ATLANTA _ After allowing the Dallas Mavericks to score 42 points in the first quarter, Kent Bazemore had a 14-point second quarter which pulled the Atlanta Hawks back into the game.
Bazemore, who finished Wednesday's 111-104 win with a career-high 31 points, struggled shooting early just as the entire Hawks roster did, but the six-year veteran found some momentum late in the second quarter which rubbed off on his teammates.
The Hawks trailed by 20 points to end the first quarter, but dug themselves a deeper hole through the second quarter to trail by as many as 26. The offensive woes from the first quarter seeped into the second as the Hawks totaled only three points in the quarter's first five minutes until Bazemore combined with Taurean Prince to give the Hawks a boost.
Prince, who was 1 of 4 with three points until the middle of the second quarter, hit two free throws and a 3-pointer off an assist by Bazemore to jumpstart the Hawks rally. Bazemore also assisted DeAndre' Bembry on the Hawks' next possession for an alley-oop which reduced the Hawks' deficit to 19 points. The Hawks shot below 33 percent from the field and arc before Prince's shot sparked the offense.
Prince finished Wednesday's win 8 of 15 from the field, 5 of 9 from the 3-point line, for 24 points, four rebounds and three assists.
After assisting on Prince and Bembry's shots, Bazemore went on a spree, scoring 12 points over the next five minutes, 14 total in the second quarter. The surge brought the Hawks to trail by 10 entering halftime.
While the Hawks benefited from more offensive success late in the second quarter, there is no question the second quarter was won because of adjustments on defense. The Hawks limited the Mavericks to 16 second quarter points, .227 from the field and .125 from the 3-point line.
While the Mavericks won the first half, the Hawks won the second. Led by five points by Prince and three by Bazemore, Hawks started the second half going an 11-2 run. Prince scored on an alley-oop off an asset by rookie Trae Young for the second half's first score followed by a 3-pointer. On the Hawks next possession, Young sank his first shot of the game with a 3-pointer that pulled the Hawks within four points.
Young made only one shot entering the fourth quarter after recording a 35-point game Sunday in Cleveland, but his scoring power came into play in the fourth quarter when he made three free throws to give the Hawks their first lead of the game at 96-95 with 5:13 on the clock. In addition to eight fourth-quarter points by Bazemore, Young scored 10 points in the final six minutes to seal the game.
Young finished Wednesday's win 3 of 12 from the field and 10 of 13 on free throws for 17 points. Young also recorded four rebounds and five assists.
The Hawks finished Wednesday's win shooting .407 from the field and .395 beyond the arc, besting the Mavericks from the 3-point line. The Mavericks ended Wednesday shooting .418 from the field and .300 from the 3-point line.
