Hawks Fall 134–133 in Thriller Despite Historic First Half and Jalen Johnson’s Record Night

The Atlanta Hawks came inches short of a major statement win on Friday night at State Farm Arena, falling 134–133 to the Denver Nuggets in a game overflowing with offense, momentum swings, and a historic performance from Jalen Johnson.

Atlanta opened the night on fire, delivering one of the most impressive halves in franchise history. Six players scored in double figures in the first half — the first time the Hawks have ever achieved that in the play-by-play era. The Hawks shot 59.2% from the field and 54.2% from three as they surged to a 73–54 halftime lead, their largest of the game at +23. The first quarter alone saw Atlanta dominate 41–23 while shooting 76.2% and tallying 13 assists. By halftime, they had already picked up 22 assists, putting them on track for what became their NBA-leading 15th game this season with 30 or more assists.

Jalen Johnson delivered a performance for the ages. He finished with 21 points, 18 rebounds, 16 assists, and two steals in 37 minutes, recording his third triple-double of the season. That ties Doc Rivers (1987–88) for the most triple-doubles by a Hawk in a single season. Johnson now has five in his career, pulling him into a tie with Cliff Hagan and Bill Bridges for second-most in franchise history. Before halftime even arrived, Johnson had already made NBA history, posting 11 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists in the first half. He became the first Hawk ever to record a triple-double in a single half, the fifth NBA player to do so, and his performance was the second-fastest triple-double in league history, according to The Athletic. Johnson joins exceptional company as one of only five players in NBA history to record at least 21 points, 18 rebounds, and 16 assists in a game — a list that includes Nikola Jokić, Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain, and Guy Rodgers.

The Hawks’ offense stayed hot thanks to several big performances. Nickeil Alexander-Walker led the team with 30 points on 10-of-17 shooting and has now scored 20 or more points in a career-long five straight games. It was also his fourth 30-point outing of the season. Vit Krejci added 15 points, hitting all five of his made shots from beyond the arc, including four in the first half — his fourth half this season with at least four threes. Kristaps Porzingis was highly efficient, scoring 25 points in just 20 minutes on 9-of-13 shooting and 4-of-7 from deep. Dyson Daniels, appearing in his 100th game with the Hawks, contributed 15 points, eight assists, and two steals. His 283 steals through his first 100 games rank behind only Don Buse and Alvin Robertson for most by a player in their first 100 games with a franchise. Onyeka Okongwu chipped in 13 points, six rebounds, and two assists, marking his eighth double-digit scoring game of the season.

Denver, however, showed the resilience of a championship-caliber team. Nikola Jokić was dominant, scoring a game-high 40 points along with nine rebounds and eight assists. Jamal Murray added 23 points and a team-high 12 assists, sparking Denver’s rally as the Nuggets piled up 80 second-half points. Denver shot 52.8% from the field and connected on 16-of-37 three-pointers while overcoming Atlanta’s explosive first half. Their fourth-quarter push, where they outscored the Hawks 40–30, proved decisive.

The game featured just three lead changes and one tie, but those swings came at crucial moments. Atlanta’s largest lead was 23, while Denver built an 11-point advantage of its own in the second half. Despite a late push from the Hawks and a raucous crowd of 16,149, Atlanta ultimately fell just short in one of the most exciting, high-scoring battles of the season.

Atlanta now hits the road, taking on the Washington Wizards tonight at 7:00 PM. The Hawks will continue their road trip on December 12 when they face the Detroit Pistons, before returning home to State Farm Arena on December 14 to host the Philadelphia 76ers.