Overall, the Hawks are second in the league with a team defensive rating of 95.8. They trail only the Clippers at 92.7.

“You can’t rely on that,” Tim Hardaway Jr. said of the fourth-quarter prowess. “It should be from the start of the game to the end of the game. But it’s great that we are showing we can finish games strong and play with that type of intensity.”

Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer uses a 20-point quarter as a measure of a solid defensive quarter. He is known to loathe a 30-point quarter.

Here’s how the Hawks’ defense ranks by quarter:

Q1: 5th, 24.1

Q2: 10th, 25.7

Q3: 30th, 29.0

Q4: 1st, 20.1

“Anytime we have a 20-point quarter, he lets us know,” Bazemore said. “He lets us know it’s well appreciated. We play defense. That’s what he loves. That’s what a lot of guys on this team love. It’s our calling card.”

Note: Budenholzer did not attend Monday's practice due to a personal issue. He will be in Miami for the team's game against the Heat on Tuesday.