20.
The Nets began the day fifth in the Eastern Conference, only a half-game ahead of the New York Knicks. Coach Jacque Vaughn is trying to find a&nbsp;new winning mix&nbsp;after the team traded Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
&ldquo;You can&rsquo;t feel sorry for yourself,&rdquo; Vaughn said. &ldquo;What we have to do is continue to stay together and believe we can get it done.&rdquo;
Dorian Finney-Smith&rsquo;s 3 for Brooklyn with 48 seconds remaining cut Atlanta&rsquo;s lead to 127-124.
Both wins under Prunty have come against teams above the Hawks in the conference.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s great,&rdquo; said&nbsp;Dejounte Murray, who scored 28 points. &ldquo;Like I continue to tell the players, we have no control over what the front office does. We&rsquo;re going to continue to work and try to build as many wins as we can.&rdquo;
Bogdan Bogdanovic added 22 for Atlanta. Bogdanovic&rsquo;s three 3-pointers early in the second quarter helped Atlanta take a 50-32 lead. Thomas had 11 points in the period, helping the Nets trim the Hawks&rsquo; lead to 64-57 at halftime.
Brooklyn kept its momentum to open the second half, taking a 78-73 lead. Onyeka Okongwu scored the final four points of the third period as Atlanta took a 97-94 advantage into the final period.
&ldquo;We would not give up in the second half even though we were down by double digits,&rdquo; Vaughn said.
STICKING WITH THE STARTERS
Vaughn stuck with his starters after the first five combined for only 34 points as the team set a season scoring low in an ugly 131-87 loss at Chicago on Friday night.
Before the game, Vaughn said he&rsquo;s looking for consistency and a balance of offense and defense. He said Finney-Smith, who had only two points against the Bulls, is &ldquo;one of our best defenders we have on the team.&rdquo;
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s pretty tough to take him out of the lineup when there&rsquo;s other offensive guys he&rsquo;s covering sins up for,&rdquo; Vaughn said of Finney-Smith.
TALKING ABOUT PRACTICE
When asked how many practices he has had with the team since the All-Star break, Vaughn referred to the blowout loss to the Bulls as &ldquo;a scrimmage with referees.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Nets: C Nic Claxton, from the University of Georgia, had four steals, three blocked shots and 11 rebounds. ... G Ben Simmons (left knee soreness) missed his second consecutive game.
Hawks: F John Collins returned with 12 points after missing one game while on concussion protocol. Collins was questionable with lower back tightness and cleared to start after pregame warmups, but his minutes were restricted. Collins logged almost 26 minutes, which Prunty acknowledged was more than planned.
UP NEXT
Nets: Host Milwaukee on Tuesday night.
Hawks: Host Washington on Tuesday night.

A few hours before the Hawks hired Quin Snyder as their new coach, Trae Young lifted Atlanta to a 129-127 win over the Nets on Sunday.

Trae Young's buzzer-beating jumper lifts Hawks past Nets 129-127

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Trae Young says he has &ldquo;nothing but love and respect&rdquo; for former Atlanta Hawks coach Nate McMillan and expects to have no input in the hiring of McMillan&rsquo;s replacement.
Young spoke with reporters on Friday for the first time since&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-pacers-atlanta-hawks-portland-trail-blazers-nba-sports-fdb995cad88d7a509b49ca747008f96c">McMillan was fired on Tuesday</a>&nbsp;with the Hawks in eighth place in the Eastern Conference. Young was not available following Wednesday&rsquo;s practice and was excused from Thursday&rsquo;s practice for personal reasons.
Young is preparing for his third full-time coach in five seasons. Asked if he is worried another change impacts the perception of his ability to maintain long relationships with coaches, Young said &ldquo;People are going to say what they&rsquo;ve got to say.
&ldquo;A lot of players have played for a lot of coaches. I don&rsquo;t look at it like that. I&rsquo;m not looking at the next coach who comes in here. I&rsquo;m trying to win a championship, whatever it is, I&rsquo;m just trying to win.&rdquo;
<div class="Component-dfp-0-2-70 apnews_article_midarticle_1" data-card-id="sovrn-article-midarticle">&nbsp;</div>

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Trae Young says he has &ldquo;nothing but love and respect&rdquo; for former Atlanta Hawks coach Nate McMillan and expects to have no input in the hiring of McMillan&rsquo;s replacement.
Young spoke with reporters on Friday for the first time since&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-pacers-atlanta-hawks-portland-trail-blazers-nba-sports-fdb995cad88d7a509b49ca747008f96c">McMillan was fired on Tuesday</a>&nbsp;with the Hawks in eighth place in the Eastern Conference. Young was not available following Wednesday&rsquo;s practice and was excused from Thursday&rsquo;s practice for personal reasons.
Young is preparing for his third full-time coach in five seasons. Asked if he is worried another change impacts the perception of his ability to maintain long relationships with coaches, Young said &ldquo;People are going to say what they&rsquo;ve got to say.
&ldquo;A lot of players have played for a lot of coaches. I don&rsquo;t look at it like that. I&rsquo;m not looking at the next coach who comes in here. I&rsquo;m trying to win a championship, whatever it is, I&rsquo;m just trying to win.&rdquo;
Young, a two-time All-Star, is Atlanta&rsquo;s on-court team leader as the starting point guard while also ranking as the team&rsquo;s top scorer with 26.7 points per game. He dismissed speculation he had a rocky relationship with McMillan.
&ldquo;There&rsquo;s a lot of moments that people really don&rsquo;t understand that me and him have had and that&rsquo;s OK,&rdquo; Young said after Friday morning&rsquo;s practice. &ldquo;It will get brought up eventually. I know I don&rsquo;t tell everybody everything. I kind of let y&rsquo;all make up rumors about certain things about how I am and how my relationship is with certain people. I just play basketball.&rdquo;
&nbsp;

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Trae Young says he has &ldquo;nothing but love and respect&rdquo; for former Atlanta Hawks coach Nate McMillan and expects to have no input in the hiring of McMillan&rsquo;s replacement.
Young spoke with reporters on Friday for the first time since&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-pacers-atlanta-hawks-portland-trail-blazers-nba-sports-fdb995cad88d7a509b49ca747008f96c">McMillan was fired on Tuesday</a>&nbsp;with the Hawks in eighth place in the Eastern Conference. Young was not available following Wednesday&rsquo;s practice and was excused from Thursday&rsquo;s practice for personal reasons.
Young is preparing for his third full-time coach in five seasons. Asked if he is worried another change impacts the perception of his ability to maintain long relationships with coaches, Young said &ldquo;People are going to say what they&rsquo;ve got to say.
&ldquo;A lot of players have played for a lot of coaches. I don&rsquo;t look at it like that. I&rsquo;m not looking at the next coach who comes in here. I&rsquo;m trying to win a championship, whatever it is, I&rsquo;m just trying to win.&rdquo;
Young, a two-time All-Star, is Atlanta&rsquo;s on-court team leader as the starting point guard while also ranking as the team&rsquo;s top scorer with 26.7 points per game. He dismissed speculation he had a rocky relationship with McMillan.
&ldquo;There&rsquo;s a lot of moments that people really don&rsquo;t understand that me and him have had and that&rsquo;s OK,&rdquo; Young said after Friday morning&rsquo;s practice. &ldquo;It will get brought up eventually. I know I don&rsquo;t tell everybody everything. I kind of let y&rsquo;all make up rumors about certain things about how I am and how my relationship is with certain people. I just play basketball.&rdquo;
Young said he has talked with McMillan since the firing and added &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not the last time he and I are going to talk.&rdquo;
Hawks general manager Landry Fields on Wednesday said speculation that McMillan was hampered by conflicts with Young were unfair to Young. Fields said McMillan&rsquo;s relationship with Young was not a factor in his decision to make a coaching change.
Fields said he already has launched his search for McMillan&rsquo;s full-time replacement and said&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/atlanta-hawks-nba-sports-playoffs-nate-mcmillan-cb25039415b0a651ff041b515a27a5bd">former Utah coach Quin Snyder is a candidate.</a>
Young said &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t care to have any input&rdquo; in the coaching search.
&ldquo;I trust those guys up top,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Since I&rsquo;ve been here I&rsquo;ve always said that. Nothing has changed for me.&rdquo;
Fields said he believed it was time for a new voice on the Hawks bench and said &ldquo;there was slippage&rdquo; as the team lost four of six games before the All-Star break.
&nbsp;

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Trae Young says he has &ldquo;nothing but love and respect&rdquo; for former Atlanta Hawks coach Nate McMillan and expects to have no input in the hiring of McMillan&rsquo;s replacement.
Young spoke with reporters on Friday for the first time since&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-pacers-atlanta-hawks-portland-trail-blazers-nba-sports-fdb995cad88d7a509b49ca747008f96c">McMillan was fired on Tuesday</a>&nbsp;with the Hawks in eighth place in the Eastern Conference. Young was not available following Wednesday&rsquo;s practice and was excused from Thursday&rsquo;s practice for personal reasons.
Young is preparing for his third full-time coach in five seasons. Asked if he is worried another change impacts the perception of his ability to maintain long relationships with coaches, Young said &ldquo;People are going to say what they&rsquo;ve got to say.
&ldquo;A lot of players have played for a lot of coaches. I don&rsquo;t look at it like that. I&rsquo;m not looking at the next coach who comes in here. I&rsquo;m trying to win a championship, whatever it is, I&rsquo;m just trying to win.&rdquo;
Young, a two-time All-Star, is Atlanta&rsquo;s on-court team leader as the starting point guard while also ranking as the team&rsquo;s top scorer with 26.7 points per game. He dismissed speculation he had a rocky relationship with McMillan.
&ldquo;There&rsquo;s a lot of moments that people really don&rsquo;t understand that me and him have had and that&rsquo;s OK,&rdquo; Young said after Friday morning&rsquo;s practice. &ldquo;It will get brought up eventually. I know I don&rsquo;t tell everybody everything. I kind of let y&rsquo;all make up rumors about certain things about how I am and how my relationship is with certain people. I just play basketball.&rdquo;
Young said he has talked with McMillan since the firing and added &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not the last time he and I are going to talk.&rdquo;
Hawks general manager Landry Fields on Wednesday said speculation that McMillan was hampered by conflicts with Young were unfair to Young. Fields said McMillan&rsquo;s relationship with Young was not a factor in his decision to make a coaching change.
Fields said he already has launched his search for McMillan&rsquo;s full-time replacement and said&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/atlanta-hawks-nba-sports-playoffs-nate-mcmillan-cb25039415b0a651ff041b515a27a5bd">former Utah coach Quin Snyder is a candidate.</a>
Young said &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t care to have any input&rdquo; in the coaching search.
&ldquo;I trust those guys up top,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Since I&rsquo;ve been here I&rsquo;ve always said that. Nothing has changed for me.&rdquo;
Fields said he believed it was time for a new voice on the Hawks bench and said &ldquo;there was slippage&rdquo; as the team lost four of six games before the All-Star break.
Asked if he believes it was time for a new voice, Young said &ldquo;That&rsquo;s not up to me.&rdquo;
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know. I think that&rsquo;s part of it. I think sometimes it&rsquo;s not always going to be easy. Some conversations are not going to go great. That&rsquo;s just part of it. Not every situation is easy and nice.&rdquo;
Young participated in Friday&rsquo;s practice and is expected to start in Friday night&rsquo;s game against Cleveland as the Hawks (29-30) hope for a late-season surge under interim coach Joe Prunty.

