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Jalen Johnson Lead Hawks to Big Win Over Suns.
The Atlanta Hawks are finally turning a season of inconsistency into momentum. After a win in Memphis on Wednesday, the team returned home to face the Phoenix Suns. The Suns arrived at State Farm Arena in Atlanta riding a three-game winning streak, but in the end the Hawks prevailed, winning 110-103. This boosts the Atlanta Hawks’ hopes of securing a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Hawks Faced Another Four-Quarter Thriller
In a gripping four-quarter thriller, it was once again the offense under head coach Quin Snyder that took control in the decisive moments of the game and ultimately led the team to victory.
While the Hawks led 64–59 at halftime, they showed signs of losing control in the second half, scoring only 20 points in the third quarter. It wasn’t until the fourth quarter that Atlanta regained its momentum. When the Hawks finally woke up, they came out blazing, raining threes like there was no tomorrow.
Back-to-back buckets from Onyeka Okongwu and Nickeil Alexander-Walker ignited the run and pushed Atlanta into a double-digit lead at one point. The offense caught fire, shooting over 50 % from the field and 50 % from deep, turning the game into a scoring clinic.
The drama intensified late in the period when Phoenix suffered a significant setback: Devin Booker had to be escorted to the locker room with just seconds remaining in the third, after rolling his ankle while tangled with Okongwu.
Earlier, Jalen Green exited in the first quarter with right hamstring tightness after just four minutes — his second game back from a 33-game absence due to the same injury.
This win marks the 12th straight year the Hawks have beaten the Suns in Atlanta. The victory gave the Hawks a sweep of the two-game season series.
Balance Matters
Man of the match? Maybe Jalen Johnson. He posted 23 points and 18 rebounds. But while Johnson came within inches of a triple-double, he also coughed up five turnovers that fueled Atlanta’s second-half collapse. Even with those mistakes, Johnson put together an outstanding overall performance — but he’s gotta clean up the errors and bring more intensity on the defensive end.
But: there’s no single hero on this Hawks roster — and that’s part of their 2025 season storyline. This balance matters. When wins don’t hinge on one star performance, it suggests a culture shift — one where the Hawks win as a unit rather than relying on flashes of brilliance from a single player.
It’s safe to say: The Atlanta Hawks have quietly begun to shape their season into something more than a middling campaign. Through the ebbs and flows of a season defined by injuries and ups and downs, the Hawks are showing signs of cohesion. Last night’s win puts the Hawks at 22 wins and 25 losses, sitting in 10th place in the Eastern Conference.
Their current place in the East may not be eye-popping, but the way they’ve grown is. Gritty fourth-quarter resilience, balanced scoring, and a deep bench contributing. That is exactly what playoff teams are built on.
If the Hawks can keep weaving these threads together, they could become the spoiler nobody sees coming.
The Hawks will be back on the court on Monday against the Indiana Pacers.
Fabienne Lampe Fabienne Lampe is a German sports journalist, covering the NFL, College Football, NBA, and Formula 1 for Heavy Sports. Lampe has years of experience covering the NFL, especially the Atlanta Falcons as their sole German reporter. She has interviewed some of the biggest names in the NFL, including Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson. Lampe also hosts a Formula 1 podcast and works as a play-by-play announcer. More about Fabienne Lampe
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