ATLANTA, GA – Just a few days ago, the Atlanta Hawks found themselves in a deep hole against the Washington Wizards, a team that had only one win on the season. The Hawks didn't have an answer for CJ McCollum or anybody else on the team, and they tanked their chances of advancing in the NBA Cup.
It was a quiet night for Jalen Johnson, as he finished that game with seven points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. The only way to get the taste of a 132-113 loss out of your mouth is to come back the next game and play better, and that's what Johnson and the Hawks did, defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 130-123.
Johnson followed up his triple sevens with a triple-double, finishing with 29 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists. He did everything right down the stretch of the game, whether it was getting to the free-throw line, grabbing a key rebound, or making the right pass. This also made the 10th game in a row where Johnson has finished with seven or more assists.
“The game is continuously slowing down,” Johnson said after the game. “I’m seeing different coverages in different games, so it’s giving me a chance to continue to build and continue to learn from each game. How I was guarded last game was different than how I was guarded this game. Different sizes in defenders and all that. It’s just been a growing process.
“The film has been my best friend, so constantly trying to learn from that and trying to get better.”
Head coach Quin Snyder has been impressed with Johnson's play over the stretch, and it's one thing that stood out to him late in the game.
“I think his defensive rebounding late really made a difference,” Snyder said. “They were really timely, too. Those are still opportunities that we need to take to run late, and a lot of times, those are the best shots to be able to get.”
Though Johnson stole the show, it took a complete team effort to get the win against a quality opponent like the Cavaliers.
Hawks hit big shots late to close out Cavaliers
Going into the fourth quarter, the Hawks had control until Donovan Mitchell and the Cavaliers started to heat up from the perimeter. With less than five minutes left in the game, the Cavaliers were up three points, but the Hawks kept working and ended up regaining the lead at one point.
With 1:20 remaining and the game tied, Onyeka Okongwu won a jump ball against Jarrett Allen, and 11 seconds later, Johnson found Zaccharie Risacher in the corner for a 3-pointer to give the Hawks the lead. They were then able to get a stop, and Johnson found Nickeil Alexander-Walker for a wide-open 3-pointer to give the Hawks a six-point lead. From there, the Hawks had sealed the game.
“The way he’s been passing has been amazing since Trae has been out,” Alexander-Walker said about Johnson. “The things he does for us; seeing the floor, it’s all simple, not getting sped up. He’s been amazing in that, and I think the more we can stay in that, the better.”
The Hawks are 6-4 in clutch games, and they've been finding a way to win late. Johnson has one reason for the turnaround.
“Stops. Just getting stops is what has been huge,” Johnson said. “When we’re getting more stops at the end of games, I think that’s been the main factor in us winning.”
“I have a friend who says, ‘Life comes at you fast,' and it’s really true when you look at it,” Alexander-Walker said. “You have a game like Washington, and tonight you have 36 assists and guys are making shots, getting some stops, running out, playing to our strengths, being ourselves, and it's just about how can we consistently put our best foot forward.”