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Trae Young says he has &ldquo;nothing but love and respect&rdquo; for former Atlanta Hawks coach Nate McMillan and expects to have no input in the hiring of McMillan&rsquo;s replacement.
Young spoke with reporters on Friday for the first time since&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-pacers-atlanta-hawks-portland-trail-blazers-nba-sports-fdb995cad88d7a509b49ca747008f96c">McMillan was fired on Tuesday</a>&nbsp;with the Hawks in eighth place in the Eastern Conference. Young was not available following Wednesday&rsquo;s practice and was excused from Thursday&rsquo;s practice for personal reasons.
Young is preparing for his third full-time coach in five seasons. Asked if he is worried another change impacts the perception of his ability to maintain long relationships with coaches, Young said &ldquo;People are going to say what they&rsquo;ve got to say.
&ldquo;A lot of players have played for a lot of coaches. I don&rsquo;t look at it like that. I&rsquo;m not looking at the next coach who comes in here. I&rsquo;m trying to win a championship, whatever it is, I&rsquo;m just trying to win.&rdquo;
Young, a two-time All-Star, is Atlanta&rsquo;s on-court team leader as the starting point guard while also ranking as the team&rsquo;s top scorer with 26.7 points per game. He dismissed speculation he had a rocky relationship with McMillan.
&ldquo;There&rsquo;s a lot of moments that people really don&rsquo;t understand that me and him have had and that&rsquo;s OK,&rdquo; Young said after Friday morning&rsquo;s practice. &ldquo;It will get brought up eventually. I know I don&rsquo;t tell everybody everything. I kind of let y&rsquo;all make up rumors about certain things about how I am and how my relationship is with certain people. I just play basketball.&rdquo;
Young said he has talked with McMillan since the firing and added &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not the last time he and I are going to talk.&rdquo;
Hawks general manager Landry Fields on Wednesday said speculation that McMillan was hampered by conflicts with Young were unfair to Young. Fields said McMillan&rsquo;s relationship with Young was not a factor in his decision to make a coaching change.
Fields said he already has launched his search for McMillan&rsquo;s full-time replacement and said&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/atlanta-hawks-nba-sports-playoffs-nate-mcmillan-cb25039415b0a651ff041b515a27a5bd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">former Utah coach Quin Snyder is a candidate.</a>
Young said &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t care to have any input&rdquo; in the coaching search.
&ldquo;I trust those guys up top,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Since I&rsquo;ve been here I&rsquo;ve always said that. Nothing has changed for me.&rdquo;
Fields said he believed it was time for a new voice on the Hawks bench and said &ldquo;there was slippage&rdquo; as the team lost four of six games before the All-Star break.
Asked if he believes it was time for a new voice, Young said &ldquo;That&rsquo;s not up to me.&rdquo;
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know. I think that&rsquo;s part of it. I think sometimes it&rsquo;s not always going to be easy. Some conversations are not going to go great. That&rsquo;s just part of it. Not every situation is easy and nice.&rdquo;
Young participated in Friday&rsquo;s practice and is expected to start in Friday night&rsquo;s game against Cleveland as the Hawks (29-30) hope for a late-season surge under interim coach Joe Prunty.

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Trae Young says he has &ldquo;nothing but love and respect&rdquo; for former Atlanta Hawks coach Nate McMillan and expects to have no input in the hiring of McMillan&rsquo;s replacement.
Young spoke with reporters on Friday for the first time since&nbsp;McMillan was fired on Tuesday&nbsp;with the Hawks in eighth place in the Eastern Conference. Young was not available following Wednesday&rsquo;s practice and was excused from Thursday&rsquo;s practice for personal reasons.
Young is preparing for his third full-time coach in five seasons. Asked if he is worried another change impacts the perception of his ability to maintain long relationships with coaches, Young said &ldquo;People are going to say what they&rsquo;ve got to say.
&ldquo;A lot of players have played for a lot of coaches. I don&rsquo;t look at it like that. I&rsquo;m not looking at the next coach who comes in here. I&rsquo;m trying to win a championship, whatever it is, I&rsquo;m just trying to win.&rdquo;
Young, a two-time All-Star, is Atlanta&rsquo;s on-court team leader as the starting point guard while also ranking as the team&rsquo;s top scorer with 26.7 points per game. He dismissed speculation he had a rocky relationship with McMillan.
&ldquo;There&rsquo;s a lot of moments that people really don&rsquo;t understand that me and him have had and that&rsquo;s OK,&rdquo; Young said after Friday morning&rsquo;s practice. &ldquo;It will get brought up eventually. I know I don&rsquo;t tell everybody everything. I kind of let y&rsquo;all make up rumors about certain things about how I am and how my relationship is with certain people. I just play basketball.&rdquo;
Young said he has talked with McMillan since the firing and added &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not the last time he and I are going to talk.&rdquo;
Hawks general manager Landry Fields on Wednesday said speculation that McMillan was hampered by conflicts with Young were unfair to Young. Fields said McMillan&rsquo;s relationship with Young was not a factor in his decision to make a coaching change.
Fields said he already has launched his search for McMillan&rsquo;s full-time replacement and said&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/atlanta-hawks-nba-sports-playoffs-nate-mcmillan-cb25039415b0a651ff041b515a27a5bd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">former Utah coach Quin Snyder is a candidate.</a>
Young said &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t care to have any input&rdquo; in the coaching search.
&ldquo;I trust those guys up top,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Since I&rsquo;ve been here I&rsquo;ve always said that. Nothing has changed for me.&rdquo;
Fields said he believed it was time for a new voice on the Hawks bench and said &ldquo;there was slippage&rdquo; as the team lost four of six games before the All-Star break.
Asked if he believes it was time for a new voice, Young said &ldquo;That&rsquo;s not up to me.&rdquo;
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know. I think that&rsquo;s part of it. I think sometimes it&rsquo;s not always going to be easy. Some conversations are not going to go great. That&rsquo;s just part of it. Not every situation is easy and nice.&rdquo;
Young participated in Friday&rsquo;s practice and is expected to start in Friday night&rsquo;s game against Cleveland as the Hawks (29-30) hope for a late-season surge under interim coach Joe Prunty.

Trae Young says he has “nothing but love and respect” for former Atlanta Hawks coach Nate McMillan.

Trae Young expresses ‘love and respect’ for fired Nate McMillan

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; The Atlanta Hawks returned from the All-Star break &mdash; and a coaching change &mdash; refreshed and motivated.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, playing on the second night of a back-to-back, couldn&rsquo;t match Atlanta&rsquo;s energy and drive.
Trae Young scored 34 points and the Hawks beat the Cavaliers 136-119 on Friday night in their first game under interim coach Joe Prunty.
Dejounte Murray had 15 of his 25 points in Atlanta&rsquo;s high-scoring second period.
Darius Garland led the Cavaliers, who suffered their third straight loss, with 33 points. Donovan Mitchell had 19.
The Hawks played their first game since coach&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-pacers-atlanta-hawks-portland-trail-blazers-nba-sports-fdb995cad88d7a509b49ca747008f96c">Nate McMillan was fired</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday. The team had three practices, including a shootaround session on Friday morning, under Prunty, who had been McMillan&rsquo;s lead assistant.
&ldquo;Each night is a new experience, understanding a team that is fresh and newly motivated,&rdquo; said Cleveland coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who said that created a challenge for his players &ldquo;being prepared to match that, and I don&rsquo;t think we matched that enough. ... We didn&rsquo;t put up much resistance, especially in the first half.&rdquo;

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; The Atlanta Hawks returned from the All-Star break &mdash; and a coaching change &mdash; refreshed and motivated.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, playing on the second night of a back-to-back, couldn&rsquo;t match Atlanta&rsquo;s energy and drive.
Trae Young scored 34 points and the Hawks beat the Cavaliers 136-119 on Friday night in their first game under interim coach Joe Prunty.
Dejounte Murray had 15 of his 25 points in Atlanta&rsquo;s high-scoring second period.
Darius Garland led the Cavaliers, who suffered their third straight loss, with 33 points. Donovan Mitchell had 19.
The Hawks played their first game since coach&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-pacers-atlanta-hawks-portland-trail-blazers-nba-sports-fdb995cad88d7a509b49ca747008f96c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nate McMillan was fired</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday. The team had three practices, including a shootaround session on Friday morning, under Prunty, who had been McMillan&rsquo;s lead assistant.
&ldquo;Each night is a new experience, understanding a team that is fresh and newly motivated,&rdquo; said Cleveland coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who said that created a challenge for his players &ldquo;being prepared to match that, and I don&rsquo;t think we matched that enough. ... We didn&rsquo;t put up much resistance, especially in the first half.&rdquo;
&nbsp;

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; The Atlanta Hawks returned from the All-Star break &mdash; and a coaching change &mdash; refreshed and motivated.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, playing on the second night of a back-to-back, couldn&rsquo;t match Atlanta&rsquo;s energy and drive.
Trae Young scored 34 points and the Hawks beat the Cavaliers 136-119 on Friday night in their first game under interim coach Joe Prunty.
Dejounte Murray had 15 of his 25 points in Atlanta&rsquo;s high-scoring second period.
Darius Garland led the Cavaliers, who suffered their third straight loss, with 33 points. Donovan Mitchell had 19.
The Hawks played their first game since coach&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-pacers-atlanta-hawks-portland-trail-blazers-nba-sports-fdb995cad88d7a509b49ca747008f96c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nate McMillan was fired</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday. The team had three practices, including a shootaround session on Friday morning, under Prunty, who had been McMillan&rsquo;s lead assistant.
&ldquo;Each night is a new experience, understanding a team that is fresh and newly motivated,&rdquo; said Cleveland coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who said that created a challenge for his players &ldquo;being prepared to match that, and I don&rsquo;t think we matched that enough. ... We didn&rsquo;t put up much resistance, especially in the first half.&rdquo;
The Cavaliers lost to Denver 115-109 on Thursday night.
General manager Landry Fields said Wednesday that former Utah coach&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/atlanta-hawks-nba-sports-playoffs-nate-mcmillan-cb25039415b0a651ff041b515a27a5bd">Quin Snyder is a candidate</a>&nbsp;to replace McMillan. Snyder could be hired to take over the team this season.

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; The Atlanta Hawks returned from the All-Star break &mdash; and a coaching change &mdash; refreshed and motivated.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, playing on the second night of a back-to-back, couldn&rsquo;t match Atlanta&rsquo;s energy and drive.
Trae Young scored 34 points and the Hawks beat the Cavaliers 136-119 on Friday night in their first game under interim coach Joe Prunty.
Dejounte Murray had 15 of his 25 points in Atlanta&rsquo;s high-scoring second period.
Darius Garland led the Cavaliers, who suffered their third straight loss, with 33 points. Donovan Mitchell had 19.
The Hawks played their first game since coach&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-pacers-atlanta-hawks-portland-trail-blazers-nba-sports-fdb995cad88d7a509b49ca747008f96c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nate McMillan was fired</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday. The team had three practices, including a shootaround session on Friday morning, under Prunty, who had been McMillan&rsquo;s lead assistant.
&ldquo;Each night is a new experience, understanding a team that is fresh and newly motivated,&rdquo; said Cleveland coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who said that created a challenge for his players &ldquo;being prepared to match that, and I don&rsquo;t think we matched that enough. ... We didn&rsquo;t put up much resistance, especially in the first half.&rdquo;
The Cavaliers lost to Denver 115-109 on Thursday night.
General manager Landry Fields said Wednesday that former Utah coach&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/atlanta-hawks-nba-sports-playoffs-nate-mcmillan-cb25039415b0a651ff041b515a27a5bd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Quin Snyder is a candidate</a>&nbsp;to replace McMillan. Snyder could be hired to take over the team this season.
&nbsp;

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; The Atlanta Hawks returned from the All-Star break &mdash; and a coaching change &mdash; refreshed and motivated.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, playing on the second night of a back-to-back, couldn&rsquo;t match Atlanta&rsquo;s energy and drive.
Trae Young scored 34 points and the Hawks beat the Cavaliers 136-119 on Friday night in their first game under interim coach Joe Prunty.
Dejounte Murray had 15 of his 25 points in Atlanta&rsquo;s high-scoring second period.
Darius Garland led the Cavaliers, who suffered their third straight loss, with 33 points. Donovan Mitchell had 19.
The Hawks played their first game since coach&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-pacers-atlanta-hawks-portland-trail-blazers-nba-sports-fdb995cad88d7a509b49ca747008f96c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nate McMillan was fired</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday. The team had three practices, including a shootaround session on Friday morning, under Prunty, who had been McMillan&rsquo;s lead assistant.
&ldquo;Each night is a new experience, understanding a team that is fresh and newly motivated,&rdquo; said Cleveland coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who said that created a challenge for his players &ldquo;being prepared to match that, and I don&rsquo;t think we matched that enough. ... We didn&rsquo;t put up much resistance, especially in the first half.&rdquo;
The Cavaliers lost to Denver 115-109 on Thursday night.
General manager Landry Fields said Wednesday that former Utah coach&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/atlanta-hawks-nba-sports-playoffs-nate-mcmillan-cb25039415b0a651ff041b515a27a5bd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Quin Snyder is a candidate</a>&nbsp;to replace McMillan. Snyder could be hired to take over the team this season.
Atlanta held its big lead of 32 points for the last time at 103-71 late in the third quarter before Cleveland pulled to within 13 points at 108-95 in the final period. Atlanta then reclaimed its momentum.
Murray missed his first five shots before making his next seven in the second period. The Hawks&rsquo; 49 points in the period were their most in any quarter this season. They led 81-57 at halftime, setting another season-high mark for points in an opening half.
&ldquo;I think we were pushing the ball and playing fast and getting some 3s and getting some stops, too,&rdquo; Young said. &ldquo;It was a big effort tonight on the defensive end, for sure.&rdquo;
Prunty said he worried his players would be rusty after the break and said &ldquo;I was really impressed with our guys and how we started the game.&rdquo;
BEY IMPRESSES
Saddiq Bey, acquired by Atlanta from Detroit on Feb. 9 as part of a three-team trade with Golden State, had 19 points while starting at power forward as a fill-in. John Collins (concussion protocol) did not play. The 6-foot-8 Bey, listed as a guard-forward, is thought to be best suited to play small forward but showed his versatility while filling in for Collins at power forward.

