At only 9:59 in the second quarter, Dennis Dixon called for a timeout.
The score was 35-33, with the Knicks failing to score for two minutes and allowing the Hawks to narrow the gap by just two points.
This situation confirmed his worst fears – the Hawks' interior advantage was too great, so he preferred to allow them to control the exterior game while hoping that their long-range shooting would be less effective.Dennis Dixon regretted putting in Steve Nash.
If not for Nash's tendency to be easily penetrated, the Hawks might not have suddenly attacked the interior.
This substitution was partly due to external pressure;after the first game, the media questioned why he hadn't given Nash a chance.
Dixon had no choice but to try him in this game and also hoped that his rich experience could help.Nash's performance during the playoffs failed to meet expectations as an X-factor.
His replacement was a complete failure.
Wu Huang didn't return immediately after the timeout;Dennis Dixon knew of Wu Huang's stamina, but he still wasn't willing to let him play for over 40 minutes.
The situation on the court wasn’t so dire that it required such a move.Gordon Hayward remained in the game as the Knicks' lineup became: Steve Nash, Danny Green, Andre Iguodala, Carmelo Anthony, and David Lee.
This backcourt's defensive ability was still solid.
Dennis Dixon used press defense and quick transitions to turn the tide, while on offense, Iguodala and Anthony started a 10-2 run that turned the Hawks from attackers into defenders.Larry Drew replaced Joe Johnson and Howard with Josh Smith and Bibby during his timeout.
The Hawks then brought in Wu Huang and Amare Stoudemire, but it was the Hawks who regained their momentum due to Josh Smith's dominance in the high post.The Knicks had prepared various defensive strategies for Howard’s low-post play, but they struggled against Josh Smith’s high penetration.
Their defense couldn’t guard both ends effectively;Josh Smith's ball-handling and penetrating moves were unstoppable.
He easily pushed past Stoudemire into the interior to score with forceful layups."You should stay a bit further away from him," Wu Huang coached his teammates on defending.
Even though Stoudemire thought of this, it didn’t help much due to his physical disadvantage against Stoudemire's strength and agility.Josh Smith’s mid-range shooting wasn’t good enough to warrant more defensive attention;he often relied on his hot hands for tough shots.
His left-handed shot had a high arc, but it looked unnatural, leading to inconsistency that frustrated Hawks fans.
However, when he was on fire, those high-arc shots felt like powerful bombs hitting the rim, boosting team morale.Wu Huang chose not to defend so close;Stoudemire took advantage of this and scored twice.
Bibby then hit a three-pointer from the arc after taking advantage of Wu Huang’s double-team, leading to a 11:4 run that gave the Hawks the momentum.Both teams brought in their starters for the next round, with Danny Green replacing Amare Stoudemire as power forward;they needed his offensive abilities more.
Nash scored and aided his team's efforts, while Kiki's performance was crucial.
Al Harris had an excellent game tonight, even making a long-range two-pointer.The final possession of the first half saw Wu Huang use his individual skills to break through Crawford and Stoudemire before passing to buried Ariza for a three-point shot.