Hawks Rally Past Pacers 124-118 Behind Strong Fourth Quarter, Franchise-Record Passing

The Atlanta Hawks staged an impressive comeback, overcoming a 12-point deficit to defeat the Indiana Pacers 124-118. A dominant 38-24 fourth quarter propelled Atlanta to victory, as they continued their trend of strong late-game performances. The Hawks now average 28.4 points in the fourth quarter, ranking seventh in the NBA and third in the Eastern Conference.

Hawks Extend Franchise Record for 30-Assist Games

Atlanta’s ball movement was on full display, as they dished out 32 assists in the win, marking their Eastern Conference-leading 31st game of the season with 30 or more assists. The Hawks extended their single-season franchise record for most such games and continue to rank second in the league with 29.4 assists per game—the highest mark in the Eastern Conference.

Dominating the Paint and Bench Play

The Hawks imposed their will inside, outscoring Indiana 74-46 (+28) in points in the paint, marking their sixth game this season with 70+ points in the key. They lead the East in points in the paint per game (55.0), ranking third in the NBA.

Atlanta also showcased its depth, with its bench outscoring Indiana’s reserves 50-22 (+28). This marks the 42nd game this season in which the Hawks’ second unit has outperformed its opponent. The Hawks’ bench is the highest-scoring in the Eastern Conference (42.9 PPG) and third overall in the NBA.

Trae Young Continues to Climb Historic Ranks

All-Star guard Trae Young orchestrated the offense with precision, finishing with 22 points (7-7 FT), a game-high 16 assists, and three rebounds in just 26 minutes.

Young notched his conference-best 26th game of the season with at least 20 points and 10 assists. He now has 182 such career outings, just two away from tying John Stockton (184) for the eighth-most in NBA history.

His 16-assist performance marked his NBA-leading 14th game this season (41st career) with 15+ assists. Since entering the league in 2018-19, Young has recorded 41 such games—10 more than the next closest player, Russell Westbrook (31). He also became the first Eastern Conference player this season, and only the second in the NBA (Nikola Jokić, 2x), to record 16 assists with one or fewer turnovers.

Georges Niang Provides Bench Scoring Punch

Georges Niang stepped up off the bench, leading all reserves with 24 points on 10-15 shooting (.667 FG%), including 4-8 from three (.500 3FG%). He also contributed six rebounds and three assists in 25 minutes.

Niang has now posted 20+ points in 15 career games, including three times in his first 10 games as a Hawk. Over that span, he is averaging 14.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.0 assists while shooting 40.8% from beyond the arc.

Onyeka Okongwu’s Interior Presence

Onyeka Okongwu delivered a stellar performance, finishing with 20 points (7-8 FG), a game-high 13 rebounds, two assists, one block, and one steal in 34 minutes.

It marked Okongwu’s fifth 20-point, 10-rebound game of the season and the seventh of his career. He also recorded his third double-double in his last four games, averaging 16.3 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in that span.

Dyson Daniels Extends Historic Steal Streak

Dyson Daniels continues to make his mark defensively, extending his steal streak to 34 consecutive games, tying Mookie Blaylock (1998-99) for the sixth-longest such streak in franchise history. This is the longest steal streak in the NBA since De’Aaron Fox’s 34-game streak (2024).

Only Daniels, Blaylock (five different streaks of 34+ games), and Doc Rivers (61 games) have reached a streak of at least 34 consecutive games with a steal in Hawks history.

Daniels also contributed offensively, finishing with 17 points (8-12 FG, 1-1 3FG), five assists, four rebounds, and one steal in 35 minutes. He has now scored in double figures in 15 consecutive games, averaging 15.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 2.7 steals on 53.3% shooting from the field and 53.8% from three over that span.

Pacers’ Standout Performances

Despite the loss, Pascal Siakam delivered a dominant performance, recording a game-high 35 pointson 12-18 shooting (.667 FG%), including 3-5 from beyond the arc (.600 3FG%) and 8-9 from the free-throw line (.889 FT%). He also added nine rebounds and three assists in 34 minutes.

Andrew Nembhard registered his first double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 assists in 30 minutes of action.

The Hawks’ ability to dominate the paint, distribute the ball efficiently, and rely on strong bench contributions continues to fuel their success. With one of the league’s best assist rates and a knack for strong fourth-quarter performances, Atlanta aims to carry this momentum into their upcoming rematch against the Pacers on Saturday at home. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.