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; The Atlanta Hawks returned from the All-Star break &mdash; and a coaching change &mdash; refreshed and motivated.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, playing on the second night of a back-to-back, couldn&rsquo;t match Atlanta&rsquo;s energy and drive.
Trae Young scored 34 points and the Hawks beat the Cavaliers 136-119 on Friday night in their first game under interim coach Joe Prunty.
Dejounte Murray had 15 of his 25 points in Atlanta&rsquo;s high-scoring second period.
Darius Garland led the Cavaliers, who suffered their third straight loss, with 33 points. Donovan Mitchell had 19.
The Hawks played their first game since coach&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-pacers-atlanta-hawks-portland-trail-blazers-nba-sports-fdb995cad88d7a509b49ca747008f96c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nate McMillan was fired</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday. The team had three practices, including a shootaround session on Friday morning, under Prunty, who had been McMillan&rsquo;s lead assistant.
&ldquo;Each night is a new experience, understanding a team that is fresh and newly motivated,&rdquo; said Cleveland coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who said that created a challenge for his players &ldquo;being prepared to match that, and I don&rsquo;t think we matched that enough. ... We didn&rsquo;t put up much resistance, especially in the first half.&rdquo;
The Cavaliers lost to Denver 115-109 on Thursday night.
General manager Landry Fields said Wednesday that former Utah coach&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/atlanta-hawks-nba-sports-playoffs-nate-mcmillan-cb25039415b0a651ff041b515a27a5bd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Quin Snyder is a candidate</a>&nbsp;to replace McMillan. Snyder could be hired to take over the team this season.
Atlanta held its big lead of 32 points for the last time at 103-71 late in the third quarter before Cleveland pulled to within 13 points at 108-95 in the final period. Atlanta then reclaimed its momentum.
Murray missed his first five shots before making his next seven in the second period. The Hawks&rsquo; 49 points in the period were their most in any quarter this season. They led 81-57 at halftime, setting another season-high mark for points in an opening half.
&ldquo;I think we were pushing the ball and playing fast and getting some 3s and getting some stops, too,&rdquo; Young said. &ldquo;It was a big effort tonight on the defensive end, for sure.&rdquo;
Prunty said he worried his players would be rusty after the break and said &ldquo;I was really impressed with our guys and how we started the game.&rdquo;
BEY IMPRESSES
Saddiq Bey, acquired by Atlanta from Detroit on Feb. 9 as part of a three-team trade with Golden State, had 19 points while starting at power forward as a fill-in. John Collins (concussion protocol) did not play. The 6-foot-8 Bey, listed as a guard-forward, is thought to be best suited to play small forward but showed his versatility while filling in for Collins at power forward.
ROAD WOES
The Cavaliers, fourth in the Eastern Conference at 38-25, have good motivation to earn home-court advantage in the postseason. They fell to only 13-18 in road games to offset their 25-7 mark at home.
TIP-INS
Cavaliers: F Cedi Osman (lower back contusion) had 10 points in 17 minutes and G Ricky Rubio (knee management) logged 12 minutes, scoring 2 points after not playing in Thursday night&rsquo;s game. ... The Cavaliers also are being careful with F Danny Green, 35, in his ongoing recovery from left knee surgery. Green&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/cleveland-cavaliers-nba-sports-danny-green-jb-bickerstaff-fad8a34e0d7ce048c2ecc463f9c3af16">signed with the Cavaliers</a>&nbsp;on Feb. 15 after being bought out by Houston and had three points in 11 minutes. Speaking of Green&rsquo;s role in the postseason, coach J.B. Bickerstaff said before the game the goal is &ldquo;to make sure he&rsquo;s ready when we need him most.&rdquo;

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; The Atlanta Hawks returned from the All-Star break &mdash; and a coaching change &mdash; refreshed and motivated.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, playing on the second night of a back-to-back, couldn&rsquo;t match Atlanta&rsquo;s energy and drive.
Trae Young scored 34 points and the Hawks beat the Cavaliers 136-119 on Friday night in their first game under interim coach Joe Prunty.
Dejounte Murray had 15 of his 25 points in Atlanta&rsquo;s high-scoring second period.
Darius Garland led the Cavaliers, who suffered their third straight loss, with 33 points. Donovan Mitchell had 19.
The Hawks played their first game since coach&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-pacers-atlanta-hawks-portland-trail-blazers-nba-sports-fdb995cad88d7a509b49ca747008f96c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nate McMillan was fired</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday. The team had three practices, including a shootaround session on Friday morning, under Prunty, who had been McMillan&rsquo;s lead assistant.
&ldquo;Each night is a new experience, understanding a team that is fresh and newly motivated,&rdquo; said Cleveland coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who said that created a challenge for his players &ldquo;being prepared to match that, and I don&rsquo;t think we matched that enough. ... We didn&rsquo;t put up much resistance, especially in the first half.&rdquo;
The Cavaliers lost to Denver 115-109 on Thursday night.
General manager Landry Fields said Wednesday that former Utah coach&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/atlanta-hawks-nba-sports-playoffs-nate-mcmillan-cb25039415b0a651ff041b515a27a5bd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Quin Snyder is a candidate</a>&nbsp;to replace McMillan. Snyder could be hired to take over the team this season.
Atlanta held its big lead of 32 points for the last time at 103-71 late in the third quarter before Cleveland pulled to within 13 points at 108-95 in the final period. Atlanta then reclaimed its momentum.
Murray missed his first five shots before making his next seven in the second period. The Hawks&rsquo; 49 points in the period were their most in any quarter this season. They led 81-57 at halftime, setting another season-high mark for points in an opening half.
&ldquo;I think we were pushing the ball and playing fast and getting some 3s and getting some stops, too,&rdquo; Young said. &ldquo;It was a big effort tonight on the defensive end, for sure.&rdquo;
Prunty said he worried his players would be rusty after the break and said &ldquo;I was really impressed with our guys and how we started the game.&rdquo;
BEY IMPRESSES
Saddiq Bey, acquired by Atlanta from Detroit on Feb. 9 as part of a three-team trade with Golden State, had 19 points while starting at power forward as a fill-in. John Collins (concussion protocol) did not play. The 6-foot-8 Bey, listed as a guard-forward, is thought to be best suited to play small forward but showed his versatility while filling in for Collins at power forward.
ROAD WOES
The Cavaliers, fourth in the Eastern Conference at 38-25, have good motivation to earn home-court advantage in the postseason. They fell to only 13-18 in road games to offset their 25-7 mark at home.
TIP-INS
Cavaliers: F Cedi Osman (lower back contusion) had 10 points in 17 minutes and G Ricky Rubio (knee management) logged 12 minutes, scoring 2 points after not playing in Thursday night&rsquo;s game. ... The Cavaliers also are being careful with F Danny Green, 35, in his ongoing recovery from left knee surgery. Green&nbsp;signed with the Cavaliers&nbsp;on Feb. 15 after being bought out by Houston and had three points in 11 minutes. Speaking of Green&rsquo;s role in the postseason, coach J.B. Bickerstaff said before the game the goal is &ldquo;to make sure he&rsquo;s ready when we need him most.&rdquo;
&nbsp;

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; The Atlanta Hawks returned from the All-Star break &mdash; and a coaching change &mdash; refreshed and motivated.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, playing on the second night of a back-to-back, couldn&rsquo;t match Atlanta&rsquo;s energy and drive.
Trae Young scored 34 points and the Hawks beat the Cavaliers 136-119 on Friday night in their first game under interim coach Joe Prunty.
Dejounte Murray had 15 of his 25 points in Atlanta&rsquo;s high-scoring second period.
Darius Garland led the Cavaliers, who suffered their third straight loss, with 33 points. Donovan Mitchell had 19.
The Hawks played their first game since coach&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-pacers-atlanta-hawks-portland-trail-blazers-nba-sports-fdb995cad88d7a509b49ca747008f96c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nate McMillan was fired</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday. The team had three practices, including a shootaround session on Friday morning, under Prunty, who had been McMillan&rsquo;s lead assistant.
&ldquo;Each night is a new experience, understanding a team that is fresh and newly motivated,&rdquo; said Cleveland coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who said that created a challenge for his players &ldquo;being prepared to match that, and I don&rsquo;t think we matched that enough. ... We didn&rsquo;t put up much resistance, especially in the first half.&rdquo;
The Cavaliers lost to Denver 115-109 on Thursday night.
General manager Landry Fields said Wednesday that former Utah coach&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/atlanta-hawks-nba-sports-playoffs-nate-mcmillan-cb25039415b0a651ff041b515a27a5bd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Quin Snyder is a candidate</a>&nbsp;to replace McMillan. Snyder could be hired to take over the team this season.
Atlanta held its big lead of 32 points for the last time at 103-71 late in the third quarter before Cleveland pulled to within 13 points at 108-95 in the final period. Atlanta then reclaimed its momentum.
Murray missed his first five shots before making his next seven in the second period. The Hawks&rsquo; 49 points in the period were their most in any quarter this season. They led 81-57 at halftime, setting another season-high mark for points in an opening half.
&ldquo;I think we were pushing the ball and playing fast and getting some 3s and getting some stops, too,&rdquo; Young said. &ldquo;It was a big effort tonight on the defensive end, for sure.&rdquo;
Prunty said he worried his players would be rusty after the break and said &ldquo;I was really impressed with our guys and how we started the game.&rdquo;
BEY IMPRESSES
Saddiq Bey, acquired by Atlanta from Detroit on Feb. 9 as part of a three-team trade with Golden State, had 19 points while starting at power forward as a fill-in. John Collins (concussion protocol) did not play. The 6-foot-8 Bey, listed as a guard-forward, is thought to be best suited to play small forward but showed his versatility while filling in for Collins at power forward.
ROAD WOES
The Cavaliers, fourth in the Eastern Conference at 38-25, have good motivation to earn home-court advantage in the postseason. They fell to only 13-18 in road games to offset their 25-7 mark at home.
TIP-INS
Cavaliers: F Cedi Osman (lower back contusion) had 10 points in 17 minutes and G Ricky Rubio (knee management) logged 12 minutes, scoring 2 points after not playing in Thursday night&rsquo;s game. ... The Cavaliers also are being careful with F Danny Green, 35, in his ongoing recovery from left knee surgery. Green&nbsp;signed with the Cavaliers&nbsp;on Feb. 15 after being bought out by Houston and had three points in 11 minutes. Speaking of Green&rsquo;s role in the postseason, coach J.B. Bickerstaff said before the game the goal is &ldquo;to make sure he&rsquo;s ready when we need him most.&rdquo;
Hawks: G Bogdan Bogdanovic passed 5,000 career points while sinking back-to-back 3s early in the second period. It was part of a string of four consecutive Atlanta baskets by Bogdanovic, who had 10 points. .... Onyeka Okongwu recorded a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. ... Collins suffered the head injury in a collision with New York Knicks F Julius Randle on Feb. 15 in Atlanta&rsquo;s last game before the All-Star break.
UP NEXT
Cavaliers: Host Toronto on Sunday.
Hawks: Host Brooklyn on Sunday.

Trae Young scored 34 points and the Hawks beat the Cavs 136-119 on Friday night in their first game under interim coach Joe Prunty.

