Atlanta, GA
Atlanta’s Fourth Quarter Comeback Falls Short vs Houston Sending Atlanta to Its Sixth Straight Loss
It was another tough situation for the Hawks tonight vs the team with the third-best record in the NBA, the Houston Rockets. They were missing Jalen Johnson, Zaccharie Risacher, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Clint Capela tonight vs Houston and their absences were felt tonight in what ended up being a four-point loss. It was almost a miracle 4th quarter comeback that saw Atlanta erase a 16-point lead and have an open look to win the game, but De’Andre Hunter’s go-ahead three-pointer went down and out, sealing Atlanta’s fate and extending their losing streak.
There were no new reasons as to why the Hawks lost this game. The offense, particularly the three-point shooting, continues to be dismal (putting it nicely) and is not giving the Hawks much of a chance, despite the defense playing a good game. Injuries to four different impact players did not help either, though Capela was not on the injury report yesterday or today and was ruled out after the game began.
Only four Hawks scored in double-digits tonight, led by Trae Young, who had 21 points to go along with nine assists. Hunter came off the bench to score 16, Krejci had 13, and Dyson Daniels had 12 points, 10 rebounds, and four steals. Atlanta shot 40% from the field and 23% from three. The Hawks have had one of the worst offenses in the NBA over the past two weeks and that continued tonight. Mouhamed Gueye got his first career NBA start tonight and scored 11 points and pulled in seven rebounds. Gueye has received significant rotation minutes for the first time in his young career due to injuries to the rest of the roster and has shown his talent, while also showing that he is still a raw player with an intriguing skill set.
Atlanta is now 22-25 and at risk of slipping further in the Eastern Conference. A season that looked filled with so much promise just a few weeks ago looks to be teetering due to the injuries to key players and poor play. The Hawks will travel to Cleveland on Thursday to try and snap this losing streak.
The Hawks defense had a good night tonight vs the Rockets, finishing with a 97.3 defensive rating. Houston shot 47% from thre field and 23% from three. Jalen Green led all scorers with 25 points, Alperen Sengun had 18 points, Jae’Sean Tate had 16 points off the bench, and both Amen Thompson and Dillon Brooks had 11. Atlanta forced 21 turnovers on defense, which kept them in the game despite the struggles on the offensive end of the floor.
It was the first career NBA start for Mo Gueye tonight. He started alongside Trae Young, Dyson Daniels, Vit Krejci, and Onyeka Okongwu. The Rockets kept their usual starting five of Fred Van Vleet, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Amen Thompson, and Alperen Sengun.
After the Rockets leaped out to a 7-2 lead, the Hawks responded in a big way with a 14-0 run and causing Ime Udoka to call a timeout. The Hawks started to dip into their rotation after the timeout, bringing in De’Andre Hunter, Keaton Wallace, and Larry Nance. Hunter scored a career high 35 points last night vs Minnesota and this was the third straight game for Wallace, having played a G-League game on Sunday and the game last night.
After going up 16-7, the Rockets went on an 11-5 run to cut the lead to 21-18. The Hawks defense was doing a good job of defending the three point line, limiting the Rockets to 2-10 from deep and taking a 27-22 lead into the second quarter. The Hawks were shooting 42% from the field and 31% from three. Young and Hunter had six points each.
The Rockets did not want the Hawks to get any momentum and after the Hawks scored four quick points and led 31-24.
Keaton steal and BOOM pic.twitter.com/EbijcaIb0q
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 29, 2025
The timeout did stop the momentum though and Houston responded with a 12-2 run to take their first lead since early in the game. Talented guard Jalen Green had a big second quarter, scoring 11 points and being the most consistent source of offense for the Rockets early in the game.
The Hawks were not playing well on offense but were being very disruptive on the defensive end and causing chaos. In the second quarter alone, the Hawks forced 10 turnovers and scored eight points off of them. The Rockets turnovers led to the Hawks climbing back in the game and taking a 50-49 lead into the half.
Atlanta shot 41% from the field in the first half and 24% from three. Young led the way with 11 points and five assists. The Rockets shot 54% from the field and 31% from three.
The offenses did not start off much better in the second half. During the first three minutes, the teams combined to shoot 1-10 from the field and the Hawks led 52-51 with nine minutes remaining in the quarter. The Hawks offense was not able to find its footing in the quarter either.
The Hawks’ defense was keeping them in the game from the start, but as has been the case for the past two weeks, the offense and shooting were putrid. Atlanta shot 37% from the field and 25% from three and no player had more than five points. It has been quite the struggle for the Hawks on that end of the floor recently and is one of the main catalysts behind their recent losing streak.
