PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Paul Millsap is headed to his first NBA All-Star Game.
And the Atlanta Hawks could be headed for a prime seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
Especially if Millsap’s teammates continue to contribute like they did Friday night.
Mike Scott and Elton Brand scored 18 points apiece to lead seven Hawks in double figures and Atlanta routed the Philadelphia 76ers 125-99.
DeMarre Carroll contributed 13, Paul Millsap, Jeff Teague and Lou Williams had 12 apiece, and Kyle Korver added 11 for the Hawks, who moved within eight games of the Miami Heat for first place in the Southeast Division.
“Guys have to be ready,” said Brand, who added eight rebounds. “You never know when your name is going to be called.”
Millsap learned on Thursday that he had been named to his first NBA All-Star Game in his eight-year career. He spent the first seven seasons with the Utah Jazz and signed with the Hawks as a free agent last July.
Millsap, who will be a reserve for the Eastern Conference All-Stars next month in New Orleans, received plenty of help against the Sixers.
“He’s been one guy we’ve leaned on heavily this year,” Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said.
Teague was a game-time decision with a sprained left ankle and he responded with a productive start.
“We’ve been happy with Jeff,” Budenholzer said. “He set a tone early. I thought he was attacking the basket.”
Thaddeus Young scored 29 points, Michael Carter-Williams added 17 and Elliot Williams had 15 for the Sixers, who have dropped 11 of their last 13 home games, including five straight.
The Sixers, now 8-16 at home, haven’t lost five in a row at home since the 2009-10 season.
“It was the poorest performance of our season tonight,” Sixers coach Brett Brown said. “The effort wasn’t there.”
Atlanta led 27-21 after the first quarter and took advantage of 10 Philadelphia turnovers, a season high for any quarter.
After going into the locker room with a 64-52 advantage at the break, the Hawks blitzed the Sixers for 38 points in the third quarter to take a 102-75 lead and prompt a chorus of boos from Sixers fans.
“We had a lot of turnovers and that was the biggest thing,” Young said. “Just too many turnovers.”
Before the game, Brown praised the Hawks’ ball movement and the fluidity of their offense.
Atlanta’s precision was evident as it had 36 assists on 45 made field goals.
NOTES: Korver hit a 3-pointer with 6:10 left in the first quarter, extending his streak to 114 straight games with at least one, an ongoing NBA record. . Sixers C Spencer Hawes was whistled for a technical foul with 8:17 remaining in the first. G Evan Turner also picked up a technical 49 seconds into the third . Millsap had five steals in the first half . The Sixers committed 15 turnovers in the first half.
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