Hawks pull away in first half, rout Cavaliers 136-119

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks are emphasizing defensive improvement as they consider offseason changes. 
Change already has come in the front office, where Landry Fields has been promoted to general manager. 
Field on Monday continually stressed defense as the offseason priority for a team that <a href="https://apnews.com/article/miami-heat-atlanta-hawks-nba-sports-1309479d3c7f8fdef6159bbf924edbec">took a big step back</a> after advancing to the 2021 Eastern Conference final. 
Fields said a defensive identity must be established for the Hawks to make another run at the title after being <a href="https://apnews.com/article/miami-heat-atlanta-hawks-nba-sports-1c8157e72efbe6347914f1dcb55626fc">eliminated in the first round</a> by Miami.
“The identity defensively has been, well that’s something we’re going to have to build into,” Landry said. “That’s been part of the reason why we haven’t taken that step. We have to have an everyday hard-hat approach to our defensive capabilities. ... The identity piece is going to come when we see it consistently.”
The Hawks ranked only 21st in the league in scoring defense, allowing 112.3 points per game. It was a big reason the team played below .500 much of the season before making the play-in tournament and then earning the No. 8 seed in the playoffs.
Fields had been assistant GM. His promotion becomes official on July 1 and has not been announced by the team. Even so, he discussed his new role on Monday and said team president Travis Schlenk “is still the decision-maker.”
Led by All-Star point guard Trae Young, the Hawks ranked sixth in scoring. The disappointing season showed the Hawks need improved defense and perhaps a more established complementary scorer behind Young.
Atlanta has the No. 16 overall pick in Thursday's NBA draft but could trade that pick for a veteran player. 
“It’s always a fine line and you have those discussions for sure,” Fields said.
Fields, 33, had a five-year career as a player with the New York Knicks and Toronto before becoming a fast riser off the court. He took a scouting position with San Antonio in 2016 and joined the Hawks as assistant GM in 2020.
A disappointing finish this season have forced the Hawks to consider changes. 
“It seems natural based off of where we wanted to go this season and where we ended up,” Fields said.
Young may be the only player who is off-limits to trade discussions. The team's young core also includes power forward John Collins, small forward De'Andre Hunter, center Clint Capela and shooting guard Kevin Huerter.
Following the playoff loss to Miami, Hawks principal owner Tony Ressler <a href="https://apnews.com/article/milwaukee-bucks-miami-heat-atlanta-hawks-nba-business-b8d27a60e997a857ce5dffc24bd014de">said the team was too complacent</a> last offseason. He said the team wouldn't make the same mistake. 
“I think we should have tried to get better rather than bring back what we had,” Ressler said last month before adding "That won’t happen again, by the way. It was a mistake, in my opinion.”
Ressler's comments have fueled speculation the Hawks are open for a trade.
Fields said the Hawks have had calls from teams “about any and every player. We take that in and see if there’s anything that makes sense."
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The Atlanta Hawks are emphasizing defensive improvement as they consider offseason changes.
Change already has come in the front office, where Landry Fields has been promoted to general manager.
Field on Monday continually stressed defense as the offseason priority for a team that <a href="https://apnews.com/article/miami-heat-atlanta-hawks-nba-sports-1309479d3c7f8fdef6159bbf924edbec">took a big step back</a> after advancing to the 2021 Eastern Conference final.
Fields said a defensive identity must be established for the Hawks to make another run at the title after being <a href="https://apnews.com/article/miami-heat-atlanta-hawks-nba-sports-1c8157e72efbe6347914f1dcb55626fc">eliminated in the first round</a> by Miami.
&ldquo;The identity defensively has been, well that&rsquo;s something we&rsquo;re going to have to build into,&rdquo; Landry said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s been part of the reason why we haven&rsquo;t taken that step. We have to have an everyday hard-hat approach to our defensive capabilities. ... The identity piece is going to come when we see it consistently.&rdquo;
The Hawks ranked only 21st in the league in scoring defense, allowing 112.3 points per game. It was a big reason the team played below .500 much of the season before making the play-in tournament and then earning the No. 8 seed in the playoffs.
Fields had been assistant GM. His promotion becomes official on July 1 and has not been announced by the team. Even so, he discussed his new role on Monday and said team president Travis Schlenk &ldquo;is still the decision-maker.&rdquo;
Led by All-Star point guard Trae Young, the Hawks ranked sixth in scoring. The disappointing season showed the Hawks need improved defense and perhaps a more established complementary scorer behind Young.
Atlanta has the No. 16 overall pick in Thursday's NBA draft but could trade that pick for a veteran player.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s always a fine line and you have those discussions for sure,&rdquo; Fields said.
Fields, 33, had a five-year career as a player with the New York Knicks and Toronto before becoming a fast riser off the court. He took a scouting position with San Antonio in 2016 and joined the Hawks as assistant GM in 2020.
A disappointing finish this season have forced the Hawks to consider changes.
&ldquo;It seems natural based off of where we wanted to go this season and where we ended up,&rdquo; Fields said.
Young may be the only player who is off-limits to trade discussions. The team's young core also includes power forward John Collins, small forward De'Andre Hunter, center Clint Capela and shooting guard Kevin Huerter.
Following the playoff loss to Miami, Hawks principal owner Tony Ressler <a href="https://apnews.com/article/milwaukee-bucks-miami-heat-atlanta-hawks-nba-business-b8d27a60e997a857ce5dffc24bd014de">said the team was too complacent</a> last offseason. He said the team wouldn't make the same mistake.
&ldquo;I think we should have tried to get better rather than bring back what we had,&rdquo; Ressler said last month before adding "That won&rsquo;t happen again, by the way. It was a mistake, in my opinion.&rdquo;
Ressler's comments have fueled speculation the Hawks are open for a trade.
Fields said the Hawks have had calls from teams &ldquo;about any and every player. We take that in and see if there&rsquo;s anything that makes sense."
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The Atlanta Hawks are emphasizing defensive improvement as they consider offseason changes.
Change already has come in the front office, where Landry Fields has been promoted to general manager.
Field on Monday continually stressed defense as the offseason priority for a team that <a href="https://apnews.com/article/miami-heat-atlanta-hawks-nba-sports-1309479d3c7f8fdef6159bbf924edbec">took a big step back</a> after advancing to the 2021 Eastern Conference final.
Fields said a defensive identity must be established for the Hawks to make another run at the title after being <a href="https://apnews.com/article/miami-heat-atlanta-hawks-nba-sports-1c8157e72efbe6347914f1dcb55626fc">eliminated in the first round</a> by Miami.
&ldquo;The identity defensively has been, well that&rsquo;s something we&rsquo;re going to have to build into,&rdquo; Landry said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s been part of the reason why we haven&rsquo;t taken that step. We have to have an everyday hard-hat approach to our defensive capabilities. ... The identity piece is going to come when we see it consistently.&rdquo;
The Hawks ranked only 21st in the league in scoring defense, allowing 112.3 points per game. It was a big reason the team played below .500 much of the season before making the play-in tournament and then earning the No. 8 seed in the playoffs.
Fields had been assistant GM. His promotion becomes official on July 1 and has not been announced by the team. Even so, he discussed his new role on Monday and said team president Travis Schlenk &ldquo;is still the decision-maker.&rdquo;
Led by All-Star point guard Trae Young, the Hawks ranked sixth in scoring. The disappointing season showed the Hawks need improved defense and perhaps a more established complementary scorer behind Young.
Atlanta has the No. 16 overall pick in Thursday's NBA draft but could trade that pick for a veteran player.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s always a fine line and you have those discussions for sure,&rdquo; Fields said.
Fields, 33, had a five-year career as a player with the New York Knicks and Toronto before becoming a fast riser off the court. He took a scouting position with San Antonio in 2016 and joined the Hawks as assistant GM in 2020.
A disappointing finish this season have forced the Hawks to consider changes.
&ldquo;It seems natural based off of where we wanted to go this season and where we ended up,&rdquo; Fields said.
Young may be the only player who is off-limits to trade discussions. The team's young core also includes power forward John Collins, small forward De'Andre Hunter, center Clint Capela and shooting guard Kevin Huerter.
Following the playoff loss to Miami, Hawks principal owner Tony Ressler <a href="https://apnews.com/article/milwaukee-bucks-miami-heat-atlanta-hawks-nba-business-b8d27a60e997a857ce5dffc24bd014de">said the team was too complacent</a> last offseason. He said the team wouldn't make the same mistake.
&ldquo;I think we should have tried to get better rather than bring back what we had,&rdquo; Ressler said last month before adding "That won&rsquo;t happen again, by the way. It was a mistake, in my opinion.&rdquo;
Ressler's comments have fueled speculation the Hawks are open for a trade.
Fields said the Hawks have had calls from teams &ldquo;about any and every player. We take that in and see if there&rsquo;s anything that makes sense."

Landry Fields said a defensive identity must be established for the Hawks to make another run at the title.

Hawks' new GM Fields makes improved defense the top priority

Jimmy Butler scored 13 of his 36 points in a dominant second quarter and the Miami Heat beat the Atlanta Hawks 110-86 on Sunday night to take a 3-1 series lead.
Miami can wrap up the first-round series in Game 5 on Tuesday night in Miami.
Butler overcame a slow start. He made only 1 of 7 shots before hitting his final five shots of the first half to lead the turnaround.
Miami outscored Atlanta 30-15 in the second period, holding the Hawks to a season scoring low for the period.
Butler had 10 rebounds, four assists and blocked a shot.
Atlanta&rsquo;s Trae Young scored only nine points with five assists and five turnovers as he was shut down by Miami&rsquo;s defense for the second time in four games. Young was held to eight points in Miami&rsquo;s 115-91 Game 1 win.
De&rsquo;Andre Hunter led the Hawks with 24 points.
Miami ended Atlanta&rsquo;s six-game home winning streak despite playing without point guard Kyle Lowry, who was held out with a left hamstring strain.
Gabe Vincent had 11 points while sinking three 3-pointers in his fill-in start for Lowry, who strained his hamstring in the third quarter Friday night in a 111-110 loss to the Hawks. Lowry&rsquo;s status for Game 5 is not known.
The Hawks led 37-29 before Miami took control with a 15-0 run in the second period.
A key in the Heat&rsquo;s surge came on a Butler steal from Collins, who fouled as Butler scored and then made the free throw. It was Collins&rsquo; third foul. Coach Nate McMillan opted to keep Collins in the game.
The 15-0 run, capped by Vincent&rsquo;s 3-pointer, left Miami with a 44-37 lead. The Heat were not through, closing the half with an 11-0 run for a 55-41 lead at the break.
Butler drove through the Atlanta defense for two late baskets in the half after Collins left the game with four fouls with 1:54 remaining. Collins, who scored 11 points, finished with five fouls.
Miami led 98-74 when McMillan pulled out Young and his other starters.
TIP-INS
Heat: P.J. Tucker had 14 points and eight rebounds. Tucker was called for a technical foul when tensions rose after he was fouled by Onyeka Onkongwu late in the third quarter. ... Bam Adebayo also had 14 points and eight rebounds.
Hawks: C Clint Capela started after missing the first three games of the series with a right knee hyperextension. Capela had five rebounds and his only two points in his first 8 minutes. He finished with seven rebounds. ... The Hawks made only 5 of 11 free throws in the first half and 11 of 20 overall.
UP NEXT
Miami will try to extend its three-game home winning streak over Atlanta, including the first two games of the series, in Game 5. Overall, the Heat are 5-2 at home against the Hawks this season.

Jimmy Butler scored 13 of 36 points in the second quarter as the Heat beat the Hawks 110-86 on Sunday to take a 3-1 series lead.

