Atlanta Hawks (40-32) beat Memphis Grizzlies (24-47) 146-107 at home on Monday, March 23. The final margin was 39 points.
The game, quarter by quarter
The Hawks had the better start, winning the first 32-22 to lead by 10 after one. The Hawks kept the pressure on with a 39-24 second quarter, carrying a 25-point lead into halftime.
The Hawks won the third 45-29 to create some separation, taking a 41-point lead into the fourth. The Grizzlies took the fourth 32-30; the Hawks held on for a 146-107 regulation win.
Why it was lopsided
The Hawks got more from their shots, finishing at 66.8% effective field-goal shooting compared with 50.6% for the Grizzlies. The Hawks took better care of the ball, turning it over on 10.8% of possessions compared with 19.2% for the Grizzlies. That shooting gap supplied the clearest edge.
At roughly 106 possessions per team, the Hawks produced 138.1 points per 100 possessions to 101.2 for the Grizzlies.
The Hawks' reserves also made a difference, outscoring the opposing bench 79-36.
Who stood out
Nickeil Alexander-Walker was the game's biggest individual force for ATL: 26 pts, 2 reb, 6 ast on 8-11 shooting. His Game Score of 26.5 led everyone. His team was +29 with him on the floor.
Tyler Burton led the Grizzlies with 20 pts, 8 reb, 1 ast on 6-11 shooting, good for a 18.6 Game Score.
What it means
The result fit the pre-game Win Meter, which gave the Hawks about a 83% chance.
Across the last 3 meetings in our records, Atlanta Hawks lead 2-1.
The Hawks are now 40-32, and the Grizzlies are 24-47. The Hawks last five before this game: W-W-W-L-W.
Written automatically by Tip Off Live software from box score data. Ratings and probabilities are our own model estimates.