Atlanta, GA
Jalen Johnson has career-high 28 points as Hawks hold on late, snap Thunder’s 5-game winning streak
ATLANTA (AP) — Jalen Johnson scored a career-high 28 points and the Atlanta Hawks held off Oklahoma City 141-138 on Wednesday night, ending the Thunder’s five-game winning streak.
Atlanta opened the game with 11 straight points and never trailed. Trae Young had 24 points and 11 assists, one of four Hawks players who scored more than 20. Bogdan Bogdanovic added 23 points and Dejounte Murray had 22.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 33 points and 13 rebounds to lead Oklahoma City. Jalen Williams scored 21.
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It was the second straight personal scoring high for Johnson, following his 24 points in a 130-126 win at Washington on Sunday.
“He’s going to have more career-high nights,” Young said. “My standard is high for Jalen.”
Gilgeous-Alexander’s layup with 48.5 seconds remaining cut Atlanta’s lead to 141-136, after the Thunder trailed by double digits most of the game. Following a miss by Murray, Gilgeous-Alexander’s basket trimmed the deficit to three.
Isaiah Joe’s last-second 3-pointer from the corner was no good for Oklahoma City.
“We didn’t have our best night, obviously, but I thought we stuck together and stayed in it,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “We kind of played on their terms tonight. They outplayed us tonight.”
The Hawks improved to 5-9 at home. They play 10 of 15 games in January at home and hope to build off the win over the Thunder, who are competing for the best record in the Western Conference.
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“I think it’s huge, especially since we started the new year off with a win,” Johnson said. “I think it was a great start for our team. Hopefully we can get something out of that.”
The Thunder’s surge of eight wins in their last nine games included Tuesday night’s 127-123 victory over Boston. Oklahoma City ended winning streaks of nine games by the Los Angeles Clippers and six games by Boston during the nine-game stretch.
Johnson scored 12 points in the second quarter, including a jam over 7-foot-1 Chet Holmgren that gave Atlanta a 76-57 lead late in the first half.
In his third season, Johnson has seen his playing time increase dramatically. He had four steals against Oklahoma City to set another career high.
The challenge for Daigneault’s team was playing back-to-back nights, including a late-night flight from Oklahoma City to Atlanta, before facing the up-tempo Hawks.
Fatigue appeared to be a factor as the Thunder missed their first seven shots from the field and Atlanta scored the first 11 points.
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Atlanta’s 76-59 halftime lead was built on 19 fast-break points, matching the team’s high mark for any half this season.
Clint Capela had a double-double for Atlanta with 12 points and 14 rebounds. Bogdanovic shot 5 for 11 on 3-pointers.
UP NEXT
Thunder: Visit the Brooklyn Nets on Friday.
Hawks: Visit the Indiana Pacers on Friday.
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Atlanta, GA
Starters Braves Have on Their Radar, Top Prospects in Play
The Atlanta Braves have locked down two free agents. One bolstered the bullpen while the other diversified their options on the offense. Now, from what we’re hearing, the attention has turned to fortifying the rotation.
We are gaining an idea of who the Braves are targeting on the starting pitching market. Framber Valdez and Michael King appear to be the top two free-agent options they’re taking a look at, per source. The goal would be to land one of the two. How far along any potential talks are or if they’re currently talking at all is unclear. We just know now that these two are preferred targets.
Previous reports said that the Mets and Giants had previously chatted with Valdez. King is on the radar of the Tigers and Cubs. There are contenders in play for these same guys.
Signing a free agent is their plan A for acquiring starting pitching depth. What we are hearing confirms the willingness to cough up a draft pick to make a big signing. Both have a qualifying offer attached to them.
That being said, they are willing to go out on the trade market if needed and in a specific circumstance. Plan B is to make a deal for Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Freddy Peralta.
The 2025 All-Star has been rumored to be a trade candidate since the start of the offseason. What we are hearing lines up with previous speculation as to the type of moves the Braves could make. The Athletic’s Jim Bowden suggested the Braves make a move for Peralta, and part of that suggestion included a potential trade piece that would likely be dealt in this scenario.
The Brewers would likely want to make the centerpiece of the return the Braves’ No. 2 prospect, JR Ritchie. However, the Braves would likely prefer to hang onto Ritchie. They see him as a key piece of their future. They would likely prefer to make the centerpiece of the deal Hurston Waldrep, who showed significant promise once she was called up toward the end of last season.
Another player would likely be dealt along with one of the two names. The Braves would like to know whether an extension would be in play. They wouldn’t want to make the move for strictly a rental.
However, the Brewers want to get a trade done during the offseason. If he’s on the roster during the regular season, it would put them in a bind. They don’t see him as someone they’ll be able to keep around, but if they’re contending, they can’t trade him at the deadline. He would have to stick around for a push, and then he would walk.
Meanwhile, the Braves are pushing to have a top-five payroll in the league for next season. That puts them in the position to take on one of the two possible free-agent signings or take on a contract extension in a potential trade.
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Atlanta, GA
2 Dead In Fiery Crash On Interstate 75 In Atlanta
ATLANTA, GA — Two people are dead following a fiery crash on Interstate 75 in Atlanta, according to police.
The crash occurred shortly before 3:15 a.m. Saturday on southbound I-75 near Cleveland Avenue Southwest. According to police, a Kia Sportage was traveling on I-75 when the driver lost control of the vehicle while attempting to exit at Cleveland Avenue.
Police said the vehicle left the roadway, hit a pole and subsequently caught fire.
Two unidentified occupants of the vehicle were pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators with the Atlanta Police Department Accident Investigations Unit responded to the scene to determine what led to the crash. The investigation into the collision is ongoing.
Atlanta, GA
Atlanta chef charged after shooting 2 suspected teen porch pirates outside his home
An Atlanta chef allegedly shot two teenagers who were suspected of trying to steal packages outside his home in broad daylight.
Rakim Bradford was charged with two counts of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony after he opened fire on the boys, ages 15 and 16, at his townhouse in the Mays neighborhood, southwest of Downtown Atlanta, on Thursday around 3:40 p.m.
Bradford, the head chef at an area IHOP, according to his LinkedIn, was at his home on the 700 block of Celeste Lane SW when he noticed the teens near his front porch, Atlanta Police said.
Officials believe the teens had traveled to the Villages of Cascade complex, where they spotted a delivery van and followed it, according to Atlanta News First, citing Bradford’s arrest warrant.
“After the packages were dropped, they agreed to steal that package from the front of the residence,” the warrant stated.
Bradford caught the teens going for the packages and allegedly shot the pair before they could steal the delivery.
“We believe a property crime was occurring, that some packages were being taken off a front porch, which is common this time of year,” Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum told reporters. “The homeowner did discharge his weapon to stop that theft of packages.”
The unidentified 15-year-old was found with a gunshot wound to the right foot. Officers later found the 16-year-old suffering from a gunshot to the right arm.
He was transported to the hospital in critical condition before undergoing surgery. The teen is expected to survive.
“The Atlanta Police Department takes gun violence very seriously,” Schierbaum said. “Anytime a child is injured in our city, we really take that really seriously. We want to make sure they know what’s happening.”
Bradford was detained after the shooting and brought in for questioning.
Officials ruled out a home invasion and didn’t announce any charges against the two teens.
Neighbors warned potential porch pirates of stealing packages from other homes.
“Don’t go and steal people’s packages,” Andrew Julian told the outlet. “On the other side of that, what right do you have to defend your own home, and then what decision do you make to defend your own home based on somebody taking an item off of your porch? So, it’s certainly a conversation to be had.”
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