The Hawks got to 7-4 and stayed 4th in the Eastern Conference, but the path to a 124-121 win over Brooklyn was about as strange as it gets. Atlanta spent most of the night chasing, looked second-best for long stretches, and still found a way to steal it with a late burst that flipped the whole game.
Brooklyn controlled the first half for nearly the entire way, building a double-digit cushion until the final minute of the second quarter. Atlanta finally sparked when CJ McCollum scored in the paint off a Dyson Daniels assist, and that bucket helped trigger a 10-0 run.
Even then, the Hawks only got it to a four-point game at halftime, and the third quarter didn’t exactly clean things up. They stayed within reach, though, and then turned the game with a sharp stretch of half-court offense over the final three minutes.
Jalen Johnson was central to that finish. His return gave Atlanta a lift, and he closed with 30 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
He scored 12 in the fourth quarter alone and drew 10 free throws in the three-point win. The offense looked smoother with him involved late, and it was a meaningful step forward after what has been a rough season for him.
Aaron Wiggins kept doing the kind of work that has made him so important to Atlanta’s wins. He put up 20 points and six assists, knocked down five of his 13 three-point tries, and continued to give the Hawks steady production. He’s at a 58.4 TS% this season while taking 7.2 attempts from deep, and he was again a major reason Atlanta stayed alive against Brooklyn.
Dyson Daniels didn’t have it going as a scorer, but he filled the box score everywhere else. He finished with 10 rebounds, seven assists and six steals, and his defensive work helped make life miserable for Julius Randle, who turned it over six times. Daniels was active on loose balls, punished sloppy passes from Randle and Porter Jr, and battled Day’Ron Sharpe and Noah Clowney on the glass.
One player who didn’t have the kind of night Atlanta needed was Ejiofor. He scored seven points, grabbed six rebounds and hit a three, but the defensive side of the game never really came around.
The Hawks were minus-15 in his minutes, and he nearly got stripped on a transition dunk attempt. That said, he was strong against Washington, and he still looks like someone who can push Landale for the backup center job.
His passing remains useful, even if it didn’t show up here, with zero assists and one turnover.
Dort also had a rough one. He hit a three, but that was his only made basket in 20 minutes against a Brooklyn team that doesn’t exactly scare anyone defensively.
Atlanta’s defense has been 12.4 points better when he sits, and that trend showed up again. He didn’t do much to swing the turnover battle or help on the defensive glass, and this was not the kind of impact Atlanta was hoping for from him in that role.
The eventual return of Mo Gueye could help ease that burden.
In Other News...
Nets Still Have A Rookie Availability Problem After Hawks Win
Brooklyns rookie rotation remains in flux as the Nets head into their next game against Dallas, with two young players still unavailable after the Hawks game left the broader picture unchanged. Egor Demin is dealing with a right leg bone bruise, while the team is also managing Mikel Brown Jr. carefully as it tries to balance development with availability early in the season.
The short-term outlook is still a waiting game. Demin will be reevaluated after the Mavericks matchup, and Browns workload remains limited as Brooklyn continues to ease him along, leaving the Nets to piece together their backcourt depth for now. Both players are viewed as possible options for the next game against New Orleans, but for the moment the rookie availability issue is still very much in play. [Read more 🡒]
Jalen Johnson Could Ease A Hawks Problem That's Getting Harder To Ignore
Jalen Johnson is trending toward a return just when the Hawks need help most in the frontcourt. He is listed as probable for Atlantas game against Brooklyn after missing three games with a left ankle sprain, and his presence would give the Hawks a much-needed boost as they try to steady a rotation that has been thinned by injuries.
Atlanta has been patching together minutes inside, with Jock Landale still sidelined and Asa Newell facing an extended absence, which has pushed rookie Zuby Ejiofor into a bigger role. Johnsons availability does not solve everything, but it at least gives the Hawks a chance to get back some size, versatility and stability in a stretch where that has become harder to find. [Read more 🡒]
Trae Youngs Atlanta Return Brought A Reaction Hawks Fans Will Debate
The early-season noise around the Southeast Division has not exactly been kind to Miami, where Andrew Wiggins has gone from a strong preseason to a rough opening stretch that has left him producing career lows in most of the usual categories. The Heat have stumbled out of the gate as a team, and Erik Spoelstra has already acknowledged Wiggins struggles while still making clear he believes the veteran wing can climb out of them.
Elsewhere in the division, Atlanta had its own moment of conversation when Trae Young came back to the city and drew a reaction from the crowd that was impossible to ignore, even if it was not the kind of reception Hawks fans will agree on. The storyline around the Hawks is already branching in a few directions, with rookie Kingston Flemings earning praise for his speed from teammates as the team continues sorting out what this season is going to look like. [Read more 🡒]