Zaccharie Risacher suffered a scary incident after dunking the ball in the Atlanta Hawks' matchup against the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night.
Risacher is going through the second year of his NBA career. He has made strides as a shooter and playmaker in an Atlanta offense that creates plenty of opportunities for players to produce. This has been no different for Risacher, who provides a unique skillset that involves floor spacing and getting solid shots inside the arc.
However, one of his attempts to attack the rim went awry. The play happened midway through the fourth quarter during a fastbreak. Phoenix turned the ball over as Risacher gained possession of the ball and went up in the air to throw down the two-handed dunk. However, the momentum he had prevented him from firmly hanging onto the rim, which saw him fall down on the hardwood in an awkward manner.
Risacher laid on the floor for some time but was able to get back up under his own power, per reporter Hayden Cilley.
“Zaccharie Risacher went down hard after a transition dunk. Was on the ground for a few minutes but got back up on his own power and is heading to the locker room,” Cilley wrote.
How Hawks played vs. Suns despite Zaccharie Risacher injury
Despite the tough injury to Zaccharie Risacher, the Hawks came through down the stretch to secure the 124-122 road win over the Suns.
The first half was even between both teams as the Hawks only led by one point at halftime. The Suns sparked a run in the third quarter by winning 37-20 throughout the period. Atlanta fired back in the fourth period, outscoring the hosts 47-27 to complete the rally and stun Phoenix.
Perimeter shooting and ball movement played solid roles in the contest. The Hawks prevailed in both categories by making 14 3-pointers and creating 35 assists. It was a lesser extent for the Suns, converting 10 triples and dishing out 23 assists.
Five players scored in double-digits for Atlanta, including Risacher. He finished with 15 points, four assists, three rebounds, and a steal. He shot 6-of-13 from the field, including 3-of-8 from downtown. Onyeka Okongwu led the way with 27 points and five assists, Nickeil Alexander-Walker came next with 26 points and four assists, while Jalen Johnson put up 25 points and 10 rebounds. Meanwhile, Dyson Daniels provided 11 points, 12 assists, seven rebounds, and three steals.
Atlanta improved to a 9-5 record on the season, holding the fourth spot of the Eastern Conference standings. They are 0.5 games above the Toronto Raptors and one game above the Philadelphia 76ers while being even with the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks for second place.
The Hawks will look forward to their next matchup, being at home. They host the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 18 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
