Hawks Jingle in 117-104 Win vs. Timberwolves Pre-Christmas Eve

The Atlanta Hawks continued their dominance at home over the Minnesota Timberwolves with a 117-104 victory, improving their record to 26-9 all-time against Minnesota in Atlanta. The win marks the Hawks’ 18th victory in their last 22 home matchups against the Timberwolves, including two consecutive triumphs at State Farm Arena.

The Hawks showcased exceptional teamwork, dishing out 27 assists. This marked their 27th game of the season with 25 or more assists, tying them for the most such games in the NBA. Additionally, Atlanta extended their streak of 20+ assists at State Farm Arena to 64 consecutive games, the third-longest in franchise history.

On the defensive end, Atlanta tallied 15 steals, their 19th game this season with double-digit thefts—their highest since the 2018-19 campaign. This performance leads the Eastern Conference and ranks second in the NBA. The Hawks are averaging 10.2 steals per game, the second-highest in the league.

Dyson Daniels delivered a historic performance, contributing 10 points, a career-high eight steals, four rebounds, four assists, and two blocks in 34 minutes. He became the first player since Paul George in 2021 to record eight or more steals in a game and the first since Draymond Green in 2017 to achieve eight steals and two blocks in a single contest. Daniels’ six games this season with six or more steals tied a franchise record set by Mookie Blaylock.

Garrison Mathews poured in a season-high 25 points, tying his career best with seven three-pointers (7-8, .875) while adding two rebounds, one assist, one block, and two steals in 26 minutes. This marked his second game of the season with seven triples.

De’Andre Hunter continued his scoring streak, tallying 19 points on 5-9 shooting (.556 FG), including 3-7 from three-point range (.429 3FG%), and a perfect 6-6 from the free-throw line. He chipped in four rebounds and two assists in 29 minutes off the bench. Hunter has now scored 15+ points in 12 consecutive games, the longest streak by a reserve in franchise history and the longest in the NBA since Tyler Herro’s 16-game streak in 2021-22.

Jalen Johnson recorded his 16th double-double of the season with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and a game-high tying seven assists, along with two steals in 35 minutes. The 23-year-old tied Bob Pettit for the second-most games in franchise history (16) with at least 15 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists by a player 23 years or younger. Johnson extended his streak of scoring 10+ points to a career-long 25 games, the longest such streak by a Hawk this season.

Trae Young led all scorers with 29 points on 8-15 shooting (.533 FG) and 4-7 from beyond the arc (.571 3FG%), while adding a game-high tying seven assists in 31 minutes. Young extended his streak of recording at least five assists to 189 consecutive games, the third-longest such streak in NBA history. He continues to lead the league in total assists (330) and assists per game (12.0).

The Hawks’ balanced attack, fueled by unselfish play and stifling defense, has been the cornerstone of their success this season. Next up, Atlanta will face the Chicago Bulls on Dec. 29 as they look to carry their winning momentum into the new year.