The Atlanta Hawks secured a playoff spot against the Boston Celtics by winning the play-in against the Miami Heat on Tuesday, 105-116, in a game marked by rebound stats with 68 rebounds for Quin Snyder's team, 22 of them offensive.
Clint Capela was the dominant force under the boards with 21 total rebounds, eight of them offensive. In terms of scoring, up to seven players from the Hawks scored in double digits and Trae Young contributed 25 points in total.
Another determining factor was Atlanta's contribution off the bench with 53 points, as their four substitutes scored more than ten points. In stark contrast, Miami had a brilliant performance from Kyle Lowry with 33 points.
The Heat will have to play their last chance to make it to the postseason this coming Friday at the Kaseya Center, against the winner of the game between the Toronto Raptors and the Chicago Bulls.
Both teams started with a series of missed shots, and it was Jimmy Butler who broke that trend by scoring ten points in the first period.
However, the Hawks caused damage to Erik Spoelstra's team from beyond the arc and quickly built a twelve-point lead.
Tyler Herro was the first to score from the perimeter for the Heat five minutes into the game, but he immediately went to the bench with his second personal foul in the next play.
Miami Heat struggled defensively and had a striking lack of efficiency throughout the first quarter, making only two out of nine three-point attempts and shooting 37.5% from the field. They salvaged their performance with seven made free throws out of seven attempts.
Although Dejounte Murray and De'Andre Hunter each scored six points to close the first period, the contribution from Atlanta's bench was key, with all four players scoring a combined fifteen points.
Atlanta did little damage, despite losing five turnovers, they were able to take advantage of their offensive opportunities and ended the first quarter leading by nine with a score of 27-36.
The game continued with the same dynamic after the break, with Atlanta's defense showing the influence of Snyder, being aggressive yet practical. Spoelstra couldn't find a solution to help his team find comfortable shots.
The point difference between the two teams grew to an impressive 24 points (39-63 with three minutes left in the first half).
The duo of Young and Bogdanovic contributed 16 points, eight each. The Hawks' defense left their opponents without solutions, forcing them to attempt individual plays without success.
An unexpected player like Lowry was the one who saved the Heat from a bigger problem, reminiscent of his best years as he scored 12 points in the second quarter alone, with only one missed shot, bringing his total to 19 points before halftime.
A highly questionable foul by Max Strus on Young's shot at the buzzer sent him to the free-throw line to score two more points, making the score 50-65 and sending both teams to the locker rooms.
Six consecutive points by Herro caught the attention of the Hawks after halftime. Another three-pointer by Strus forced Atlanta to call their second timeout, as the run was now 13-4 and the momentum had clearly shifted.
The Hawks tightened their defense once again and regained control of the game. They wanted the playoff spot against the Celtics and they reacted accordingly. Their dominance on the boards was key, with 15 rebounds, seven of them offensive, and the Heat were no longer as close to a comeback.
The third quarter ended with two iconic plays that represented each team at that precise moment. A turnover by Herro led to a fast break finished by Jalen Johnson, who then passed the ball to Onyeka Okongwu for a hanging dunk. The score was 78-91 with twelve minutes left.
The last quarter saw a fluctuation of five to ten-point leads for Atlanta. The home team's comeback was impossible due to their rebounding issues. The Hawks maintained their rhythm with another 14 rebounds, seven of them offensive.
The visitors had two or three opportunities to score on many possessions, and they closed the game with a final score of 105-116.
EFE.
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