Hawks ride balanced attack to top Wall-less Wizards in Game 2

As is their wont, the Atlanta Hawks found a way to win by working together as a team and sticking to their game-plan.

The Hawks managed to pull away in the fourth quarter of Game 2 against the Washington Wizards, notching a 106-90 win to even the series at 1-1.

At times, it looked like the Hawks were falling victim to the same issues that dogged them in Game 1. Their offense was fluid and they were generating open looks, but they couldn't seem to connect. Most notably, sharpshooter Kyle Korver (who has led the league in 3-point percentage two seasons in a row) connected on just 1-of-7 from deep.

On the other end, the Wizards connected on a number of contested and unlikely shots, which kept the game close. The Hawks' lead numbered just seven at halftime.

But Atlanta stuck to their formula, which netted better results in the second half. Korver turned it around, connecting on 3-of-4 treys as part of seven Hawks triples in the final two quarters. They also clamped down when they needed to most, limiting Washington to 15 points on 4-of-15 shooting with six turnovers in the fourth.

DeMarre Carroll dropped 22 points to lead five Hawks players in double-digits as Atlanta finished with 30 assists as a team.

Washington was severely shorthanded as John Wall sat out with a wrist injury. His fill-in, Ramon Sessions, did his best to replicate Wall's brilliance, and came up with a respectable 21 points and four assists on 8-of-14 shooting.

However, it wasn't enough to make up for Bradley Beal and Nene Hilario's rough outings. Beal struggled to get open shots without Wall's set-ups, while Nene looked generally lost on both ends. Beal shot 8-of-22 from the field and Nene had two points on 0-of-5 shooting.

Turning Point

Despite the Hawks' effectiveness on offense, the Wizards managed to hang around thanks to some gritty defense and a few lucky bounces.

Atlanta's lead numbered just five points with six minutes left in the fourth, but the Hawks responded with a quick 7-0 run. Paul Millsap drilled a short eight-foot jumper, before Pero Antic swished a corner three followed by a pair of free throws on a battle for a rebound.

The run put the Hawks ahead for good, while also forcing Wizards center Marcin Gortat out of the game with his sixth foul. Gortat was the only Wizards' big who had a decent showing and his replacement, Nene, failed to power Washington to a comeback.

Star Performer

Hawks swingman Carroll continued his breakout playoff campaign with his sixth-consecutive 20-plus point performance. He had 22 points, six rebounds and four assists on 9-of-16 shooting while committing just one turnover.

More than anything, Carroll brought consistency to the Hawks' offense. When the threes weren't dropping, Carroll got easy looks by leaking out in transition and attacking the basket. He was aggressive and decisive against closeouts, something the Hawks' guards lacked at times.

Carroll also played lockdown defense, taking turns checking Beal and Paul Pierce. Beal struggled to get open, while Pierce was kept exclusively to the perimeter.

Highlight Reel

Al Horford plays peek-a-boo

Beal finishes, flexes

Bonus: You are not seeing double

Series at a Glance

Game 1: Wizards 104, Hawks 98 (Wizards lead 1-0)
Game 2: Hawks 106, Wizards 90 (Series tied 1-1)
Game 3: Saturday, May 9, 5 p.m. ET
Game 4: Monday, May 11, 7 p.m. ET
Game 5: Wednesday, May 13, TBD 
Game 6*: Friday, May 15, TBD
Game 7*: Monday, May 18, 8 p.m. ET

*If necessary