Horford Has Double-Double As Hawks Stay Unbeaten In Win Over Bulls 113-108

Posted by Jeff Sack under NBA Game Recap

They are the feel-good story in the young 2008-2009 NBA campaign. A team who’s last taste of success was over a generation ago, when Dominique Wilkins, and a point guard named Doc Rivers led the charge. There have been some long and lonely seasons for the Atlanta Hawks since then, but the good times appear to be back. The Hawks remain the only unbeaten team in the Eastern Conference, as they held off a fourth quarter charge by the Chicago Bulls Tuesday night winning 113-108. Hawks big man Al Horford’s stock keeps rising as he led his team to this victory with a double-double.

This was a close contest all night, as the Bulls played one of their best games so far in the young season, even without forward Drew Gooden who was out with an injury to his right ankle. The addition of Ben Gordon to the Chicago starting five, after Kirk Hinrich was lost to injury, looks like it will solidify the team, as Gordon and the “Rook“ Derrick Rose both had big nights.

The Hawks were ahead at the end of the first quarter 26-22. Chicago took the lead midway through the second, as Gordon hit a shot four feet from the basket putting his team up 35-33 with 8:00 left in the period. Atlanta took the lead back when Zaza Pachulia hit back to back buckets giving the Hawks a 49-47 lead with 2:38 before half time. Atlanta would hold onto the advantage going in to the locker room leading 55-52.

Atlanta would start the third quarter on an 8-3 run, and dominate the entire period as they went into the last 12 minutes of play with a 10 point bulge 84-74. Chicago was the aggressor at the start of the fourth quarter as they outscored the Hawks 9-1 to make it a 2 point game 85-83 when Luol Deng hit a pair at the line with just under 10 minutes to play. But Atlanta pulled away again quickly getting the lead to 93-83. The Bulls would get as close as four points down, but never any closer.

Al Horford is showing he does not believe in the “Sophomore Slump” as he scored 27 points, grabbed 17 boards, 6 blocks, 3 assists, 1 steal. (Can you say All-Star Consideration?) Point guard Mike Bibby looks like he is getting more comfortable in Atlanta with each passing game, dropped 22 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block, Joe Johnson had 17 points, 8 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals. Maurice Evans put in 17 points, 5 rebounds, Marvin Williams contributed 13 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal. Zaza Pachulia had 12 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists.

Derrick Rose recorded a double-double, with 26 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists. Andres Nocioni came in off the pine and put in 20 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, Gordon scored 19 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds, 1 steal. Luol Deng also had a double-double for the Bulls scoring 19 points, grabbing 10 boards, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, Thabo Sefolosha came in off the bench and scored 13 points, 3 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks, 1 rebound. Atlanta now is tied with the Los Angeles Lakers with the best record in the Association, as they are 6-0, Chicago now stands at 3-5.

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