The Rockets offense was not much better, but Jalen Green and Jae’Sean Tate combined for 20 points, nearly outscoring the Hawks themselves in the third. Houston went 13-14 at the free throw line Houston led 82-73 going into the fourth quarter and the Hawks were going to need their offense to find a way to get going if they were going to have a shot.
For much of the fourth, it did not look like that was going to be a reality. Houston led 96-80 with under five minutes left, but the Hawks had one more comeback attempt left in them. They scored nine straight to cut the lead to 96-89 and then Udoka called a timeout to try and slow the Hawk’s sudden momentum.
It didn’t work.
Dyson Daniels got a steal after the timeout then Young and Brooks both exchanged missed baskets. On their next possession, Young drew a foul and hit two free throws to make it 96-91. Atlanta forced another turnover and Krejci got a wide-open look for three but missed it. Thompson drew a foul on the other end and hit both free throws to extend the lead to 98-91. Young led the Hawks down and got another shot to fall to make it a five-point game.
After another Houston turnover, Daniels hit a shot and drew the foul. There was a dust-up between Dillon Brooks and Trae Young that ended with a double technical being assessed, though that did seem like the wrong call. Daniels hit the free throw and the lead was 98-96.
After a Jalen Green miss, the Hawks got a great look for De’Andre Hunter to potentially win the game, but it went in and out. The Rockets avoided being fouled and scored, and the game was over. Houston won 100-96 and extended Atlanta’s losing streak to six games.
How A De’Aaron Fox Trade Would Affect The Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks Viewed As A Top Trade Fit For Portland Trail Blazers Center
Atlanta Hawks (46-36, sixth in the Eastern Conference) vs. New York Knicks (53-29, third in the Eastern Conference)
New York; Monday, 8 p.m. EDT
LINE: Knicks -5.5; over/under is 216.5
EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Knicks lead series 1-0
BOTTOM LINE: The New York Knicks host the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference first round with a 1-0 lead in the series. The Knicks won the last matchup 113-102 on Saturday, led by 28 points from Jalen Brunson. CJ McCollum led the Hawks with 26.
The Knicks are 35-17 in Eastern Conference games. New York has a 9-4 record in one-possession games.
The Hawks are 27-25 in Eastern Conference play. Atlanta is third in the league scoring 18.1 fast break points per game. McCollum leads the Hawks averaging 5.0.
The Knicks are shooting 47.8% from the field this season, 0.4 percentage points higher than the 47.4% the Hawks allow to opponents. The Hawks are shooting 47.4% from the field, 1.4% higher than the 46.0% the Knicks’ opponents have shot this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 20.1 points and 11.9 rebounds for the Knicks. Brunson is averaging 19.9 points over the last 10 games.
Dyson Daniels is scoring 11.9 points per game and averaging 6.8 rebounds for the Hawks. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is averaging 21.3 points and 2.9 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Knicks: 6-4, averaging 110.4 points, 40.7 rebounds, 26.2 assists, 8.4 steals and 3.3 blocks per game while shooting 49.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.9 points per game.
Hawks: 5-5, averaging 117.2 points, 43.5 rebounds, 27.7 assists, 8.4 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.0 points.
INJURIES: Knicks: Tyler Kolek: day to day (oblique), Mitchell Robinson: day to day (ankle), Karl-Anthony Towns: day to day (elbow).
Hawks: Jock Landale: out (ankle).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Atlanta, GA
Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks prediction, pick for Game 1 of 2026 NBA Playoffs first round
Sean Barnard details his preview and prediction for Saturday’s Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks matchup in the NBA Playoffs.
The NBA playoffs are officially underway with a loaded opening round. Taking place in the No. 3 vs. No. 6 matchup in the Eastern Conference, the Atlanta Hawks will take on the New York Knicks.
You can check out the full series preview on DraftKings Network here.
Looking at the odds for the series opener, the Knicks enter as 6.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Hawks are +205 underdogs with the game total set at O/U 218.5 points.
This article will look at a preview and prediction for the Eastern Conference series opener.
Hawks vs. Knicks prediction, preview
The Atlanta Hawks went through a midseason transition, moving on from Trae Young after he headlined the production for the franchise for the past eight years. The Hawks have not missed a beat amid the major midseason shakeup, finishing as the sixth seed in the conference with a 46-36 overall record. On the season, Atlanta has gone 44-38 against the spread, and the game total has gone 41-41 to the over/under.
Jock Landale is the only player set to miss the matchup tonight. Jalen Johnson headlines the production, posting averages of 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game. Nickeil Alexander-Walker has had a breakout season in a new location, adding 20.8 points, 3.7 assists, and 3.4 rebounds per game. CJ McCollum adds 18.7 points and 4.1 assists across his first 41 games with the organization, while Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu, Jonathan Kuminga, and Zaccharie Risacher also play notable roles.
