It’s easy to point to the gaudy number of points the Charlotte Hornets hung on the Atlanta Hawks during the first quarter of play on Saturday evening at State Farm Arena as the primary reason the game went the way of the visiting team. Charlotte scored 46 points, the most they have produced in any quarter this season, in the opening period and established a 15-point advantage heading into the second frame.
But Atlanta was also outscored by 15 points in the third quarter, 33-18. It was likely their play during that period that contributed most to the eventual 129-120 loss to Charlotte.