Jimmy Butler has 36 as Heat overwhelm Trae Young, Hawks, 110-86

ATLANTA (AP) — Trae Young scored 21 of his 46 points in the third period and the Atlanta Hawks recovered from a 15-point second-half deficit to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 122-113 on Monday night.
Young, who scored 47 points a night earlier in a win over Indiana, added 12 assists against the Blazers.
The Hawks (34-34), who entered the game ninth in the Eastern Conference, have won three straight to reach .500 for the first time since Dec. 15, when they were 14-14.
De’Andre Hunter scored 20 points for Atlanta, including a 3-pointer to put the Hawks ahead 116-111.
Josh Hart led Portland with 31 points. The Blazers began the night 11th in the Western Conference, one spot out of the play-in tournament.
Portland led 67-58 at halftime as Atlanta made only 19 of 59 shots (32.3%) from the field, their worst-shooting first half this season.
The Blazers made 56.5% (26 of 46) of their shots in the half. Portland scored the first six points of the second half, stretching its lead to 73-58.
Young scored the next eight points, and 17 of Atlanta’s first 19 in the third period, to lead the Hawks’ rally. Two free throws by Hunter put Atlanta ahead 79-77, its first lead since the opening quarter.
The Hawks led 104-93 early in the fourth before Portland went on a 10-0 run, capped by Brandon Williams’ 3-pointer. Kevin Huerter responded with a 3 for Atlanta.
Trendon Watford had 22 points and Williams added 20 for Portland.
The Blazers snapped a six-game losing streak by beating Washington on Saturday night as Hart scored a career-high 44 points.
“Having to be that scoring option is a new role for Josh,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said before Monday night’s game. “We’re asking him to do things he’s not really used to.”
Hart looked comfortable while scoring 25 points in the first half against the Hawks. He finished 4 of 7 from 3-point range.
Young is plenty comfortable against the Blazers. He set a career high with 56 points in Atlanta’s 136-131 loss at Portland on Jan. 3.
TIP-INS
Trail Blazers: PG Kris Dunn, who signed a 10-day contract before the game, had two points in 20 minutes. It was Dunn’s first game since he played four games with Atlanta last season. He started in a combined 119 games in three seasons with Chicago. Dunn adds backcourt depth as Anfernee Simons (patellar tendinopathy in his left knee) is expected to miss up to two weeks.
Hawks: F Danilo Gallinari (right Achilles tendon soreness) was held out, leaving the Hawks thin at forward. Gallinari had been the fill-in starter for John Collins (right finger sprain, right foot strain), who missed his second straight game. Coach Nate McMillan said Gallinari has played through the injury “most of the season. ... Sometimes it flares up.” ... Clint Capela had eight points and 16 rebounds.
UP NEXT
Trail Blazers: Continue a five-game trip at the New York Knicks on Wednesday night. 
Hawks: At Charlotte on Wednesday night.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Trae Young scored 21 of his 46 points in the third period and the Atlanta Hawks recovered from a 15-point second-half deficit to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 122-113 on Monday night.
Young, who scored 47 points a night earlier in a win over Indiana, added 12 assists against the Blazers.
The Hawks (34-34), who entered the game ninth in the Eastern Conference, have won three straight to reach .500 for the first time since Dec. 15, when they were 14-14.
De&rsquo;Andre Hunter scored 20 points for Atlanta, including a 3-pointer to put the Hawks ahead 116-111.
Josh Hart led Portland with 31 points. The Blazers began the night 11th in the Western Conference, one spot out of the play-in tournament.
Portland led 67-58 at halftime as Atlanta made only 19 of 59 shots (32.3%) from the field, their worst-shooting first half this season.
The Blazers made 56.5% (26 of 46) of their shots in the half. Portland scored the first six points of the second half, stretching its lead to 73-58.
Young scored the next eight points, and 17 of Atlanta&rsquo;s first 19 in the third period, to lead the Hawks&rsquo; rally. Two free throws by Hunter put Atlanta ahead 79-77, its first lead since the opening quarter.
The Hawks led 104-93 early in the fourth before Portland went on a 10-0 run, capped by Brandon Williams&rsquo; 3-pointer. Kevin Huerter responded with a 3 for Atlanta.
Trendon Watford had 22 points and Williams added 20 for Portland.
The Blazers snapped a six-game losing streak by beating Washington on Saturday night as Hart scored a career-high 44 points.
&ldquo;Having to be that scoring option is a new role for Josh,&rdquo; Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said before Monday night&rsquo;s game. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re asking him to do things he&rsquo;s not really used to.&rdquo;
Hart looked comfortable while scoring 25 points in the first half against the Hawks. He finished 4 of 7 from 3-point range.
Young is plenty comfortable against the Blazers. He set a career high with 56 points in Atlanta&rsquo;s 136-131 loss at Portland on Jan. 3.
TIP-INS
Trail Blazers: PG Kris Dunn, who signed a 10-day contract before the game, had two points in 20 minutes. It was Dunn&rsquo;s first game since he played four games with Atlanta last season. He started in a combined 119 games in three seasons with Chicago. Dunn adds backcourt depth as Anfernee Simons (patellar tendinopathy in his left knee) is expected to miss up to two weeks.
Hawks: F Danilo Gallinari (right Achilles tendon soreness) was held out, leaving the Hawks thin at forward. Gallinari had been the fill-in starter for John Collins (right finger sprain, right foot strain), who missed his second straight game. Coach Nate McMillan said Gallinari has played through the injury &ldquo;most of the season. ... Sometimes it flares up.&rdquo; ... Clint Capela had eight points and 16 rebounds.
UP NEXT
Trail Blazers: Continue a five-game trip at the New York Knicks on Wednesday night.
Hawks: At Charlotte on Wednesday night.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Trae Young scored 21 of his 46 points in the third period and the Atlanta Hawks recovered from a 15-point second-half deficit to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 122-113 on Monday night.
Young, who scored 47 points a night earlier in a win over Indiana, added 12 assists against the Blazers.
The Hawks (34-34), who entered the game ninth in the Eastern Conference, have won three straight to reach .500 for the first time since Dec. 15, when they were 14-14.
De&rsquo;Andre Hunter scored 20 points for Atlanta, including a 3-pointer to put the Hawks ahead 116-111.
Josh Hart led Portland with 31 points. The Blazers began the night 11th in the Western Conference, one spot out of the play-in tournament.
Portland led 67-58 at halftime as Atlanta made only 19 of 59 shots (32.3%) from the field, their worst-shooting first half this season.
The Blazers made 56.5% (26 of 46) of their shots in the half. Portland scored the first six points of the second half, stretching its lead to 73-58.
Young scored the next eight points, and 17 of Atlanta&rsquo;s first 19 in the third period, to lead the Hawks&rsquo; rally. Two free throws by Hunter put Atlanta ahead 79-77, its first lead since the opening quarter.
The Hawks led 104-93 early in the fourth before Portland went on a 10-0 run, capped by Brandon Williams&rsquo; 3-pointer. Kevin Huerter responded with a 3 for Atlanta.
Trendon Watford had 22 points and Williams added 20 for Portland.
The Blazers snapped a six-game losing streak by beating Washington on Saturday night as Hart scored a career-high 44 points.
&ldquo;Having to be that scoring option is a new role for Josh,&rdquo; Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said before Monday night&rsquo;s game. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re asking him to do things he&rsquo;s not really used to.&rdquo;
Hart looked comfortable while scoring 25 points in the first half against the Hawks. He finished 4 of 7 from 3-point range.
Young is plenty comfortable against the Blazers. He set a career high with 56 points in Atlanta&rsquo;s 136-131 loss at Portland on Jan. 3.
TIP-INS
Trail Blazers: PG Kris Dunn, who signed a 10-day contract before the game, had two points in 20 minutes. It was Dunn&rsquo;s first game since he played four games with Atlanta last season. He started in a combined 119 games in three seasons with Chicago. Dunn adds backcourt depth as Anfernee Simons (patellar tendinopathy in his left knee) is expected to miss up to two weeks.
Hawks: F Danilo Gallinari (right Achilles tendon soreness) was held out, leaving the Hawks thin at forward. Gallinari had been the fill-in starter for John Collins (right finger sprain, right foot strain), who missed his second straight game. Coach Nate McMillan said Gallinari has played through the injury &ldquo;most of the season. ... Sometimes it flares up.&rdquo; ... Clint Capela had eight points and 16 rebounds.
UP NEXT
Trail Blazers: Continue a five-game trip at the New York Knicks on Wednesday night.
Hawks: At Charlotte on Wednesday night.

Trae Young scored 21 of his 46 points in the third period and the Hawks recovered from a 15-point second-half deficit.

Trae Young has 46 points, Hawks top Trail Blazers 122-113

ATLANTA (AP) — Bogdan Bogdanovic's 3-pointer with 1:41 left gave Atlanta the lead and Trae Young scored 39 points in the Hawks' 130-124 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night.
After Bogdanovic's 3 made it 119-118, Chicago's DeMar DeRozan's had a turnover, and Young padded the advantage with two 3s in the final 1:12.
Young had 13 assists and made 7 of 10 3s and all 10 of his free throws. Bogdanovic had 20 points.
The Hawks denied the Bulls' bid to complete a four-game sweep of the season series.
Chicago, fighting for the Eastern Conference lead, suffered its third consecutive loss.
DeRozan and Zach LaVine each had 22 points for the Bulls. Nikola Vucevic had 21 points and 11 rebounds.
LaVine blocked Young's last jumper of the first half, leaving the Bulls with a 63-56 halftime lead.
When LaVine opened the second half with a 3-pointer for a 66-56 lead, the Bulls were 10 of 19 and on pace to match their season high for 3s. 
The Hawks then found their long-distance shot and began outworking the Bulls under the basket. DeAndre Hunter, who had 18 points, grabbed a rebound of his own miss and scored for a 72-70 Atlanta lead. 
Clint Capela scored off an offensive rebound minutes later to spark a 10-2 run that gave the Hawks an 84-76 advantage. DeRozan's last-second jumper gave the Bulls a 92-90 advantage entering the final period.
TIP-INS
Bulls: Vucevic had been 0 for 10 on 3-pointers in his last three games before making his first long-range attempt of the game in the second period. ... Coach Billy Donovan said he expects LaVine to be available for the second of back-to-back games against Milwaukee on Friday night. LaVine has been slowed by periodic soreness in his surgically repaired left knee. Donovan said before the game LaVine “feels really good” before adding “That's today. ... No question, after tonight, tomorrow check with him. I would say it's more likely he'll be playing.”
Hawks: F John Collins (right foot strain) missed his sixth consecutive game and may be moving closer to a return. “He is getting better,” coach Nate McMillan said. ... C Onyeka Okongwu (concussion protocol) did not play. ... Gorgui Dieng moved into a more prominent role behind C Clint Capela and F Danilo Gallinari. ... Young (left ankle sprain) and G Lou Williams (left hip discomfort) were cleared after pregame warmups.
UP NEXT 
Bulls: Host Milwaukee on Friday night
Hawks: At Washington on Friday night.
___ 
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Bogdan Bogdanovic's 3-pointer with 1:41 left gave Atlanta the lead and Trae Young scored 39 points in the Hawks' 130-124 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night.
After Bogdanovic's 3 made it 119-118, Chicago's DeMar DeRozan's had a turnover, and Young padded the advantage with two 3s in the final 1:12.
Young had 13 assists and made 7 of 10 3s and all 10 of his free throws. Bogdanovic had 20 points.
The Hawks denied the Bulls' bid to complete a four-game sweep of the season series.
Chicago, fighting for the Eastern Conference lead, suffered its third consecutive loss.
DeRozan and Zach LaVine each had 22 points for the Bulls. Nikola Vucevic had 21 points and 11 rebounds.
LaVine blocked Young's last jumper of the first half, leaving the Bulls with a 63-56 halftime lead.
When LaVine opened the second half with a 3-pointer for a 66-56 lead, the Bulls were 10 of 19 and on pace to match their season high for 3s.
The Hawks then found their long-distance shot and began outworking the Bulls under the basket. DeAndre Hunter, who had 18 points, grabbed a rebound of his own miss and scored for a 72-70 Atlanta lead.
Clint Capela scored off an offensive rebound minutes later to spark a 10-2 run that gave the Hawks an 84-76 advantage. DeRozan's last-second jumper gave the Bulls a 92-90 advantage entering the final period.
TIP-INS
Bulls: Vucevic had been 0 for 10 on 3-pointers in his last three games before making his first long-range attempt of the game in the second period. ... Coach Billy Donovan said he expects LaVine to be available for the second of back-to-back games against Milwaukee on Friday night. LaVine has been slowed by periodic soreness in his surgically repaired left knee. Donovan said before the game LaVine &ldquo;feels really good&rdquo; before adding &ldquo;That's today. ... No question, after tonight, tomorrow check with him. I would say it's more likely he'll be playing.&rdquo;
Hawks: F John Collins (right foot strain) missed his sixth consecutive game and may be moving closer to a return. &ldquo;He is getting better,&rdquo; coach Nate McMillan said. ... C Onyeka Okongwu (concussion protocol) did not play. ... Gorgui Dieng moved into a more prominent role behind C Clint Capela and F Danilo Gallinari. ... Young (left ankle sprain) and G Lou Williams (left hip discomfort) were cleared after pregame warmups.
UP NEXT
Bulls: Host Milwaukee on Friday night
Hawks: At Washington on Friday night.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Bogdan Bogdanovic's 3-pointer with 1:41 left gave Atlanta the lead and Trae Young scored 39 points in the Hawks' 130-124 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night.
After Bogdanovic's 3 made it 119-118, Chicago's DeMar DeRozan's had a turnover, and Young padded the advantage with two 3s in the final 1:12.
Young had 13 assists and made 7 of 10 3s and all 10 of his free throws. Bogdanovic had 20 points.
The Hawks denied the Bulls' bid to complete a four-game sweep of the season series.
Chicago, fighting for the Eastern Conference lead, suffered its third consecutive loss.
DeRozan and Zach LaVine each had 22 points for the Bulls. Nikola Vucevic had 21 points and 11 rebounds.
LaVine blocked Young's last jumper of the first half, leaving the Bulls with a 63-56 halftime lead.
When LaVine opened the second half with a 3-pointer for a 66-56 lead, the Bulls were 10 of 19 and on pace to match their season high for 3s.
The Hawks then found their long-distance shot and began outworking the Bulls under the basket. DeAndre Hunter, who had 18 points, grabbed a rebound of his own miss and scored for a 72-70 Atlanta lead.
Clint Capela scored off an offensive rebound minutes later to spark a 10-2 run that gave the Hawks an 84-76 advantage. DeRozan's last-second jumper gave the Bulls a 92-90 advantage entering the final period.
TIP-INS
Bulls: Vucevic had been 0 for 10 on 3-pointers in his last three games before making his first long-range attempt of the game in the second period. ... Coach Billy Donovan said he expects LaVine to be available for the second of back-to-back games against Milwaukee on Friday night. LaVine has been slowed by periodic soreness in his surgically repaired left knee. Donovan said before the game LaVine &ldquo;feels really good&rdquo; before adding &ldquo;That's today. ... No question, after tonight, tomorrow check with him. I would say it's more likely he'll be playing.&rdquo;
Hawks: F John Collins (right foot strain) missed his sixth consecutive game and may be moving closer to a return. &ldquo;He is getting better,&rdquo; coach Nate McMillan said. ... C Onyeka Okongwu (concussion protocol) did not play. ... Gorgui Dieng moved into a more prominent role behind C Clint Capela and F Danilo Gallinari. ... Young (left ankle sprain) and G Lou Williams (left hip discomfort) were cleared after pregame warmups.
UP NEXT
Bulls: Host Milwaukee on Friday night
Hawks: At Washington on Friday night.

