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Balanced Atlanta Hawks cruise past New York Knicks

By The Sports Xchange
Atlanta Hawks Mike Scott and New York Knicks Langston Galloway leap for a rebound at Madison Square Garden in New York City on October 29, 2015. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
1 of 3 | Atlanta Hawks Mike Scott and New York Knicks Langston Galloway leap for a rebound at Madison Square Garden in New York City on October 29, 2015. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

NEW YORK -- The Atlanta Hawks were one of the most unselfish teams in the NBA last season, ranking second in the league in assists.

In a 112-101 win over the New York Knicks on Thursday, the Hawks once again shared the ball and the scoring, placing six players in double figures and dishing out 26 assists on 42 made shots.

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Guard Jeff Teague led the Hawks (1-1) with 23 points and eight assists. Center Al Horford popped in 21 points, shooting guard Kyle Korver contributed 15 points, and guard Dennis Schroder came off the bench to record 13 points.

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Atlanta forward Paul Millsap chipped in with 11 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and five steals, and forward Tiago Splitter added 10 points.

Third-year forward Kent Bazemore, filling in for starter Thabo Sefolosha, who is out with an ankle injury, handed out five assists. Atlanta is averaging 24 assists in its first two games.

The Hawks also shot effectively, hitting 50.6 percent from the field and 41.7 percent from beyond the 3-point arc against the Knicks.

"I think the ball moved better," Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer said. "Our offense fed off our defense, and we could get out and run.

"Guys were seeing teammates, making good decisions and good reads."

Forward Carmelo Anthony led the Knicks (1-1) with 25 points. Center Robin Lopez, a free agent acquisition over the summer, added 18 points, and rookie forward Kristaps Porzingis scored 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Forward Kyle O'Quinn contributed 10 points and 10 boards.

Anthony is a combined 14-for-43 (32.6 percent) from the field in the Knicks' first two games.

"We have to get to a point where we are concerned with winning percentages and not shooting percentages," Knicks coach Derek Fisher said. "Being good takes time.

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"We weren't ready for (the Hawks)."

The Knicks never got closer than the 11-point final differential in the fourth quarter.

Teague scored 14 consecutive points to increase Atlanta's lead to 79-57 with 5:42 remaining in the third. He scored on two driving layups and a floater and was 8-for-9 from the foul line in the sequence.

"When Jeff (Teague) is aggressive and attacking, it can collapse the defense and create opportunities," Budenholzer said.

The Hawks shot a sizzling 62 percent (8-for-13) from beyond the arc to grab a 61-45 halftime lead. Horford and Korver led the way with 12 points apiece.

New York was ahead 33-32 with 7:20 left in the second, thanks mostly to its second unit, but the Hawks used an 18-6 run to move ahead 50-39 with three minutes to go before the half. Korver deposited seven points in the run.

"Their execution in those first-half stretches was good," Fisher said. "They were able to disrupt our timing and force us to play behind the rest of the night."

The Knicks committed 11 turnovers in the first half. Lopez topped New York with 12 first-half points.

Atlanta closed out the first quarter on a 13-2 burst over the last 4:21 to take a 30-20 lead. The Hawks, led by Horford's eight points, shot a robust 54.5 percent from the floor in the quarter.

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NOTES: Atlanta was without G/F Thabo Sefolosha (ankle) and F/C Mike Muscala (right ankle sprain). Sefolosha played in the season opener Tuesday but sat out in his return to New York, where he was injured in an incident with police in April. Muscala was hurt Tuesday against Detroit. X-rays were negative, and he is day-to-day. ... The Hawks ranked second in the NBA last season in assists at 25.7 per game. ... New York G Arron Afflalo was out with a strained left hamstring. He reportedly might miss up to two weeks. ... Knicks F Lou Amundson (sore lower back) and F/C Kevin Seraphin (sore right knee) also were sidelined. ... F Carmelo Anthony is the only holdover on the Knicks roster from the 2013-14 team.

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