So much for that big lead. The Atlanta Hawks came out flat in the third quarter and they simply couldn't stop the Houston Rockets from scoring.
Kevin Martin has 22 points and Chuck Hayes 18 to post the Rockets to an 86-81 lead over the Hawks through three quarters at the Toyota Honda Center.
Joe Johnson posted 17 points and Josh Smith 15 for Atlanta, which blew a 14-point lead. The Hawks went back to the tried and true chuck up a contested jumper formula that generally doesn't work. The result was a quarter by Atlanta where they were outscored 32-18.
Now they are having trouble making just about any shot.
Marvin Williams and Jamal Crawford have 11 each for Atlanta, which is shooting 49-percent (30-for-61) from the field.
Atlanta has to regroup, play defense and find some sort of spark if they are going to have a chance of staving off a red-hot Houston team that's won six straight at home.