Bogdan Bogdanovic's 3-pointer with 1:41 left gave Atlanta the lead and Trae Young scored 39 points in the Hawks' 130-124 victory.

Hawks surge late, Young scores 39 points in win over Bulls

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks are aiming for a top-six spot in the NBA playoffs, knowing a repeat of their pace before the All-Star break won’t be close to good enough.
One year after advancing to the Eastern Conference finals, the Hawks feel a sense of urgency to improve their play in the final 24 games of the regular season. They visit Chicago on Thursday night to open a crucial stretch of four games against teams ahead of them in the conference playoff standings, including two against the Bulls.
A rocky first half, packed with winning and losing streaks, has the Hawks (28-30) tied with Charlotte for ninth in the conference. Atlanta is perilously close to falling out of the play-in tournament.
The Hawks won their last two games before the break, including a 130-109 runaway win at Orlando on March 16. The visit to the Bulls, tied for the top spot in the East, provides an opportunity to gain momentum for a playoff push. 
“We’ve got no more time to dig ourselves holes,” guard Kevin Huerter said after Wednesday’s practice. “I think we’ve done that a couple times this year where we’ve lost four or five games in a row and put ourselves in a pretty bad position. We don’t have time to do that. But if we can put together wins and put together a streak or two to end the season, we’re going to be right there in the mix where we need to be.”
The Hawks lost five straight games in early January before recovering with a seven-game winning streak. Similarly, they followed a six-game skid in early November with seven consecutive wins.
Atlanta’s schedule following the All-Star break is challenging. After hosting Toronto on Saturday, the Hawks visit Boston on Tuesday before facing the Bulls again on March 3.
Before they can have a realistic shot at finishing above the cut for the play-in tournament, the Hawks must avoid falling below the No. 10 spot.
“We’re just taking one game at a time,” said Hawks coach Nate McMillan. “We know we’re going to have to put a streak of games together with only 24 games left in the season. But again, talking about it, we’re pretty much past that. We know what we have to do.”
The Hawks likely won't have their full lineup when they renew their playoff push. Forward John Collins missed the last three games with a strained right foot. Collins was limited to shooting, with no running, on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Collins, who didn't appear to favor the foot as he launched jumpers on Wednesday, was expected to join the team for the flight to Chicago.
As always, the Hawks will lean on Trae Young, coming off his second All-Star start. Young’s 27.8 points per game ranks fourth in the league. Chicago’s DeMar DeRozan is third at 28.1.
While defending NBA champion Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Brooklyn have commanded the most national attention, the rise of such teams as Chicago, Miami and Cleveland add depth to the Eastern Conference. That increases the difficulty of Atlanta moving up in the playoff standings.
“There’s pressure on every game from here on out,” Huerter said. “Obviously, we need wins. We’re not looking at the next four. We’re looking at the next one.”
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The Atlanta Hawks are aiming for a top-six spot in the NBA playoffs, knowing a repeat of their pace before the All-Star break won&rsquo;t be close to good enough.
One year after advancing to the Eastern Conference finals, the Hawks feel a sense of urgency to improve their play in the final 24 games of the regular season. They visit Chicago on Thursday night to open a crucial stretch of four games against teams ahead of them in the conference playoff standings, including two against the Bulls.
A rocky first half, packed with winning and losing streaks, has the Hawks (28-30) tied with Charlotte for ninth in the conference. Atlanta is perilously close to falling out of the play-in tournament.
The Hawks won their last two games before the break, including a 130-109 runaway win at Orlando on March 16. The visit to the Bulls, tied for the top spot in the East, provides an opportunity to gain momentum for a playoff push.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got no more time to dig ourselves holes,&rdquo; guard Kevin Huerter said after Wednesday&rsquo;s practice. &ldquo;I think we&rsquo;ve done that a couple times this year where we&rsquo;ve lost four or five games in a row and put ourselves in a pretty bad position. We don&rsquo;t have time to do that. But if we can put together wins and put together a streak or two to end the season, we&rsquo;re going to be right there in the mix where we need to be.&rdquo;
The Hawks lost five straight games in early January before recovering with a seven-game winning streak. Similarly, they followed a six-game skid in early November with seven consecutive wins.
Atlanta&rsquo;s schedule following the All-Star break is challenging. After hosting Toronto on Saturday, the Hawks visit Boston on Tuesday before facing the Bulls again on March 3.
Before they can have a realistic shot at finishing above the cut for the play-in tournament, the Hawks must avoid falling below the No. 10 spot.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re just taking one game at a time,&rdquo; said Hawks coach Nate McMillan. &ldquo;We know we&rsquo;re going to have to put a streak of games together with only 24 games left in the season. But again, talking about it, we&rsquo;re pretty much past that. We know what we have to do.&rdquo;
The Hawks likely won't have their full lineup when they renew their playoff push. Forward John Collins missed the last three games with a strained right foot. Collins was limited to shooting, with no running, on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Collins, who didn't appear to favor the foot as he launched jumpers on Wednesday, was expected to join the team for the flight to Chicago.
As always, the Hawks will lean on Trae Young, coming off his second All-Star start. Young&rsquo;s 27.8 points per game ranks fourth in the league. Chicago&rsquo;s DeMar DeRozan is third at 28.1.
While defending NBA champion Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Brooklyn have commanded the most national attention, the rise of such teams as Chicago, Miami and Cleveland add depth to the Eastern Conference. That increases the difficulty of Atlanta moving up in the playoff standings.
&ldquo;There&rsquo;s pressure on every game from here on out,&rdquo; Huerter said. &ldquo;Obviously, we need wins. We&rsquo;re not looking at the next four. We&rsquo;re looking at the next one.&rdquo;
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The Atlanta Hawks are aiming for a top-six spot in the NBA playoffs, knowing a repeat of their pace before the All-Star break won&rsquo;t be close to good enough.
One year after advancing to the Eastern Conference finals, the Hawks feel a sense of urgency to improve their play in the final 24 games of the regular season. They visit Chicago on Thursday night to open a crucial stretch of four games against teams ahead of them in the conference playoff standings, including two against the Bulls.
A rocky first half, packed with winning and losing streaks, has the Hawks (28-30) tied with Charlotte for ninth in the conference. Atlanta is perilously close to falling out of the play-in tournament.
The Hawks won their last two games before the break, including a 130-109 runaway win at Orlando on March 16. The visit to the Bulls, tied for the top spot in the East, provides an opportunity to gain momentum for a playoff push.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got no more time to dig ourselves holes,&rdquo; guard Kevin Huerter said after Wednesday&rsquo;s practice. &ldquo;I think we&rsquo;ve done that a couple times this year where we&rsquo;ve lost four or five games in a row and put ourselves in a pretty bad position. We don&rsquo;t have time to do that. But if we can put together wins and put together a streak or two to end the season, we&rsquo;re going to be right there in the mix where we need to be.&rdquo;
The Hawks lost five straight games in early January before recovering with a seven-game winning streak. Similarly, they followed a six-game skid in early November with seven consecutive wins.
Atlanta&rsquo;s schedule following the All-Star break is challenging. After hosting Toronto on Saturday, the Hawks visit Boston on Tuesday before facing the Bulls again on March 3.
Before they can have a realistic shot at finishing above the cut for the play-in tournament, the Hawks must avoid falling below the No. 10 spot.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re just taking one game at a time,&rdquo; said Hawks coach Nate McMillan. &ldquo;We know we&rsquo;re going to have to put a streak of games together with only 24 games left in the season. But again, talking about it, we&rsquo;re pretty much past that. We know what we have to do.&rdquo;
The Hawks likely won't have their full lineup when they renew their playoff push. Forward John Collins missed the last three games with a strained right foot. Collins was limited to shooting, with no running, on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Collins, who didn't appear to favor the foot as he launched jumpers on Wednesday, was expected to join the team for the flight to Chicago.
As always, the Hawks will lean on Trae Young, coming off his second All-Star start. Young&rsquo;s 27.8 points per game ranks fourth in the league. Chicago&rsquo;s DeMar DeRozan is third at 28.1.
While defending NBA champion Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Brooklyn have commanded the most national attention, the rise of such teams as Chicago, Miami and Cleveland add depth to the Eastern Conference. That increases the difficulty of Atlanta moving up in the playoff standings.
&ldquo;There&rsquo;s pressure on every game from here on out,&rdquo; Huerter said. &ldquo;Obviously, we need wins. We&rsquo;re not looking at the next four. We&rsquo;re looking at the next one.&rdquo;

One year after advancing to the East Finals, the Hawks feel a sense of urgency to improve their play in the final 24 games of the season.

