Sports

Hotlanta: Hawks win 4th straight, with Teague leading way to 112 102 win over Heat

Atlanta Hawks guard Jeff Teague (0) passes the ball as Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) defends in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 3,  2014, in Miami. The Hawks defeated the Heat 112-102. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Atlanta Hawks guard Jeff Teague (0) passes the ball as Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) defends in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2014, in Miami. The Hawks defeated the Heat 112-102. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

By Tim Reynolds

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

MIAMI _ Shooting 56 per cent at home, that’s usually automatic-win time for the Miami Heat.

That is, until now.

And the Atlanta Hawks were more than happy to become the latest team to exploit banged-up Miami’s staggering vulnerability on its own floor.

Jeff Teague scored 27 points, Kyle Korver scored 18 and the Hawks beat the Heat 112-102 on Wednesday night _ just the third time in 66 games that a visitor came into Miami, allowed the Heat to shoot that well and still emerge victorious.

“A good win,” Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “I thought the bench came in and gave us some good stretches.”

Dennis Schroder scored 16 and Paul Millsap finished with 14 for the Hawks, who are 2-0 against the Heat this season. An 18-5 run to end the third quarter was the deciding blow for Atlanta, which led by 10 in the first quarter, 14 in the second and pushed the margin to 88-72 going into the fourth.

The Hawks have now won four straight and six of seven.

“We’re just playing hard,” Teague said, “and playing as a team.”

Dwyane Wade scored 28 points and Chris Bosh finished with 27 points and 11 rebounds for Miami, which has lost six of its last eight home games. Mario Chalmers finished with 19 points and 11 assists for the Heat, who finished tied with the Hawks in rebounds (30), assists (25) and turnovers (19), but got outscored 36-18 from beyond the 3-point arc.

“We have to figure it out,” said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, whose team is 9-9 through 18 games. “We just have to get to work. That is the only solution. The solution is in the locker room and that’s what it’s about right now.”

The Heat were without point guard Norris Cole, who was ill, and lost Luol Deng with a bone bruise on his right hand at halftime.

“The effort is there,” Wade said. “It’s a little frustrating whenever you a ballgame, even more when you lose at home. … The only thing we can do now is come back in tomorrow and try to figure out a way to right our wrong.”

Miami pulled to 63-62 on a 3-pointer by Bosh with 7:24 left in the third and the margin was only 70-67 when Wade made a free throw about 2 minutes later. That’s when the Hawks took off on their run, with Teague sparking it with six points and an assist, then Schroder finishing it with five points and an assist in the final 1:40.

Schroder’s 3-pointer to end the third made it 88-72, and Miami didn’t get closer than 10 again.

TIP-INS

Hawks: Schroder came within three points of matching the output of Miami’s reserves…. Atlanta had one third quarter of 30 points or more in its first 15 games; it had two in a two-day span against Boston and the Heat, with 30 points against the Celtics on Tuesday and then 33 against Miami. … The Hawks topped the 100-point mark for the sixth straight game.

Heat: Miami went with a new lineup, starting Josh McRoberts at power forward and using Shawne Williams off the bench. The lineup got changed again at halftime, when James Ennis was inserted into the first group after Deng was ruled out. … Miami is 3-4 against Southeast Division foes, after going 12-4 against those clubs last season. … Miami announced late Wednesday that G Andre Dawkins was assigned to their NBA Development League affiliate in Sioux Falls.

REBOUND WOES

The 30 rebounds were a season-low for Atlanta. It was the second-lowest total of the season for Miami, which is 4-0 when grabbing more than 40 boards, 5-9 otherwise.

LIGHTS NOT OUT

Miami is now 100-4 all-time at home, including playoffs, when shooting 55 per cent or better.

UP NEXT

Hawks: At Brooklyn on Friday.

Heat: At Milwaukee on Friday.

 

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