The Atlanta Hawks have been on the roll since replacing Lloyd Pierce with Nate McMillan as their coach. With Tuesday’s win over the New Orleans Pelicans, the Hawks have shifted to 13-4 since McMillan took over, but even they could not predict how hot they would become in the third quarter of their latest win.
The Falcons and Pelicans were tied at 61 at halftime. That averages more than 30 points per quarter for both teams. Not too bad. And then Atlanta took things to the next level. They dropped 46 points in the third quarter thanks to a historic shooting streak. In the 12 minutes that made up the third quarter, the Hawks shot 11 for 11 on three points.
It is not surprising that the Falcons set the record for the most three-pointers by a team in a single quarter without missing. The record was previously held at 9 for 9 by the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Hawks broke it with a bit of breathing. For the game as a whole, the Hawks shot 64.1 percent from behind the arc using 20 of their 31 attempts. They scored 123 points in the game, a somewhat modest total, given their explosive third quarter, but with the fourth quarter slightly more than junk time, Atlanta needed little to score more than 16.
This level of shooting is obviously not sustainable, but it is an appropriate manifestation of their recent success. The Falcons get healthier at the right time and scream. Tuesday was their best attacking game of the season, but they would have to grow from here.