Hawks hope to improve playoff standing in key 4-game stretch

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Playing minus suspended coach Bruce Pearl, No. 18 Auburn made 16 steals and routed Nebraska 99-68 on Saturday.
Pearl began his two-game suspension imposed by the NCAA on Friday. Auburn was placed on probation for four years for unethical conduct involving former associate head coach Chuck Person. Pearl was penalized for failing to monitor his assistant and adequately promote compliance.
Assistant coach Wes Flanigan served as acting coach.
Center Walker Kessler and guard Zep Jasper each had five steals and Auburn scored 30 points off 20 turnovers. Jabari Smith had 21 points to lead the Tigers (8-1).
Auburn held Nebraska (5-6) without a basket for a stretch of almost seven minutes in the first half. The Tigers took control with a 13-0 run at the start of the Cornhuskers&rsquo; cold-shooting stretch.
Nebraska trailed by 21 points in the first half and again in the second half before cutting the deficit to 55-41 with a 7-0 run.
Auburn put the game away with a 14-0 burst that made it 76-47. The run included three 3-pointers by Wendell Green Jr., who scored 19 points.
Smith, a 6-foot-10 freshman from Fayetteville, Georgia, showed off his versatility by making three 3-pointers while also taking advantage of his height with two second-half jams.&nbsp;
&nbsp;

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Playing minus suspended coach Bruce Pearl, No. 18 Auburn made 16 steals and routed Nebraska 99-68 on Saturday.
Pearl began his two-game suspension imposed by the NCAA on Friday. Auburn was placed on probation for four years for unethical conduct involving former associate head coach Chuck Person. Pearl was penalized for failing to monitor his assistant and adequately promote compliance.
Assistant coach Wes Flanigan served as acting coach.
Center Walker Kessler and guard Zep Jasper each had five steals and Auburn scored 30 points off 20 turnovers. Jabari Smith had 21 points to lead the Tigers (8-1).
Auburn held Nebraska (5-6) without a basket for a stretch of almost seven minutes in the first half. The Tigers took control with a 13-0 run at the start of the Cornhuskers&rsquo; cold-shooting stretch.
Nebraska trailed by 21 points in the first half and again in the second half before cutting the deficit to 55-41 with a 7-0 run.
Auburn put the game away with a 14-0 burst that made it 76-47. The run included three 3-pointers by Wendell Green Jr., who scored 19 points.
Smith, a 6-foot-10 freshman from Fayetteville, Georgia, showed off his versatility by making three 3-pointers while also taking advantage of his height with two second-half jams.&nbsp;
Green had a steal before leading a fast break he capped by throwing the ball off the backboard to set up a crowd-pleasing jam by Smith.
C.J. Wilcher led Nebraska with 17 points. Bryce McGowans had 14.
Auburn led 12-9 before pulling away with a 13-0 run. Jaylin Williams sank a 3-point and added a three-point play during the stretch.
The matchup was the first of four games in the Holiday Hoopsgiving event at State Farm Arena.
BIG PICTURE
Nebraska: Guards Keon Edwards and Sam Holberg did not travel after being held out of practice with a viral infection. Edwards is a part-time starter. Freshman Wilhelm Breidenbach, hurt his knee in Tuesday&rsquo;s 102-67 loss to Michigan and also did not travel with the team.
Auburn: The Tigers showed impressive offense depth, with ample support for Smith and Green. Devan Cambridge scored 14 points. K.D. Johnson had 12 and Williams added 10.
UP NEXT
Nebraska plays Kansas State on Dec. 19.
Auburn plays North Alabama on Tuesday night.

Playing minus suspended coach Bruce Pearl, No. 18 Auburn made 16 steals and routed Nebraska 99-68 on Saturday.

