Hawks Extend Winning Streak to Eight with 108–97 Victory Over Nets

The Atlanta Hawks continued their strong run Thursday night, defeating the Brooklyn Nets 108–97 at State Farm Arena to extend their winning streak to eight games.

The victory marks Atlanta’s longest winning streak since the 2020–21 season and currently stands as the longest active streak in the NBA. The Hawks also continued to make their presence felt defensively, recording 12 steals in the win. It marked the team’s 31st game this season with at least 10 steals, the second-most in the Eastern Conference and fourth-most in the league.

Atlanta set the tone early, jumping out to a strong first-quarter lead behind efficient offense and aggressive defense. The Hawks outscored Brooklyn 30–21 in the opening frame, forcing turnovers and converting those opportunities into quick points on the other end.

Rookie forward Zaccharie Risacher provided an early spark off the bench, finishing with 19 points on 6-of-12 shooting, including 3-of-5 from three-point range. He also tied his season high with nine rebounds, including a career-high seven offensive boards, while adding two blocks and a steal in 30 minutes.

Risacher was particularly effective in the first half, where he posted 16 points and eight rebounds while helping Atlanta maintain control of the game. The performance marked his 26th game this season scoring in double figures and placed him among a small group of second-year players to record at least 16 points and eight rebounds in a single half this season.

Jalen Johnson led the Hawks with a game-high 21 points while knocking down four three-pointers. He nearly recorded a triple-double, finishing with nine rebounds and a game-high nine assists to go along with two steals in 36 minutes.

Johnson’s all-around performance marked his 20th game this season with at least 20 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Only Nikola Jokic has recorded more such games in the NBA this season.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker continued his recent scoring surge, finishing with 18 points, two rebounds, two assists and three steals in 36 minutes. The guard recorded his 61st double-digit scoring game of the season, tied for the third-most in the NBA.

Over his last four games, Alexander-Walker has been especially effective offensively, averaging 23.5 points and 3.3 assists while shooting 55.7 percent from the field and 47.1 percent from three-point range.

Onyeka Okongwu anchored the paint defensively while contributing offensively as well, finishing with 13 points and nine rebounds. He also recorded a season-high-tying four blocks along with two steals in 30 minutes.

The performance marked Okongwu’s eighth game this season with at least three blocks and his second consecutive game with four or more blocks. It is the first time in his career he has recorded back-to-back games with at least four blocks and the first time a Hawks player has accomplished the feat since John Collins did so during the 2022 season.

Veteran guard CJ McCollum added 14 points along with four rebounds, two assists and a steal in 30 minutes. The performance marked his 55th game this season scoring at least 10 points.

Atlanta’s depth also played a key role in the win, as the Hawks dominated the glass and capitalized on second-chance opportunities. The team finished with 51 total rebounds, including 17 offensive rebounds that helped generate 22 second-chance points.

Despite trailing for most of the game, Brooklyn continued to battle behind a strong performance from Josh Minott. The Nets forward scored 22 points on efficient shooting while knocking down four three-pointers. He also added three steals and two blocks in 24 minutes off the bench.

Noah Clowney chipped in 10 points and six rebounds for Brooklyn, but the Nets struggled to keep pace with Atlanta’s balanced offense and defensive pressure.

Brooklyn briefly trimmed the deficit during the third quarter, but the Hawks maintained control and responded in the fourth with timely scoring and defensive stops. Atlanta outscored the Nets 26–18 in the final quarter to secure the win.

The Hawks finished the night shooting 39.3 percent from the field while knocking down 12 three-pointers and converting 26 free throws. Their defensive pressure also forced 20 Brooklyn turnovers, which helped Atlanta maintain momentum throughout the game.

With the win, Atlanta improved to 35–31 on the season and continues to build confidence as the regular season moves deeper into its final stretch.

The Hawks will look to keep their momentum going as they prepare for their next matchup when Atlanta returns to the court to face the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday.