Hawks rest three starters, fall to lowly 76ers

76ers Shock Hawks

VIDEO PLAYLIST

PHILADELPHIA — Hollis Thompson and Luc Mbah a Moute scored 19 points apiece, and the Philadelphia 76ers surprised the short-handed Atlanta Hawks 92-84 on Saturday night.

Nerlens Noel had 11 points and 17 rebounds for the 76ers, who erased a 16-point deficit to win for the second time in 11 games. Philadelphia (14-49) entered with the NBA’s second-worst record.

Jeff Teague had 17 points to pace Atlanta, which had its six-game winning streak snapped. The Hawks (49-13), who came in with the best record in the league, rested starters Paul Millsap, Kyle Korver and DeMarre Carroll — taking more than 41 points out of their lineup.

Atlanta scored just 31 points while shooting 27.5 percent (11 for 40) after halftime. The Hawks were coming off impressive home victories over league powers Cleveland and Houston.

Philadelphia pulled out of a 53-47 halftime deficit with a strong third quarter when it outscored Atlanta 25-16. The Hawks were 5 for 22 from the field in the period.

Atlanta erased a three-point deficit at the start of the fourth with consecutive 3-pointers by Mike Scott and Shelvin Mack to take a 75-72 lead. But the 76ers scored the next four and took their largest lead of the quarter on Noel’s layup with 3:10 left that made it 87-83.

Noel then dove at midcourt for a steal, was fouled and made one of two free throws to put the Sixers up five. Mbah a Moute’s 3-pointer from the top of the key gave Philadelphia a 91-84 advantage with 1:05 left.

Atlanta was looking to reach 50 wins for the first time since the 2009-10 season.

Philadelphia scored the first eight points of the second half to take a 55-53 lead with 9:10 left in the third quarter, as the Hawks missed all seven of their field goal attempts during the 76ers’ run. Philadelphia led by as many as seven, on Thomas Robinson‘s layup with 43.4 seconds left in the period, before ending the third with a 72-69 lead.

Teague had 13 points and Al Horford scored 12 to help the Hawks go up 53-47 at the break. Atlanta shot 51.4 percent in the opening half while holding Philadelphia to 38 percent.

Mbah a Moute had 11 first-half points for the 76ers, who trailed by as many as 16 in the opening 24 minutes.

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TIP-INS

Hawks: Atlanta had six blocks in the opening quarter. . Carroll earned the break after holding LeBron James to 18 points and forcing him to commit nine turnovers in Friday’s win over the Cavaliers. . Korver didn’t even make the trip to Philadelphia.

76ers: Jason Richardson (rest) didn’t play. . Former 76ers great Allen Iverson was among those in attendance for the second consecutive game. . Sixers players wore T-shirts before the game honoring slain Philadelphia police officer Robert Wilson, who was killed during a robbery attempt Thursday. . Philadelphia claimed Glenn Robinson III off waivers from Minnesota. Robinson was not with the team.

UP NEXT

Hawks: Host Sacramento on Monday.

76ers: Host Chicago on Wednesday.

Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press

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