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Sat, Nov 22nd 2008, 10:30
Augustin has career night in loss
This rookie-starting thing just might have some legs.
Sure, point guard D.J. Augustin committed a turnover with 27 seconds left that helped the Atlanta Hawks secure an 88-83 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats at Philips Arena.
But that was Augustin’s only turnover in 40 minutes played, and everything else he did – 26 points, seven 3-pointers, seven assists – became the primary reason the Bobcats were in this game. This was Augustin’s first NBA start and it defined precocious.
“He looked great,’’ said teammate Gerald Wallace. “He took shots when they were open. He tends to hesitate (when a shot opens up) and we kept telling him, ‘Just go shoot it.’ ’’
Augustin tied Jason Richardson’s team record for 3-pointers in a game and gave the Bobcats their first strong start – a 13-point first-quarter lead – in weeks.
Had the Hawks (8-4) not kept hitting 3s – 7-of-14 in the second half – this would have been more than enough to beat a quality team.
“I might have played him a little too long, but he was great,’’ said Bobcats coach Larry Brown. “He got us into things and didn’t turn it over much.’’
Augustin was shooting just 19 percent from 3-point range in the first 10 games and that reflected some self-consciousness. Before the game, captains Wallace and Raymond Felton took him aside to remind him he wouldn’t be punished for being aggressive.
“I said, ‘You take that shot!’ ’’ Felton recalled. “We know you can make it.’’
That led to less thinking, more executing.
“I was confused about what (Brown) wanted me to do (before) but I wasn’t thinking about that tonight,’’ Augustin said. “And I knew I had Raymond. If I got trapped (by the defense), he was there for me.’’