Jalen Johnson has career-high 28 points as Hawks hold on late, snap Thunder’s 5-game winning streak

National Basketball Association

Published Jan. 3, 2024 11:42 p.m. ET

Jalen Johnson scored a career-high 28 points and the Atlanta Hawks held off Oklahoma City 141-138 on Wednesday night, ending the Thunder’s five-game winning streak.

Atlanta opened the game with 11 straight points and never trailed. Trae Young had 24 points and 11 assists, one of four Hawks players who scored more than 20. Bogdan Bogdanovic added 23 points and Dejounte Murray had 22.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 33 points and 13 rebounds to lead Oklahoma City. Jalen Williams scored 21.

Gilgeous-Alexander’s layup with 48.5 seconds remaining cut Atlanta’s lead to 141-136, after the Thunder trailed by double digits most of the game. Following a miss by Murray, Gilgeous-Alexander’s basket trimmed the deficit to three.

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

The Hawks improved to 5-9 at home, where they play 10 of 15 games in January.

The Thunder’s surge of eight wins in their last nine games included Tuesday night’s 127-123 victory over Boston. Oklahoma City ended winning streaks of nine games by the Los Angeles Clippers and six games by Boston during the nine-game stretch.

Johnson scored 12 points in the second quarter, including a jam over 7-foot-1 Chet Holmgren that gave Atlanta a 76-57 lead late in the first half.

The challenge for Thunder coach Mark Daigneault was playing back-to-back nights, including a late-night flight from Oklahoma City to Atlanta, before facing the up-tempo Hawks.

Fatigue appeared to be a factor as the Thunder missed their first seven shots from the field and Atlanta scored the first nine points.

Atlanta’s 76-59 halftime lead was built on 19 fast-break points, matching the team’s high mark for any half this season.

UP NEXT

Thunder: Visit the Brooklyn Nets on Friday.

Hawks: Visit the Indiana Pacers on Friday.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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