There will be no accusations to worry about for at least the next 48 hours.
A night after Hawks coach Larry Drew suggested that his team quit down the stretch during a blowout loss in Philadelphia, the Hawks responded by ringing up their highest point total of the season in a 121-94 over the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers.
The win and the performance that preceded it prompted a totally different tone from Drew after the game.
"This team has responded to tough stretches," he said, praising his crew this time. "When we have games where we've had tough losses, we've bounced back from it. And tonight, I thought, from start to finish, we were in an attack mode."
The same things that he said were missing in Philadelphia were on full display at Philips Arena Saturday night.
"You can see the aggression, you can see the energy," Drew said. "We finished the game with 31 assists. I thought, defensively, we followed and executed our defensive game plan. I thought our energy level was high. At halftime, I threw the challenge out there. The last couple of ball games, we've gotten off to very slow starts in the third quarter, and they responded to the challenge tonight in the third quarter, and extended the lead, and never looked back."
It was the perfect send off for the Hawks, who play their next five games on the road starting Monday at Milwaukee. That fourth quarter rest Drew gave his starters against the Cavaliers probably won't be duplicated on this upcoming trip.
But Drew is holding out hope that the extended road trip doesn't come with too many bumps and bruises.
"It's all there for the taking," Josh Smith said. "Now we're going to see if we're hungry enough to reach out and take it."
NOTES, QUOTES
The Hawks' 31 assists was a season-high and shows off what can be done when they lock in on sharing the ball and making sure everyone is involved in the offense.
"That's one thing I've known about this team, even before I got here," reserve guard Janerro Pargo said. "A lot of guys are willing passers, and that becomes contagious -- when guys are making extra passes and knocking down shots. It's a beautiful sight to see."
Piling up 31 assists on 46 made field goals is proof that the Hawks are capable, but haven't yet accepted playing that way on a nightly basis.
"When we move the ball like that, we become tough to defend," Drew said. "We share the ball, we have guys that can make shots, we have guys that are good off the dribble that can create. We're just a totally different ball club when we move the ball, and tonight we did a really good job with that."
Joe Johnson was at his throwback best against the Cavaliers in the first half. He scored 19 points before halftime and finished with 25.
The Hawks need every bit of whatever it is he can give with Al Horford out for the remainder of the season. There was a time not long ago, before Horford arrived, when Johnson carried the load on a regular basis.
"Whatever it takes to get that win," Johnson said. "That's what's most important."
QUOTE TO NOTE
"I know we let ourselves down in the second half (last night), and everybody around this locker room knew it. Coming into tonight's game, we understood the importance of winning before we went out on a five-game road trip. We were able to close this team out." -- Josh Smith on what was at stake after the loss in Philly.
