The Atlanta Hawks signed former Heat center Erick Dampier on Thursday to shore up the middle.
It didn't help yesterday, as the Heat blew the Hawks out by 20 points at Philips Arena, coasting to a 107-87 victory. The loss snapped a two-game winning streak for the Hawks, having beaten Indiana on Wednesday and division rival Orlando on Friday in overtime.
LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, who missed Miami's prior matchup in Atlanta, combined for 44 points. Chris Bosh had a double-double by halftime and finished with a 14/16 line.
The Hawks beat Miami on January 2 in Miami, dealing the Heat their first loss of the season. Bosh finished with a 33/14 in that game as James and Wade watched from the sidelines. This time, with all three of them on the floor, the Heat raced to a 22-point lead at the half and cruised from there.
James also grabbed 13 rebounds, as the Hawks were outrebounded 52-38. The Hawks didn't get much help at the line, either, getting only seven free throws to Miami's 31.
The Hawks' starters combined for just 40 points, as the reserves ended up with plenty of action. Willie Green led the Hawks with 17 points off the bench, while newcomer Dampier got in six minutes of action and finished with four rebounds and no points. Aside from Green, Joe Johnson was the only Hawk to hit double figures in scoring, putting up 12 points - but grabbing zero rebounds.
The schedule does not get easier for the Hawks (18-10) - the easy parts are over with. They embark on a grueling road trip which kicks off tomorrow night at the Staples Center, where they will face the Los Angeles Lakers (16-12). They will travel to Phoenix, Portland, and Chicago before wrapping up their trip on February 22 against the New York Knicks. They will return home for a game February 23 against Orlando before entering the All-Star Break.
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