AJC: Hornets 93, Hawks 86

[Hawksquawk]

Ariza and the Hornets dominated the Hawks inside. (Matthew Hinton/The Times-Picayune)

New Orleans–The Hornets are a very good defensive team. Once they started playing like it, the Hawks couldn’t score.

• The Hornets are a very good pick-and-roll team. Once they started playing like it, the Hawks couldn’t stop them.
• Neither of those things should be surprising. Look at the top teams in defensive efficiency, and then notice how Atlanta’s sizzling offense has grind to a halt against all of them at winning time.
• And by now the sight of a good point guard slicing through Atlanta’s defense to score or set up others is so common as to be expected. CP3 might be the best at it, and he methodically carved up the Hawks in the third quarter.
• “As bad as that third quarter was, we were still right there and had a chance,” L.D. said. “But against good teams we have to be able to follow through on the game plan, especially defensively. On the road you have to have better shot …

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