Hawks Close Preseason Strong With 135-111 Win Over Mavericks

The Atlanta Hawks put an exclamation point on their 2026 preseason, defeating the Dallas Mavericks 135-111 Friday night at American Airlines Center.

Atlanta finished preseason play with a 4-1 record, while Dallas wrapped up at 1-3. The Hawks took control early and carried a 73-54 halftime lead, setting the tone for a dominant finish.

Atlanta’s offense was rolling from the start.

The Hawks scored 39 points in the opening quarter and added another 34 in the second, building a cushion that Dallas was never able to overcome. One of the biggest differences was Atlanta’s work from beyond the arc, as the Hawks connected on 21 three-pointers and shot 41.2 percent from deep.

Atlanta also won the rebounding battle 55-42 and finished with 36 assists, showing the kind of ball movement and balance that has been one of the more encouraging signs of the preseason.

Leading the way was Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who finished with 25 points and gave Atlanta another strong scoring performance heading into the regular season.

Jalen Johnson delivered a big night as well, recording a double-double with 20 points and 14 rebounds. His ability to impact the game on the glass while still providing scoring gave the Hawks another steady presence on both ends.

The bench also played a major role.

Aaron Wiggins added 19 points, giving Atlanta another offensive weapon outside of the starting lineup and continuing to show just how deep this Hawks roster can be.

For Dallas, rookie Cooper Flagg was one of the biggest bright spots, finishing with 26 points and 12 rebounds. Kyrie Irving and Zaccharie Risacher each added 18 points, but the Mavericks were unable to slow down Atlanta’s balanced attack.

The Hawks shot 44.9 percent from the field, compared with Dallas at 43.0 percent. Atlanta also held advantages in rebounds and assists while committing just 13 turnovers compared with 15 for the Mavericks.

More importantly, Atlanta closed out the preseason the way it wanted to — with momentum.

A 4-1 preseason record will not mean anything once the regular season officially begins, but the Hawks showed several encouraging signs throughout the exhibition schedule. The roster displayed depth, outside shooting, rebounding and contributions from both veterans and younger players.

Now the evaluation period is over. Following the preseason finale, the Hawks announced they had requested waivers on forward Cameron Corhen and guard Kobe Johnson.

The moves come as Atlanta begins trimming and finalizing its roster ahead of opening night.

For players battling for roster spots and developmental opportunities, preseason can be as much about making an impression as it is about wins and losses. With the exhibition schedule now complete, Atlanta has reached the point where those decisions become very real.

Next Up: Opening Week

With preseason officially in the books, the Hawks now turn their attention to the 2026-27 regular season.

Atlanta opens the season on the road against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 7:00 p.m. ET at Kia Center.

The Hawks remain on the road for a matchup with the Charlotte Hornets on Friday, Oct. 23 at 7:00 p.m. ET at Spectrum Center.

Then it’s back to the A.

Atlanta hosts the Houston Rockets on Saturday, Oct. 24 at 8:30 p.m. ET for its regular-season home opener at State Farm Arena. The game was moved from its originally announced start time to accommodate the WNBA Finals matchup between the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries earlier that day.

After a 4-1 preseason, the tune-up games are officially over.

The rotations have been tested. The young guys have gotten their opportunities. The veterans have gotten their work in.

Now the games count.