AJC: Rockets 112, Hawks 106

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Scola and Rockets pushed Hawks around. (AP Photo)

• A tough matchup and a tougher team undid the Hawks. The former wasn’t a surprise unless you thought Aaron Brooks and Kyle Lowry would have trouble getting past Atlanta’s guards. But it was a bit jarring to see a lack of support on Atlanta’s backline.
• “We thought we could outscore this team,” L.D. said. “Defensively, I thought we were soft.”
• Luis Scola, Jordan Hill and Chuck Hayes combined to make 24 of 37 shots.
• “We just didn’t play with any kind of physicality and we didn’t take anything away,” Drew said. “We allowed them to back us into the paint and score easily. We forgot kind of who we are. We have not been a team starting games thinking we can outscore people. Our mindset has always been that it starts with our defense.”
• Not sure about that, but the Hawks couldn’t even manage to put together their usual stretch of energetic defense to build a cushion and pull away. They led by nine points early because the Rockets were …

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