[ The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: 1/7/04 ]

  Hawks fall apart early in loss to Kings

  By MICHAEL LEE
  Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff Writer

  Sacramento -- The Hawks spent nearly 48 minutes not knowing where to
  connect on their passes against the Sacramento Kings, then afterward
  they didn't even know where to direct their fingers for the blame.

  The Hawks got smoked  105-89 Tuesday night,  falling behind by 24 points
  in the third quarter  before the Kings seemingly  lost interest in their
  inferior foe. The Hawks pulled to 92-81 with 5 minutes, 22 seconds left,
  but they expended too much energy just to make the game competitive.

  Stephen Jackson and  Shareef Abdur-Rahim  scored 19 points apiece to lead
  the Hawks (10-26), and both players questioned the focus of the team from
  the start.

  "I don't know if we came out  believing that we really could win," Abdur
  -Rahim said. "I wouldn't say anybody was intimidated, but against a team
  like this, you've got to come out focused and ready.  We didn't have the
  focus that could prove that we could beat this team."

  "We didn't come to play," Jackson said. "We've got to play together for
  four quarters as a team. We can't have some guys giving 110 percent and
  other guys giving 85 percent. We all have to give the same percent."

  Hawks coach Terry Stotts started Jacque Vaughn at point guard in place of
  Jason Terry,  who is still feeling the effects of the flu.  Vaughn played
  well against the Nuggets on Saturday,  and the Hawks had few turnovers in
  the win.

  That wasn't the case this night. The Hawks were sloppy from the beginning
  against the Kings (24-8),  committing eight of  their 23 turnovers in the
  first quarter and falling behind 38-23.

  Did everybody come to play?

  "I know I did. I hope I can say the rest of my teammates did, too," said
  Vaughn,  who got a rare technical foul  in the second quarter.  "I got a
  technical foul.  I've been in the league however many years,  and that's
  probably my second one. That tells you I wanted to win."

  The Kings led by 23 in the second quarter after a Doug Christie a dunk.
  But the Hawks closed the first half on a 15-5 run. Jackson finished the
  second period  with a dunk  and a layup  in the final 26 seconds as the
  Hawks trailed 59-46 at halftime.

  They got within 11  after Theo Ratliff  (11 points)  sank a short hook to
  start the period. It wouldn't take long for Peja Stojakovic and the Kings
  to restore order. Stojakovic quickly made a 3-pointer from the top of the
  key to ignite a 17-5 run the next four minutes.

  Stojakovic cracked a smile in the third, when he slashed to the basket,
  caught a pass from Vlade Divac (10 assists)  and hit a reverse layup to
  put the Kings ahead 81-59.

  The Hawks would battle back and cut the lead to 92-81, but Nazr Mohammed
  missed a baseline jumper,  and they wouldn't get any closer.  The Kings'
  Brad Miller  scored seven points  in the final quarter to finish off the
  Hawks.

  "We didn't fold it up," Stotts said. "We kept competing."

  http://www.ajc.com/hawks/content/sports/hawks/0104/07hawks.html