Two steps forward one step back

Photo Screenshot from @atlhawks Twitter. (Scott Cunningham/NABE/Getty Images).

On Monday, the Atlanta Hawks faced the Memphis Grizzlies at home in hopes of gaining three straight game wins. But that hope was quickly dismantled when the Hawks fell in a disastrous 88-127 loss to Memphis.

⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️#TrueToAtlanta pic.twitter.com/fOoXOYkv7a

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) March 3, 2020

At the post game press conference Coach Lloyd Pierce said, “Yeah, I don’t know what that was. I’ve got nothing for you guys. You can ask away. I’ve got nothing for you.”

When asked if there was a teachable moment? Pierce replied, “I don’t know what to teach. You can’t teach effort. You can talk about it, but effort is effort.”

#Hawks fall to #Grizzlies at 88-127 https://t.co/awgrzX7Vmc

— chicksintosports (@chicksintosport) March 3, 2020

Trae Young led the team in scoring 19 points and 2 assists.

https://twitter.com/atlhawks/status/1234859219125460992?s=21

“We started off bad, we started off bad. Picked it up a little bit. It’s tough whenever you’ve got more dudes in suits than jerseys. We’ve just got to get everybody healthy. Three games in four nights isn’t easy. They’re obviously battling super-hard to get a playoff spot. You saw how much they fought for it. They just wanted it more than us. That’s just what it is.” said  Young.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9S0Gz1JD_8/?igshid=o6ivt7wgx528

“Great win by the group. We were getting great shots to start the game but I felt like the urgency on the defensive end wasn’t really there. I had to call two quick timeouts and then we got momentum. I think we built a 14-point lead in the first half but then it whittled down to three at halftime. We didn’t closeout, fouled a little too much. I think they had 14 second-chance points in that first half. I just challenged the guys that we have to be a lot better with our urgency, our activity has got to be a whole lot better, the standard that we’re talking about coming out of the break. Obviously, we did it the other night against the Lakers. We kind of trended downward in the first half, but the guys locked in. Their activity, keeping them off the free throw line, limiting their second-chance points and then we just kind of found a groove. Our activity as we’ve talked all season long, got out, pace, the ball was advancing really quick, the ball was moving, 30 assists, I think we ended up with like 70-plus points from our bench which is huge. Contributions from everyone, but it started with the defensive end. As I hit them after the game, I said this is something that you have to build off of. We can’t wait again. We have to come out from the jump even if we’re missing shots. Proud of the guys, the way they competed. Obviously a really good win for us.” said Memphis Head Coach Taylor Jenkins.

?? ????: The Hawks are headed on the road to face the Wizards in Washington on Friday. Before returning back home on March 9th to host the Hornets at State Farm Arena.

𝙐𝙥 𝙣𝙚𝙭𝙩: We take on the Wizards in Washington on Friday. Join us when we are back home on March 9th when we play the Hornets!

🎟: https://t.co/tAM9c8yh99 pic.twitter.com/c84qiK7I8I

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) March 3, 2020