Hawks Burned by Another First-Half Barrage as Defensive Woes Continue
ATLANTA - In the NBA, bad quarters happen. But when a team gives up 80-plus points in the first half twice in three games, it’s more than a fluke - it’s a flashing red light.
That’s exactly where the Atlanta Hawks find themselves after another rough night at home, this time against a red-hot Boston Celtics squad that torched them for 82 first-half points. The second quarter alone was a defensive disaster: 52 points surrendered in just 12 minutes. That’s not just a cold stretch - that’s a full-on meltdown.
And this wasn’t the first time. Just days ago, the Hawks were lit up by the Lakers, with Luka Dončić, Jake LaRavia, and Gabe Vincent raining threes like it was warm-up drills.
Against Boston, it was Sam Hauser’s turn to catch fire. The sharpshooter knocked down seven of his eight three-point attempts before halftime, many of them wide open, and the scoreboard reflected the damage: Celtics 82, Hawks 51.
That kind of first-half hole is almost impossible to climb out of, and the Hawks never really threatened to make it a game.
Defensive Breakdowns and Slow Rotations
Head coach Quin Snyder didn’t sugarcoat it afterward. “We can’t give up a 52-point quarter,” he said. “That may be all I should say.”
But he said more - and he was right to. Snyder pointed to a lack of “competitive focus on the defensive end,” and it showed.
Rotations were late. Closeouts were lazy.
Communication was off. And even when the Hawks managed to contest shots, the Celtics still found ways to score.
It was a clinic in offensive execution - and a sobering reminder of how far the Hawks have to go defensively.
Snyder emphasized that this isn’t a game to just throw away and forget. “We need to understand why it happened,” he said. “That’s part of where we are.”
Players Know the Fix Starts on Defense
CJ McCollum echoed his coach’s frustration and pointed straight at the team’s lack of physicality. “They were too comfortable,” he said. “We have to be more physical at the point of contact.”
That comfort translated into easy looks - in transition, on offensive rebounds, and especially from beyond the arc. The Celtics got into rhythm early and never looked back. “Once they get going, it’s an avalanche,” McCollum said.
On the offensive side, the Hawks couldn’t get into a flow, either. Missed shots and poor spacing limited their ability to capitalize in transition.
“The better our defense is, the better our offense will be,” McCollum added. And right now, the defense is dragging the offense down with it.
No Silver Bullet, Just a Need to Lock In
There wasn’t one glaring stat that told the whole story - just a pattern of breakdowns, slow rotations, and a team still trying to find its footing. The Hawks are integrating new pieces into the rotation, and coming off a long West Coast road trip hasn’t helped. Factor in a lack of practice time since the calendar flipped to the new year, and it’s clear this team is still trying to recalibrate.
But none of that excuses giving up 80 points in a half - twice.
The Hawks know it. The coaches know it.
And if they’re going to turn things around, it starts with getting stops. That means tightening up rotations, communicating better, and bringing a level of physicality that’s been missing in recent games.
Because in today’s NBA, you can’t afford to wait until halftime to start defending - especially not against teams like the Celtics.