The Atlanta Hawks are starting to find their rhythm-and Monday night’s 132-116 win over the Indiana Pacers at State Farm Arena was another step in the right direction. That’s now three straight wins for Atlanta, and for the second time this season, they’ve taken down the Pacers with authority.
Back on Halloween, the Hawks handled Indiana on the road, 128-108. Monday’s rematch had a different setting but a similar result, as Atlanta surged late to pull away. And with a tough road trip to Boston coming up Wednesday, followed by a quick turnaround at home against Houston and Kevin Durant on Thursday, the Hawks are building momentum at just the right time.
Let’s talk about how they got it done.
A Tale of Two Halves-and a Timely Takeover
Early on, it didn’t look like this would be Atlanta’s night. The Pacers came out firing, jumping to an 18-11 lead midway through the first quarter and forcing a quick Hawks timeout. Bennedict Mathurin gave Indiana a solid lift off the bench with 10 first-quarter points, and the Pacers closed the opening frame up 38-34.
Indiana kept applying pressure in the second quarter, stretching their lead to double digits late in the half. Pascal Siakam, relatively quiet early with just seven points in the first two quarters, exploded in the third. He dropped 14 points in the opening minutes of the period, helping the Pacers build their biggest lead of the night-85-70 midway through the third.
But that’s when the Hawks flipped the switch.
Bench Firepower and Backcourt Balance
CJ McCollum was the spark. The veteran guard came off the bench and immediately made his presence felt, knocking down two threes in the first quarter to keep Atlanta within striking distance. By the end of the night, McCollum had 23 points, including a key stretch of three straight triples in the first half that kept the Hawks afloat.
Luke Kennard added 13 more off the bench, and together, the pair combined for 36 points-an offensive cushion that gave Atlanta consistent scoring even when the starters sat.
And speaking of starters, the Hawks’ backcourt duo of Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker was steady and efficient. Daniels poured in 22 points, while Alexander-Walker added 21, continuing his strong season where he’s averaging over 20 points per game. With McCollum thriving in a sixth-man role, Alexander-Walker has been able to settle into a starting spot, giving Atlanta a dynamic scoring option from the jump.
Jalen Johnson also delivered a well-rounded performance-15 points, seven boards, six assists, and four steals-doing a little bit of everything on both ends.
The Turning Point
Atlanta didn’t take its first lead until late in the third quarter-93-92 with just over a minute to go. That came on a McCollum layup, and it capped a furious rally that saw the Hawks outscore Indiana by seven in both the third and fourth quarters.
From that moment on, Atlanta never looked back.
The Hawks leaned on their depth, their balance, and their ability to execute late. While Siakam finished with a team-high 26 points, nine rebounds, and four assists for Indiana, the Pacers couldn’t match Atlanta’s closing punch. The Hawks’ defense tightened up, their ball movement sharpened, and the shots kept falling.
What’s Next
With this win, the Hawks not only sweep the season series against Indiana (so far), but they also continue to climb in the standings with some real momentum. The upcoming stretch won’t be easy-Boston on Wednesday, then back home for Houston-but if this version of the Hawks shows up, they’ll be a tough out for anyone.
The pieces are starting to click. The bench is producing.
The starters are finding their groove. And for the first time in a while, Atlanta looks like a team that believes in its identity-and is playing like it.