Hardaway powers Hawks to long-awaited OT win over Spurs
Atlanta Hawks guards Tim Hardaway Jr. (10) and Dennis Schroder, of Germany, congratulate each other as forward Kent Bazemore (24) watches after the team’s NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017, in Atlanta. Atlanta won 114-112 in overtime. AP
ATLANTA — Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer finally has his first win over Gregg Popovich, his longtime former boss in San Antonio.
It took career and season-high points from Tim Hardaway Jr. and Paul Millsap, respectively, to make it happen.
Hardaway matched his career high with 29 points, including a tying 3-pointer with 3.3 seconds remaining in regulation, and the Hawks beat the Spurs 114-112 in overtime on Sunday night.
Budenholzer, in his fourth season as Atlanta’s coach, had been 0-6 against San Antonio.
Millsap scored a season-high 32 points and had 13 rebounds for the Hawks, who snapped a string of 11 straight losses to San Antonio since 2010.
“It’s great to get this win against a really good team and it’s good to get it for Bud,” Millsap said. “He’s happy to have it under his belt.”
Budenholzer spent 19 years with the Spurs, the last 17 as an assistant. He downplayed his personal motivation.
“You know, I was there for a long time,” Budenholzer said. “A lot of things we’ve tried to bring here … but at the end of the day it’s a game for our players.”
Popovich knew the win meant more than Budenholzer revealed.
“If we’re going to lose, it’s good to feel somebody on the other end was made happy,” Popovich said.
It was only San Antonio’s third loss in 19 road games.
Hardaway scored nine points in overtime, including the go-ahead free throw with 10.8 seconds remaining. He missed the second free throw but Millsap grabbed the rebound. Dennis Schroder also made only one of two attempts with 3.9 seconds remaining.
Kawhi Leonard missed a last-second layup for San Antonio in overtime. Leonard also had a potential winning short jumper spin around the rim before falling out to end regulation.
LaMarcus Aldridge had 27 points and 13 rebounds to lead San Antonio.
The Hawks couldn’t hold a 110-104 lead in overtime. Leonard’s 3-pointer tied it at 112-all.
TIP-INS
Spurs: Tony Parker had 22 points, and Gasol had 18. … The loss ended a four-game winning streak. … Manu Ginobili had 10 points but other backups combined for only 13 as the bench was outscored by Atlanta’s reserves 49-23.
Hawks: Atlanta’s last win over the Spurs was a 119-114 overtime victory on March 21, 2010. … F Mike Scott was assigned to the Long Island Nets of the NBA Development League, his third D-League assignment of the season. … Dennis Schroder had 16 points and 10 assists.
STREAKING
Millsap scored Atlanta’s last six points in the third and first 11 in the fourth period for 17 consecutive points. He and finished with 15 in the fourth period.
“I was just being aggressive, trying to make something happen,” he said. “I felt like we were real sluggish offensively at that point so I just tried to get something going for us and then Tim came in and did a great job.”
FEELING BETTER
Leonard had 13 points in his return to the starting lineup after missing two games with a stomach virus. He made only 3 of 12 shots from the field. Leonard leads the Spurs with his average of 24.4 points per game but said he was “just trying to work my way back in” against Atlanta.
“Taking all that medicine and stuff made me a little weary out there,” he said.
ROAD KINGS
The Spurs’ 16-2 mark through 18 road games before the loss was tied for the second-best in NBA history, trailing only a 17-1 mark by the 1971-72 Lakers. San Antonio won its first 13 road games.
UP NEXT
Spurs: Return to San Antonio to play Toronto on Tuesday.
Hawks: Travel to Orlando to play the Magic on Wednesday.
