Teague gets 18 points, powers Hawks past Bucks
Atlanta Hawks guard Kyle Korver (26) reaches for the ball as he guards Milwaukee Bucks guard Khris Middleton, left, n the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, March 25, 2016, in Atlanta. AP
ATLANTA, Georgia—Jeff Teague scored 12 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter and the Atlanta Hawks overcame poor 3-point shooting to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 101-90 on Friday night.
Paul Millsap had 14 points and 13 rebounds and Al Horford also had 14 points to keep the Hawks’ late-season surge going. They have won seven of eight and 10 of 12 to move to third place in the Eastern Conference.
The Hawks (43-30) are a season-high 13 games over .500 and got there despite making only 5 of 32 3-pointers.
Jabari Parker led Milwaukee with 19 points. John Henson had 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Atlanta dodged Milwaukee’s attempt for a sweep of the season series. The Bucks won the first two games against the Hawks in overtime, including a double-overtime win in Atlanta on Feb. 20.
With Dennis Schroder on the bench with five fouls, Teague had three straight baskets, including two three-point plays, midway through the final period. The second basket and free throw pushed the lead to 90-81.
Henson answered with a three-point play before Thabo Sefolosha countered with Atlanta’s only 3-pointer of the second half.
Atlanta led 51-46 at halftime. The Bucks cut the Hawks’ lead to one point before Atlanta used a 10-2 run for a 75-66 lead.
Coach Jason Kidd said before the game the Bucks must avoid the temptation “to look at the finish line and prepare for the summer and next season.”
Kidd said the Bucks, 11th in the Eastern Conference standings, need to take advantage of their last 10 games because “we still have a lot to learn.”
Kidd said the Bucks can’t relax, especially against teams battling for playoff positions.
“You know, they’re all bunched up,” Kidd said of the Eastern Conference playoff standings. “So we have to expect that they’re going to give us their best and we want to do that in return.”
