Atlanta, GA
Jalen Johnson has career-high 28 points as Hawks hold on late, snap Thunder’s 5-game winning streak
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/KS4ZMRBWLEIXSVZEYQNOXMZ7YY.jpg?ssl=1 "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.
IN OTHER NEWS:
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ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Police are investigating a shooting near an Atlanta park on Sunday night.
Police say a man was shot at 616 Joseph E. Boone Boulevard, which is Rodney Cook Sr. Park in the Vine City neighborhood.
The man’s condition is currently unknown.
This is a developing story. Return to Atlanta News First for updates.
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The Atlanta Falcons are looking to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2017, and they’ll be relying on a new coaching staff to help them get there. But Kevin Stefanski is no rookie; he’s a two-time NFL Coach of the Year, only now he’ll be working with an entirely different group of personnel after coaching in Cleveland since 2020.
In addition to a new coach, the Falcons may have a different starting quarterback as Michael Penix Jr. continues to rehab last season’s torn ACL. He’ll also be competing with Tua Tagovailoa. Together, the Falcons believe they can compete for a playoff spot in the NFC South, but to do so, they’ll need all the help they can get. Unfortunately, the Falcons may not have everyone on hand to start the season.
According to The Athletic‘s Falcons insider Josh Kendall, the NFL is “likely” to suspend edge rusher James Pearce Jr.
Pearce faces three felony charges after an incident with his former girlfriend, WNBA player Rickea Jackson. Pearce’s charges are for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, fleeing the police, and resisting arrest with violence.
“Atlanta now appears to be waiting on the NFL to decide on Pearce. Under the league’s personal conduct policy, commissioner Roger Goodell has wide latitude to impose discipline regardless of the outcome of the criminal case. The league is likely to suspend Pearce. Steelers defensive back Cam Sutton was suspended eight games in 2024 after a domestic violence incident that began as a felony charge but was eventually reduced to a misdemeanor. Goodell could also place Pearce on the commissioner’s exempt list, which serves as an indefinite suspension while the league gathers more information.”
The Athletic’s Josh Kendall on James Pearce
Pearce is coming off an excellent rookie season that saw him record a team-high 10.5 sacks while starting three of his 17 appearances. The 26th overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft looks like he’s poised to be a star. Yet, now the 22-year-old may have to wait to start his second NFL season. The question is how long?
If Pearce is forced to miss time, the Falcons will be counting on others, such as fellow 2025 first-round pick Jalon Walker, to make a bigger impact. The 22-year-old Walker recorded 5.5 sacks, making nine sacks in 15 appearances.
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