NBA: Hawks maintain on late, snap Thunder’s 5-game win streak

Atlanta Hawks ahead Jalen Johnson (1) scores as Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder ahead Jalen Williams (8) lookls on in the course of the first half of an NBA basketball sport Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photograph/John Bazemore)y

ATLANTA— Jalen Johnson scored a career-high 28 factors and the Atlanta Hawks held off Oklahoma Metropolis 141-138 on Wednesday evening within the NBA, ending the Thunder’s five-game profitable streak.

Atlanta opened the sport with 11 straight factors and by no means trailed. Trae Younger had 24 factors and 11 assists, one in all 4 Hawks gamers who scored greater than 20. Bogdan Bogdanovic added 23 factors and Dejounte Murray had 22.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 33 factors and 13 rebounds to guide Oklahoma Metropolis. Jalen Williams scored 21.

It was the second straight private scoring excessive for Johnson, following his 24 factors in a 130-126 win at Washington on Sunday.

“He’s going to have extra career-high nights,” Younger mentioned. “My commonplace is excessive for Jalen.”

Jalen Johnson dropped a CAREER-HIGH 28 PTS within the Hawks’ win over the Thunder 💪 pic.twitter.com/k4b8PrucGU

— NBA (@NBA) January 4, 2024

Gilgeous-Alexander’s layup with 48.5 seconds remaining reduce Atlanta’s result in 141-136, after the Thunder trailed by double digits a lot of the sport. Following a miss by Murray, Gilgeous-Alexander’s basket trimmed the deficit to 3.

Isaiah Joe’s last-second 3-pointer from the nook was no good for Oklahoma Metropolis.

“We didn’t have our greatest evening, clearly, however I assumed we caught collectively and stayed in it,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault mentioned. “We type of performed on their phrases tonight. They outplayed us tonight.”

The Hawks improved to 5-9 at house. They play 10 of 15 video games in January at house and hope to construct off the win over the Thunder, who’re competing for the perfect report within the Western Convention.

“I feel it’s large, particularly since we began the brand new yr off with a win,” Johnson mentioned. “I feel it was an excellent begin for our workforce. Hopefully we are able to get one thing out of that.”

The Thunder’s surge of eight wins of their final 9 video games included Tuesday evening’s 127-123 victory over Boston. Oklahoma Metropolis ended profitable streaks of 9 video games by the Los Angeles Clippers and 6 video games by Boston in the course of the nine-game stretch.

Johnson scored 12 factors within the second quarter, together with a jam over 7-foot-1 Chet Holmgren that gave Atlanta a 76-57 lead late within the first half.

In his third season, Johnson has seen his taking part in time enhance dramatically. He had 4 steals in opposition to Oklahoma Metropolis to set one other profession excessive.

The problem for Daigneault’s workforce was taking part in back-to-back nights, together with a late-night flight from Oklahoma Metropolis to Atlanta, earlier than dealing with the up-tempo Hawks.

Fatigue seemed to be an element because the Thunder missed their first seven photographs from the sphere and Atlanta scored the primary 11 factors.

Atlanta’s 76-59 halftime lead was constructed on 19 fast-break factors, matching the workforce’s excessive mark for any half this season.

Clint Capela had a double-double for Atlanta with 12 factors and 14 rebounds. Bogdanovic shot 5 for 11 on 3-pointers.

NEXT SCHEDULE

Thunder: Go to the Brooklyn Nets on Friday.

Hawks: Go to the Indiana Pacers on Friday.