Spokesman-Review
National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Atlanta 96, Phoenix 69
When: 7:30 PM ET, Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Where: Philips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia
Officials: #22 Bill Spooner, #42 Eric Lewis, #66 Haywoode Workman
Attendance: 18650

ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Hawks, who set a team record with 19 straight wins earlier in the season, now also own the franchise mark for victories in a season with their 58th.

Forward DeMarre Carroll made all but one of his nine shots and the Hawks held the Phoenix Suns to 31.3 percent shooting while winning 96-69 Tuesday night before the team's 22nd sellout in the past 25 games.

The Hawks, who weeks ago clinched the Southeast Division title and the best record in the Eastern Conference, are 58-19 with five games left after improving to 34-5 at home. The 1986-87 and 1993-94 teams won 57 games.

Guard Jeff Teague and forward Mike Muscala, filling in for Paul Millsap, joined Carroll with 16 points. Center Al Horford scored 14 and the Hawks shot 49.4 percent.

The loss was the sixth in seven games for the Suns, who fell to 39-39 and are out of the race for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

The Hawks put the victory away with 11 straight points in the third quarter, going up 63-47, and Suns guard Eric Bledsoe was ejected shortly afterwards for drawing two technical fouls.

The technicals were the sixth and seventh of the chippie game, with both teams showing their displeasure with each other and the officials.

The Hawks led 69-56 going into the fourth quarter and then made it a rout as the Suns went from bad to worse trying to put the ball in the basket. Phoenix had just 26 points in the second half.

Carroll made all six of his shots for 12 points and the Hawks shots 54.8 percent in a first half for a 52-43 lead.

Five technical fouls were called, with coach Mike Budenholzer drawing one of the Hawks' four.

The Suns shot just 32 percent in the first quarter while falling behind 24-17 and weref down 50-36 after a 3-pointer by forward Mike Scott late in the second quarter.

Scott drew a technical for a confrontation with Markieff Morris coming back up court after the basket and Budenholzer was hit with a technical shortly afterwards.

Morris had drawn a technical in the first quarter, when Carroll and center Pero Antic were also hit.

Teague had 11 first-half points for the Hawks, while forward Gerald Green led the Suns with nine of his team-best 15 points.

NOTES: F Paul Millsap, inactive after suffering a mild right shoulder sprain in the Hawks' victory over the Nets on Saturday, won't travel to New York for Wednesday's rematch. He will be re-evaluated Thursday and could be back for the final week of the regular season. Millsap leads the Hawks in scorng and rebounding at 16.8 points and 7.8 boards per game. ... G Brandon Knight isn't on the four-game trip with the Suns and coach Jeff Hornacek said he’ll likely miss the rest of the season because of a heel bone bruise associated with a left ankle sprain suffered March 9. Knight has played just once since then and appeared in only 11 games after being acquired from Detroit on Feb. 19. ... Suns C Alex Len missed his third straight game because of a broken nose and won't play Wednesday at Dallas. He is being fitted for a mask and could return Friday at New Orleans. ... G Dennis Schroder (toe) returned for the Hawks after missing the previous two games. ... F Mike Muscala started in place of Millsap. ... The Hawks beat the Suns 96-87 in Phoenix on March 13 with Millsap getting 23 points and nine rebounds.
Top Game Performances
 
Phoenix   Atlanta
Gerald Green 15 Scoring DeMarre Carroll 16
Eric Bledsoe 5 Assists Shelvin Mack 4
Markieff Morris 6 Rebounds Kent Bazemore 9
Archie Goodwin 6 Free Throws Made Jeff Teague 3
T.J. Warren 2 Steals Mike Muscala 4
Archie Goodwin 2 Blocks Kyle Korver 2
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Phoenix 69 31.3 4-20 13-18 16 37 6 5 16
Atlanta 96 49.4 4-25 10-14 21 54 4 9 15
Upcoming Games
  • Atlanta will play their next game on the road against Brooklyn. The Hawks have a W/L % of .759 after a win and .737 after a loss.
  • Phoenix will play their next game on the road against Dallas. The Suns have a W/L % of .600 after a win and .395 after a loss.