MINNEAPOLIS – With the Atlanta Hawks’ momentum gone and a noisy sellout crowd cheering the host Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night, Lloyd Pierce made a bold prediction.
“I told our guys at the end of the third quarter, ‘This is going to be our best win of the season,'” the first-year Atlanta coach recalled after the game.
It certainly wasn’t their prettiest after they committed 24 turnovers, but the Hawks made just enough hustle plays to overcome blowing a 22-point lead as they beat Minnesota 123-120 in overtime.
Kent Bazemore scored 23 points and John Collins added 21 to back up Pierce’s boast. The Hawks are just 10-24 this season, but they have won four of their past five, with three of those wins on the road.
“It definitely shows you he has confidence in what we’re capable of,” said Dewayne Dedmon, who made two big foul shots with 1.7 seconds left to preserve the win. “Just hearing that made us just turn up a little bit and keep fighting.”