Hawks Grind Out Gritty Win Over Sixers Behind Balanced Effort, Big Nights from Daniels and Okongwu
The Atlanta Hawks walked into Sunday’s matchup with the 76ers needing to erase the bad taste of a rough loss to Detroit just two nights earlier. Mission accomplished. Atlanta outlasted Philadelphia in a 120-117 win that showcased the kind of depth and resilience this team has been leaning on all season.
This wasn’t one of those nights where the stars carried the load. In fact, it was quite the opposite.
Jalen Johnson, who’s been on a tear lately, notched his fourth straight triple-double-but it came with a cold shooting night, going just 5-for-17 from the field. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, another recent offensive spark, also struggled with his shot, finishing 3-for-18.
But here’s the thing: when your top scorers go ice-cold and you still find a way to win against a tough Eastern Conference opponent, that says something about the makeup of your roster. And on this night, it was the supporting cast that stepped up in a major way.
Daniels and Okongwu Lead the Charge
Dyson Daniels turned in his best performance of the season, pouring in 27 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. He was relentless attacking the paint, using floaters, drives, and timely cuts to get what he wanted at the rim. His energy was infectious, and his presence was felt on both ends of the floor.
Onyeka Okongwu, meanwhile, added a double-double of his own-20 points and 15 boards-and showed off a new wrinkle in his game. He stepped out and knocked down five of his 10 three-point attempts, stretching the floor and forcing the Sixers to respect him beyond the arc.
“It’s about confidence,” Okongwu said postgame. “Shoot it anyway. I work so hard just to not shoot the ball, so no matter what, if I feel like it’s going in, it’s going up.”
That kind of mindset is exactly what Atlanta needs from its big man rotation-especially with their offense evolving and spacing becoming more critical.
Depth on Full Display
The Hawks didn’t just rely on their starters to get this one done. Vit Krejci came off the bench and lit it up from deep, finishing with 19 points. Zaccharie Risacher found a rhythm as well, adding 15 points in a smooth, confident performance that showed flashes of his growing comfort at the NBA level.
Daniels summed it up best: “We have a really deep team. Whether Jalen’s shot isn’t falling or Nickeil’s shot isn’t falling, they’re still out there helping.
Vit was huge off the bench for us again, Asa came in and played some good minutes. Everyone really stepped up and did their role today.”
That’s been the Hawks’ formula this season-strength in numbers. It’s not about one guy carrying the team. It’s about everyone doing their job, staying ready, and stepping up when the moment calls for it.
Snyder’s Blueprint on Display
Head coach Quin Snyder has been preaching collective effort all year, and Sunday night was a perfect example of what that looks like in action.
“This game epitomizes the way we need to play,” Snyder said. “Whether it was Dyson or Jalen making a defensive play… we need him on both ends of the floor. He came over and got a big block, he got some good rebounds, and everybody did their part.”
Even Alexander-Walker, despite his rough shooting night, made his presence felt late-knocking down clutch free throws and staying engaged defensively.
Rebounding Turns the Tide
One of the most encouraging signs? Atlanta finally won the rebounding battle, something that’s been a glaring weakness all season. The Hawks have been bullied on the glass in recent games, including that Detroit loss, where they were outmuscled and outworked.
Daniels acknowledged it postgame: “We’ve been getting dominated on that end of the floor basically all year… We wanted to come out and be the aggressors, be physical, get hits, and rebound the ball.”
That mindset shift was evident. Atlanta attacked the glass with purpose, boxing out, crashing the boards, and limiting second-chance opportunities for the Sixers. It wasn’t perfect, but it was progress-and against a team like Philly, it made a difference.
Looking Ahead
This wasn’t a statement win, but it was a culture win. The kind of game that shows you what this team is building toward. It wasn’t pretty, and it didn’t come easy, but the Hawks found a way-and they did it without relying on a superstar performance.
With Trae Young reportedly returning to practice this week, reinforcements could be on the way. But even without him, this group is showing they can compete-and win-when they stay connected, play physical, and trust their depth.
If they can bottle up this kind of effort, the Hawks might just be turning a corner.