Minus suspended coach Pearl, No. 18 Auburn routs Nebraska

ATLANTA (AP) — Kevin Durant and James Harden carried the heavy scoring load for the Brooklyn Nets, as usual.
Coach Steve Nash also credited his “bullpen” for closing out New Jersey's win over Atlanta.
Durant <a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1469517547275964429">scored 31 points</a>, including a go-ahead jumper midway through the fourth quarter, and the Nets proved to be resilient once again, beating the Hawks 113-105 on Friday night.
New Jersey trailed 91-89 before outscoring Atlanta 24-14 in the final period.
Rookie Cam Thomas <a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1469495142893555716">sank three 3-pointers</a> while scoring 11 points off Brooklyn's bench. Another backup, Nic Claxton, <a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1469497717860749315">added four points</a> and four rebounds while providing valuable defense as most of his minutes came in the final quarter.
“They’re both so versatile,” Nash said of Thomas and Claxton. “It really gives us a great bullpen, so to speak. ... I think it just elevates our level of play at that end of the floor so much.”
With the 6-foot-11 Claxton sharing the defensive load on Atlanta point guard Trae Young, the Hawks made only 6 of 22 shots in the final period.
“It was just a good lineup to finish the game,” Durant said. “I’m glad the defense won it for us.”
Young led Atlanta with 31 points but made 2 of 7 shots from the field in the fourth.
“We both played good defense,” Young said. “They played better defense in the fourth. I’ve got to do a better job of making shots in the fourth.”
Harden had 20 points and 11 assists for Brooklyn, which is 2-0 against Atlanta this season.
The Nets, protecting their slim lead over Chicago for the best record in the Eastern Conference, improved to 8-0 following losses this season. Durant and LaMarcus Aldridge, who had 15 points, were rested in Wednesday night’s 114-104 loss at Houston.
John Collins had 20 points and Kevin Huerter added 19 for the Hawks.
There were three ties early in the final period, including at 95-all. Durant's jumper sparked an 8-0 run that gave the Nets a 103-95 lead. Harden had four points in the run.
Atlanta answered with seven straight points, including a 3-pointer and another basket by Young, to pull to within 103-102. The Hawks couldn't complete the comeback.
The Hawks led 73-62 early in the third period. 
Thomas, coming off a season-high 18 points against Houston, had three 3s in the period, including one that tied it at 86-all.
Thomas added another 3 to give Brooklyn its first lead of the half, 89-88. Danilo Gallinari answered with a 3 to give Atlanta the lead entering the final period.
TIP-INS
Nets: Nash acknowledged he worries about the toll of excessive minutes logged by the 32-year-old Harden. He played 41 minutes, his fifth game in the last six logging at least 39. ... Aldridge set a season high with three blocked shots. Durant also had three blocks.
Hawks: Clint Capela posted his 16th double-double of the season with 14 points and 16 rebounds. ... Huerter opened the game by making two 3-pointers. The Hawks didn't make another 3 in the period but they closed the half with another 3 from Huerter. He made 5 of 7 3s.
REDDISH RETURNS
Hawks forward Cam Reddish scored four points in his return after missing four games with a sprained left wrist. Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot remained in the starting lineup, but did not score.
Reddish scored all his points on free throws. He was 0 for 6 from the field.
“He didn’t get his shot to fall tonight, but he’ll get back into it,” Young said. “When he’s in a groove, it’s a lot better for our team.”
Reddish adds important depth on the wing. The issue became more critical with Wednesday’s announcement that Solomon Hill is expected to miss the remainder of the season with a torn right hamstring tendon.
Atlanta also is without De’Andre Hunter, who is recovering from surgery on his right wrist, and Bogdan Bogdanovic, who missed his fifth consecutive game due to a sprained right ankle.
STRENGTH VS. STRENGTH
One game after setting a franchise record by making 25 3-pointers in a 121-110 win at Minnesota on Monday, the Hawks made 11 of 34 3s. Entering the game, Atlanta led the NBA in 3-point shooting, making 38.6%, while Brooklyn led the league in 3-point defense, allowing 30.5%.
ALL GOOD
Durant and Young each drew technical fouls for a brief skirmish in the final period. The two were separated and downplayed the incident after the game.
“He wanted me to get out of his space and I understand that,” Durant said.
UP NEXT
Nets: Wrap up a four-game trip at Detroit on Sunday night.
Hawks: Play Houston on Monday night.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Kevin Durant and James Harden carried the heavy scoring load for the Brooklyn Nets, as usual.
Coach Steve Nash also credited his &ldquo;bullpen&rdquo; for closing out New Jersey's win over Atlanta.
Durant <a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1469517547275964429">scored 31 points</a>, including a go-ahead jumper midway through the fourth quarter, and the Nets proved to be resilient once again, beating the Hawks 113-105 on Friday night.
New Jersey trailed 91-89 before outscoring Atlanta 24-14 in the final period.
Rookie Cam Thomas <a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1469495142893555716">sank three 3-pointers</a> while scoring 11 points off Brooklyn's bench. Another backup, Nic Claxton, <a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1469497717860749315">added four points</a> and four rebounds while providing valuable defense as most of his minutes came in the final quarter.
&ldquo;They&rsquo;re both so versatile,&rdquo; Nash said of Thomas and Claxton. &ldquo;It really gives us a great bullpen, so to speak. ... I think it just elevates our level of play at that end of the floor so much.&rdquo;
With the 6-foot-11 Claxton sharing the defensive load on Atlanta point guard Trae Young, the Hawks made only 6 of 22 shots in the final period.
&ldquo;It was just a good lineup to finish the game,&rdquo; Durant said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m glad the defense won it for us.&rdquo;
Young led Atlanta with 31 points but made 2 of 7 shots from the field in the fourth.
&ldquo;We both played good defense,&rdquo; Young said. &ldquo;They played better defense in the fourth. I&rsquo;ve got to do a better job of making shots in the fourth.&rdquo;
Harden had 20 points and 11 assists for Brooklyn, which is 2-0 against Atlanta this season.
The Nets, protecting their slim lead over Chicago for the best record in the Eastern Conference, improved to 8-0 following losses this season. Durant and LaMarcus Aldridge, who had 15 points, were rested in Wednesday night&rsquo;s 114-104 loss at Houston.
John Collins had 20 points and Kevin Huerter added 19 for the Hawks.
There were three ties early in the final period, including at 95-all. Durant's jumper sparked an 8-0 run that gave the Nets a 103-95 lead. Harden had four points in the run.
Atlanta answered with seven straight points, including a 3-pointer and another basket by Young, to pull to within 103-102. The Hawks couldn't complete the comeback.
The Hawks led 73-62 early in the third period.
Thomas, coming off a season-high 18 points against Houston, had three 3s in the period, including one that tied it at 86-all.
Thomas added another 3 to give Brooklyn its first lead of the half, 89-88. Danilo Gallinari answered with a 3 to give Atlanta the lead entering the final period.
TIP-INS
Nets: Nash acknowledged he worries about the toll of excessive minutes logged by the 32-year-old Harden. He played 41 minutes, his fifth game in the last six logging at least 39. ... Aldridge set a season high with three blocked shots. Durant also had three blocks.
Hawks: Clint Capela posted his 16th double-double of the season with 14 points and 16 rebounds. ... Huerter opened the game by making two 3-pointers. The Hawks didn't make another 3 in the period but they closed the half with another 3 from Huerter. He made 5 of 7 3s.
REDDISH RETURNS
Hawks forward Cam Reddish scored four points in his return after missing four games with a sprained left wrist. Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot remained in the starting lineup, but did not score.
Reddish scored all his points on free throws. He was 0 for 6 from the field.
&ldquo;He didn&rsquo;t get his shot to fall tonight, but he&rsquo;ll get back into it,&rdquo; Young said. &ldquo;When he&rsquo;s in a groove, it&rsquo;s a lot better for our team.&rdquo;
Reddish adds important depth on the wing. The issue became more critical with Wednesday&rsquo;s announcement that Solomon Hill is expected to miss the remainder of the season with a torn right hamstring tendon.
Atlanta also is without De&rsquo;Andre Hunter, who is recovering from surgery on his right wrist, and Bogdan Bogdanovic, who missed his fifth consecutive game due to a sprained right ankle.
STRENGTH VS. STRENGTH
One game after setting a franchise record by making 25 3-pointers in a 121-110 win at Minnesota on Monday, the Hawks made 11 of 34 3s. Entering the game, Atlanta led the NBA in 3-point shooting, making 38.6%, while Brooklyn led the league in 3-point defense, allowing 30.5%.
ALL GOOD
Durant and Young each drew technical fouls for a brief skirmish in the final period. The two were separated and downplayed the incident after the game.
&ldquo;He wanted me to get out of his space and I understand that,&rdquo; Durant said.
UP NEXT
Nets: Wrap up a four-game trip at Detroit on Sunday night.
Hawks: Play Houston on Monday night.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Kevin Durant and James Harden carried the heavy scoring load for the Brooklyn Nets, as usual.
Coach Steve Nash also credited his &ldquo;bullpen&rdquo; for closing out New Jersey's win over Atlanta.
Durant <a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1469517547275964429">scored 31 points</a>, including a go-ahead jumper midway through the fourth quarter, and the Nets proved to be resilient once again, beating the Hawks 113-105 on Friday night.
New Jersey trailed 91-89 before outscoring Atlanta 24-14 in the final period.
Rookie Cam Thomas <a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1469495142893555716">sank three 3-pointers</a> while scoring 11 points off Brooklyn's bench. Another backup, Nic Claxton, <a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1469497717860749315">added four points</a> and four rebounds while providing valuable defense as most of his minutes came in the final quarter.
&ldquo;They&rsquo;re both so versatile,&rdquo; Nash said of Thomas and Claxton. &ldquo;It really gives us a great bullpen, so to speak. ... I think it just elevates our level of play at that end of the floor so much.&rdquo;
With the 6-foot-11 Claxton sharing the defensive load on Atlanta point guard Trae Young, the Hawks made only 6 of 22 shots in the final period.
&ldquo;It was just a good lineup to finish the game,&rdquo; Durant said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m glad the defense won it for us.&rdquo;
Young led Atlanta with 31 points but made 2 of 7 shots from the field in the fourth.
&ldquo;We both played good defense,&rdquo; Young said. &ldquo;They played better defense in the fourth. I&rsquo;ve got to do a better job of making shots in the fourth.&rdquo;
Harden had 20 points and 11 assists for Brooklyn, which is 2-0 against Atlanta this season.
The Nets, protecting their slim lead over Chicago for the best record in the Eastern Conference, improved to 8-0 following losses this season. Durant and LaMarcus Aldridge, who had 15 points, were rested in Wednesday night&rsquo;s 114-104 loss at Houston.
John Collins had 20 points and Kevin Huerter added 19 for the Hawks.
There were three ties early in the final period, including at 95-all. Durant's jumper sparked an 8-0 run that gave the Nets a 103-95 lead. Harden had four points in the run.
Atlanta answered with seven straight points, including a 3-pointer and another basket by Young, to pull to within 103-102. The Hawks couldn't complete the comeback.
The Hawks led 73-62 early in the third period.
Thomas, coming off a season-high 18 points against Houston, had three 3s in the period, including one that tied it at 86-all.
Thomas added another 3 to give Brooklyn its first lead of the half, 89-88. Danilo Gallinari answered with a 3 to give Atlanta the lead entering the final period.
TIP-INS
Nets: Nash acknowledged he worries about the toll of excessive minutes logged by the 32-year-old Harden. He played 41 minutes, his fifth game in the last six logging at least 39. ... Aldridge set a season high with three blocked shots. Durant also had three blocks.
Hawks: Clint Capela posted his 16th double-double of the season with 14 points and 16 rebounds. ... Huerter opened the game by making two 3-pointers. The Hawks didn't make another 3 in the period but they closed the half with another 3 from Huerter. He made 5 of 7 3s.
REDDISH RETURNS
Hawks forward Cam Reddish scored four points in his return after missing four games with a sprained left wrist. Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot remained in the starting lineup, but did not score.
Reddish scored all his points on free throws. He was 0 for 6 from the field.
&ldquo;He didn&rsquo;t get his shot to fall tonight, but he&rsquo;ll get back into it,&rdquo; Young said. &ldquo;When he&rsquo;s in a groove, it&rsquo;s a lot better for our team.&rdquo;
Reddish adds important depth on the wing. The issue became more critical with Wednesday&rsquo;s announcement that Solomon Hill is expected to miss the remainder of the season with a torn right hamstring tendon.
Atlanta also is without De&rsquo;Andre Hunter, who is recovering from surgery on his right wrist, and Bogdan Bogdanovic, who missed his fifth consecutive game due to a sprained right ankle.
STRENGTH VS. STRENGTH
One game after setting a franchise record by making 25 3-pointers in a 121-110 win at Minnesota on Monday, the Hawks made 11 of 34 3s. Entering the game, Atlanta led the NBA in 3-point shooting, making 38.6%, while Brooklyn led the league in 3-point defense, allowing 30.5%.
ALL GOOD
Durant and Young each drew technical fouls for a brief skirmish in the final period. The two were separated and downplayed the incident after the game.
&ldquo;He wanted me to get out of his space and I understand that,&rdquo; Durant said.
UP NEXT
Nets: Wrap up a four-game trip at Detroit on Sunday night.
Hawks: Play Houston on Monday night.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Kevin Durant and James Harden carried the heavy scoring load for the Brooklyn Nets, as usual.
Coach Steve Nash also credited his &ldquo;bullpen&rdquo; for closing out New Jersey's win over Atlanta.
Durant <a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1469517547275964429">scored 31 points</a>, including a go-ahead jumper midway through the fourth quarter, and the Nets proved to be resilient once again, beating the Hawks 113-105 on Friday night.
New Jersey trailed 91-89 before outscoring Atlanta 24-14 in the final period.
Rookie Cam Thomas <a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1469495142893555716">sank three 3-pointers</a> while scoring 11 points off Brooklyn's bench. Another backup, Nic Claxton, <a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1469497717860749315">added four points</a> and four rebounds while providing valuable defense as most of his minutes came in the final quarter.
&ldquo;They&rsquo;re both so versatile,&rdquo; Nash said of Thomas and Claxton. &ldquo;It really gives us a great bullpen, so to speak. ... I think it just elevates our level of play at that end of the floor so much.&rdquo;
With the 6-foot-11 Claxton sharing the defensive load on Atlanta point guard Trae Young, the Hawks made only 6 of 22 shots in the final period.
&ldquo;It was just a good lineup to finish the game,&rdquo; Durant said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m glad the defense won it for us.&rdquo;
Young led Atlanta with 31 points but made 2 of 7 shots from the field in the fourth.
&ldquo;We both played good defense,&rdquo; Young said. &ldquo;They played better defense in the fourth. I&rsquo;ve got to do a better job of making shots in the fourth.&rdquo;
Harden had 20 points and 11 assists for Brooklyn, which is 2-0 against Atlanta this season.
The Nets, protecting their slim lead over Chicago for the best record in the Eastern Conference, improved to 8-0 following losses this season. Durant and LaMarcus Aldridge, who had 15 points, were rested in Wednesday night&rsquo;s 114-104 loss at Houston.
John Collins had 20 points and Kevin Huerter added 19 for the Hawks.
There were three ties early in the final period, including at 95-all. Durant's jumper sparked an 8-0 run that gave the Nets a 103-95 lead. Harden had four points in the run.
Atlanta answered with seven straight points, including a 3-pointer and another basket by Young, to pull to within 103-102. The Hawks couldn't complete the comeback.
The Hawks led 73-62 early in the third period.
Thomas, coming off a season-high 18 points against Houston, had three 3s in the period, including one that tied it at 86-all.
Thomas added another 3 to give Brooklyn its first lead of the half, 89-88. Danilo Gallinari answered with a 3 to give Atlanta the lead entering the final period.
TIP-INS
Nets: Nash acknowledged he worries about the toll of excessive minutes logged by the 32-year-old Harden. He played 41 minutes, his fifth game in the last six logging at least 39. ... Aldridge set a season high with three blocked shots. Durant also had three blocks.
Hawks: Clint Capela posted his 16th double-double of the season with 14 points and 16 rebounds. ... Huerter opened the game by making two 3-pointers. The Hawks didn't make another 3 in the period but they closed the half with another 3 from Huerter. He made 5 of 7 3s.
REDDISH RETURNS
Hawks forward Cam Reddish scored four points in his return after missing four games with a sprained left wrist. Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot remained in the starting lineup, but did not score.
Reddish scored all his points on free throws. He was 0 for 6 from the field.
&ldquo;He didn&rsquo;t get his shot to fall tonight, but he&rsquo;ll get back into it,&rdquo; Young said. &ldquo;When he&rsquo;s in a groove, it&rsquo;s a lot better for our team.&rdquo;
Reddish adds important depth on the wing. The issue became more critical with Wednesday&rsquo;s announcement that Solomon Hill is expected to miss the remainder of the season with a torn right hamstring tendon.
Atlanta also is without De&rsquo;Andre Hunter, who is recovering from surgery on his right wrist, and Bogdan Bogdanovic, who missed his fifth consecutive game due to a sprained right ankle.
STRENGTH VS. STRENGTH
One game after setting a franchise record by making 25 3-pointers in a 121-110 win at Minnesota on Monday, the Hawks made 11 of 34 3s. Entering the game, Atlanta led the NBA in 3-point shooting, making 38.6%, while Brooklyn led the league in 3-point defense, allowing 30.5%.
ALL GOOD
Durant and Young each drew technical fouls for a brief skirmish in the final period. The two were separated and downplayed the incident after the game.
&ldquo;He wanted me to get out of his space and I understand that,&rdquo; Durant said.
UP NEXT
Nets: Wrap up a four-game trip at Detroit on Sunday night.
Hawks: Play Houston on Monday night.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Kevin Durant and James Harden carried the heavy scoring load for the Brooklyn Nets, as usual.
Coach Steve Nash also credited his &ldquo;bullpen&rdquo; for closing out New Jersey's win over Atlanta.
Durant <a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1469517547275964429">scored 31 points</a>, including a go-ahead jumper midway through the fourth quarter, and the Nets proved to be resilient once again, beating the Hawks 113-105 on Friday night.
New Jersey trailed 91-89 before outscoring Atlanta 24-14 in the final period.
Rookie Cam Thomas <a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1469495142893555716">sank three 3-pointers</a> while scoring 11 points off Brooklyn's bench. Another backup, Nic Claxton, <a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1469497717860749315">added four points</a> and four rebounds while providing valuable defense as most of his minutes came in the final quarter.
&ldquo;They&rsquo;re both so versatile,&rdquo; Nash said of Thomas and Claxton. &ldquo;It really gives us a great bullpen, so to speak. ... I think it just elevates our level of play at that end of the floor so much.&rdquo;
With the 6-foot-11 Claxton sharing the defensive load on Atlanta point guard Trae Young, the Hawks made only 6 of 22 shots in the final period.
&ldquo;It was just a good lineup to finish the game,&rdquo; Durant said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m glad the defense won it for us.&rdquo;
Young led Atlanta with 31 points but made 2 of 7 shots from the field in the fourth.
&ldquo;We both played good defense,&rdquo; Young said. &ldquo;They played better defense in the fourth. I&rsquo;ve got to do a better job of making shots in the fourth.&rdquo;
Harden had 20 points and 11 assists for Brooklyn, which is 2-0 against Atlanta this season.
The Nets, protecting their slim lead over Chicago for the best record in the Eastern Conference, improved to 8-0 following losses this season. Durant and LaMarcus Aldridge, who had 15 points, were rested in Wednesday night&rsquo;s 114-104 loss at Houston.
John Collins had 20 points and Kevin Huerter added 19 for the Hawks.
There were three ties early in the final period, including at 95-all. Durant's jumper sparked an 8-0 run that gave the Nets a 103-95 lead. Harden had four points in the run.
Atlanta answered with seven straight points, including a 3-pointer and another basket by Young, to pull to within 103-102. The Hawks couldn't complete the comeback.
The Hawks led 73-62 early in the third period.
Thomas, coming off a season-high 18 points against Houston, had three 3s in the period, including one that tied it at 86-all.
Thomas added another 3 to give Brooklyn its first lead of the half, 89-88. Danilo Gallinari answered with a 3 to give Atlanta the lead entering the final period.
TIP-INS
Nets: Nash acknowledged he worries about the toll of excessive minutes logged by the 32-year-old Harden. He played 41 minutes, his fifth game in the last six logging at least 39. ... Aldridge set a season high with three blocked shots. Durant also had three blocks.
Hawks: Clint Capela posted his 16th double-double of the season with 14 points and 16 rebounds. ... Huerter opened the game by making two 3-pointers. The Hawks didn't make another 3 in the period but they closed the half with another 3 from Huerter. He made 5 of 7 3s.
REDDISH RETURNS
Hawks forward Cam Reddish scored four points in his return after missing four games with a sprained left wrist. Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot remained in the starting lineup, but did not score.
Reddish scored all his points on free throws. He was 0 for 6 from the field.
&ldquo;He didn&rsquo;t get his shot to fall tonight, but he&rsquo;ll get back into it,&rdquo; Young said. &ldquo;When he&rsquo;s in a groove, it&rsquo;s a lot better for our team.&rdquo;
Reddish adds important depth on the wing. The issue became more critical with Wednesday&rsquo;s announcement that Solomon Hill is expected to miss the remainder of the season with a torn right hamstring tendon.
Atlanta also is without De&rsquo;Andre Hunter, who is recovering from surgery on his right wrist, and Bogdan Bogdanovic, who missed his fifth consecutive game due to a sprained right ankle.
STRENGTH VS. STRENGTH
One game after setting a franchise record by making 25 3-pointers in a 121-110 win at Minnesota on Monday, the Hawks made 11 of 34 3s. Entering the game, Atlanta led the NBA in 3-point shooting, making 38.6%, while Brooklyn led the league in 3-point defense, allowing 30.5%.
ALL GOOD
Durant and Young each drew technical fouls for a brief skirmish in the final period. The two were separated and downplayed the incident after the game.
&ldquo;He wanted me to get out of his space and I understand that,&rdquo; Durant said.
UP NEXT
Nets: Wrap up a four-game trip at Detroit on Sunday night.
Hawks: Play Houston on Monday night.