ATLANTA – The Atlanta Hawks were up against another team that has struggled this season, the Dallas Mavericks, as they looked to extend their winning streak to seven games. They were able to do so, walking away with the 124-112 win, but it wasn't as easy as many thought it would be, and it wouldn't be the reason why they thought it would be either.
The Hawks soared into the third quarter with a double-digit lead, but things got tight late in the period because of Khris Middleton and Klay Thompson. Each scored 10 points apiece in the third quarter and cut the Mavericks' deficit to single digits going into the fourth. They then helped tie the game at 97 early in the quarter.
This was familiar territory for the Hawks, especially during this winning streak, but also throughout the course of the season. Just like the Mavericks called on Middleton and Thompson to get them out of their hole, the Hawks called on Jalen Johnson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker to get them over the top.
Johnson had 13 points in the fourth, while Alexander-Walker had two big three-pointers to help seal the deal for the Hawks. The duo has had several games this season where they closed out games, and this one was no different.
“I think Jalen’s willingness to get off the ball and find Nickeil, and Nickeil hit big shots,” Quin Snyder said after the game. “JJ got to the rim, got to the line. I don’t know what we were from the foul line. I think we can be a little better from the foul line. But those guys executed. I thought [Onyeka] hit a big shot out of a timeout. Dyson made a really good play screening, and JJ found him.”
“Nickeil is a hell of a player, and he’s somebody that’s really smart,” Johnson said. “Something we’ve been doing in practice is just continuing to rep out certain actions we’re in together. Just developing our chemistry and just figuring out ways we can get each other open, find stuff we like, and different actions we like, so it’s been good.”
Johnson and Alexander-Walker have shown this season that they're not afraid of the moment. Johnson has continued to develop into the star he is this season and is finding ways to attack defenses late. Alexander-Walker has also grown into the biggest role of his career and continues to get better every game.
As time has progressed, both have learned how to play off of each other, and it's resulting in wins.
Hawks execute late to win seventh-straight game
The fourth quarter was key for the Hawks, and it was the defense that helped them get back on track after the success they had in the first half.
“We held them to one shot. They were rebounding well, and they were getting offensive rebounds, which led to catch-and-shoot threes and kick-out threes,” Alexander-Walker said. “Klay got hot, and he was feeling it, and we kind of just broke down a little bit. But I think we found a way to get stops. We found a way to band together. I think the last three minutes were great. Our activity was a lot better as well. We weren’t flying as well in the pick and roll, but we figured it out.”
It was Thompson that the Hawks had to stop, as he looked like the sharpshooter that everyone knows him for.
“Once we started getting stops, getting the game back on our terms, we were able to get out and run,” Dyson Daniels said. “I thought we executed really well down the stretch. We had a little lapse in that third quarter, but glad we could come back from it.”
“I think we did a better job once Klay got going,” Johnson said. “We started running shooters off the line and making it more difficult, trying to turn them into drivers. We did a good job, eventually cutting his water off.”
The Hawks were able to do what they had to once again to extend their winning streak and stay in the Eastern Conference standings race, as many teams above them are also getting hot at the right time of the season.