Quin Snyder’s group scores 118.5 points per game, which ranks sixth in the NBA. The Hawks also rank 14th in offensive rating, 13th in field goal percentage, and fifth in three-point percentage. Defensively, opponents are scoring 116.0 points per game against Atlanta, which ranks 18th in the league. They also rank ninth in defensive rating, 18th in opponent field goal percentage, and 12th in opponent three-point percentage.
The New York Knicks entered the season with legitimate title aspirations. They have had some notable ups and downs, but now face this opportunity. New York finished the regular season with a 53-29 record and sit in third place in the East. The Knicks have gone 44-39 against the spread, and the game total has gone 38-45 to the over/under.
The Knicks enter this matchup with a clear injury report and a large sample size of the team playing together. Jalen Brunson headlines the production with 26.0 points, 6.8 assists, and 3.3 rebounds, while Karl-Anthony Towns pitches in 20.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 3.0 assists of his own. OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges are responsible for the production at the wing positions, while Josh Hart sets the tone for this team from a hustle standpoint. New York also did an impressive job building out the bench unit this season, with players like Jordan Clarkson, Mitchell Robinson, Landry Shamet, and Tyler Kolek capable of serving as X-factors off the bench.
As a team, the Knicks are scoring 116.5 points per game, which ranks 10th in the NBA. New York also ranks third in offense rating, 11th in field goal percentage, and fourth in three-point percentage. Defensively, opponents are scoring 110.1 points per game against the Knicks, which ranks fifth in the league. They also rank seventh in defensive rating, fifth in opponent field goal percentage, and 20th in opponent three-point percentage.
Hawks vs. Knicks pick, best bet
These are two teams at different stages of their timeline, but neither will be afraid of this playoff spotlight. The Knicks pushed their chips in around this core and are hoping to be rewarded for it. They fell to the Indiana Pacers in the Conference Finals last year and have made the postseason in four consecutive seasons. Atlanta missed out on the playoffs in back-to-back years and turned a new page direction with Jalen Johnson now leading the charge. Without Trae Young, the Hawks now lean on more of a defensive-minded identity and have a roster loaded with athleticism.
During the regular season, these teams faced off three times. They split the first two matchups, which took place on December 27th and January 2nd. New York picked up a narrow 108-105 victory in the most recent game, which took place on April 6th. Both sides were aware that this was a potential postseason matchup, and this game had some major seeding implications. It was an evenly matched game in which neither team was able to extend a lead beyond 10 points, and the rebounding battle was separated by just one board. The biggest discrepancy came with the Knicks shooting 50% compared to the Hawks shooting 40%, and New York outscoring Atlanta 52-34 in the paint.
While there are higher expectations for this Knicks team in the postseason outlook, the Hawks stack up fairly well in this matchup. Jalen Brunson will be at the heart of the offensive attack for New York. But his biggest weakness is when he is guarded by high-level athletes with a size advantage over him. The Hawks have built out a roster loaded with this archetype of player, and there is not a clear matchup for Brunson to hunt in most lineup combinations.
Brunson has enough experience and savvy to will settle in over the course of the series. But expect some growing pains in the early parts of this matchup, and for this to be a huge hurdle for this Knicks team. I am backing the Hawks to cover the 5.5-point spread and would not be shocked if they steal the opening game. This is a series in which neither side should be expected to pull away by major margins throughout. Count on Atlanta to have defense success and have a clear gameplan for limiting the impact of Brunson. Expect this matchup to come down to the wire and take the points in the series opener.
Best Bet: Hawks +6.5 (-112)
-
South-Carolina42 seconds agoSouth Carolina Lottery Pick 3, Pick 4 results for April 19, 2026
-
South Dakota7 minutes agoFCS Football Recruiting Roundup: South Dakota, Montana State Target 2027 Defensive Standouts
-
Tennessee13 minutes agoNashville Sounds and Autism Tennessee partner to host inclusive Beyond the Label Day for local children
-
Texas19 minutes agoTexas A&M Forward Transfer Seemingly on Visit to See Lady Vols Basketball | Rocky Top Insider
-
Utah25 minutes agoGolden Knights vs. Mammoth Game 1 prediction: NHL odds, picks, best bets for Stanley Cup Playoffs
-
Vermont31 minutes agoVermont lawmakers reject digital lottery initiative – Valley News
-
Virginia37 minutes agoVirginia’s special election redistricting battle is next week and has national impacts
-
Washington43 minutes agoThe Church of Jesus Christ has announced its 384th temple