In what was the best NBA game of the night, the Hawks and the Knicks battled till the very last shot and New York came out on top. It was a playoff like atmostphere and the game was played with the intensity and physicality of a postseason game.

Despite the Hawks losing this game, they have to feel something about being able to go toe to toe with one of the favorites in the Eastern Conference. They want to win these games of course, but they are continuing to show that their late season surge is not a fluke.

Let’s break down the good, the bad, and the ugly from last night.

The Good

Nickeil Alexander-Walker tallied a game-high 36 points on 12-19 shooting, including 7-11 from beyond the arc, to go along with two rebounds and three assists in 39 minutes of play, marking his 74th game of the season with 10-or-more points, the third-most double-digit scoring outings amongst all players in the NBA this season and the most by an Eastern Conference player. Alexander-Walker has recorded his 15th career game with 30+ points. Of his 15 career 30-point performances, 10 have come since joining the Hawks this season.

With his seven makes from deep, Alexander-Walker has knocked down 244 three-pointers this season, surpassing Bogdan Bogdanovic (240, 2023-24) for the most triples in a single season in franchise history. The Virginia Tech product has buried at least one three-pointer in 25 consecutive contests, the second-longest such streak of his career.

Dyson Daniels recorded 11 points in addition to a game-high tying 12 rebounds, three assists and two steals in 38 minutes of action, marking his league-leading 49th multi-steal game of the season. With his ninth rebound of the game, Daniels grabbed his 500th board of the season, becoming just the second Hawks guard in franchise history to record 500 rebounds in a single season, joining Lou Hudson in 1968-69 (533).

Jalen Johnson recorded 21 points, shooting 3-5 from deep, in addition to 11 rebounds and five assists in 41 minutes of play, marking his 48th double-double of the season, the third-most such games in the NBA this season. In tonight’s victory, Johnson notched his 28th game of the season with 20+ points and 10+ rebounds, the most by a Hawk in a season since Kevin Willis in 1993-94 (31).

CJ McCollum recorded 17 points in addition to six assists, three rebounds, two steals, and two blocks in 35 minutes of play, marking his 66th game of the season scoring 10-or-more points.

Onyeka Okongwu recorded 12 points in addition to eight rebounds in 37 minutes of action, marking his 60th double-digit scoring performance of the season and the 205th of his career.

The Hawks had 19 offensive rebounds last night and actually finished with an edge on the glass.

Atlanta won the possession battle, taking 11 more shots than the Knicks.

Atlanta held New York to 11-33 shooting from three.

The Bad

The offense was not good enough for the Hawks, despite the big night from Alexander-Walker. Atlanta shot 41.5% on twos and Atlanta missed a lot of shots that they normally make. If you want to feel good about this loss if you are a Hawks fan, I think you can count on them making those shots more often than not, but they did not have it last night.

Atlanta was outscored 52-34 in the paint.

While the Hawks grabbed 19 offensive rebounds, they were only able to score 13 second chance points.

The Knicks scored 21 points off the Hawks 15 turnovers.

The Knicks had 29 assists last night, Hawks had 23. Atlanta leads the league in assists and it is rare to see them lose that stat.

The Ugly

The Hawks sorely missed Jock Landale in this game. While the Hawks won the overall rebounding battle, they allowed Mitchell Robinson to come off the bench and score eight points and grab 12 rebounds. His presence against Mouahmed Gueye and the backup bigs was noticeable and if these two do end up meeting in the postseason, that will be something to watch.

While he is one of the most clutch players in the league, the Hawks cannot allow Jalen Brunson to score 17 points in the fourth quarter. He took over the game and won it on his own in the final quarter.

Atlanta rapper Offset is hospitalized after being shot in South Florida, according to his representative, in a developing story that is drawing national attention across both Miami and Atlanta.

The shooting happened Monday near the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, just outside Miami, according to multiple reports.

“We can confirm Offset was shot and is currently at the hospital receiving medical care,” his representative told Variety. “He is stable and being closely monitored.”

Authorities have not released details about what led to the shooting, whether a suspect is in custody, or if others were involved. 

As of Monday night, the investigation remains active.

Atlanta ties amplify concern

Offset, whose real name is Kiari Cephus, rose to fame as a member of the Grammy-nominated hip-hop group Migos, which originated in metro Atlanta. 

His connection to the city – and continued influence in its music scene – is prompting concern among fans and artists across Georgia.

The incident also underscores how ties to Atlanta’s music industry continue to intersect with South Florida – a frequent destination for performances, events, and nightlife.

What we do and don’t know

Location: Near Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida

Condition: Stable and under close monitoring

Motive: Unknown

Seminole Police Department released a statement following the incident, saying: “We are aware of an incident that occurred at a valet area after 7 p.m. Monday outside of Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood that resulted in non-life threatening injuries to an individual who was transported to Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood. Seminole Police were on site immediately and the situation was contained quickly. Two individuals have been detained by police. The investigation is ongoing. The site is secure and there is no threat to the public. Operations continue as normal.”

What’s next

Law enforcement is expected to release additional details as the investigation develops. 

It’s unclear whether surveillance footage from the heavily trafficked casino area could play a role in identifying the suspects.

CBS News will continue to follow this story closely, with updates from both South Florida and Atlanta as more information becomes available.

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Dream acquired two-time WNBA All-Star Angel Reese from the Chicago Sky on Monday in exchange for first-round draft picks in 2027 and 2028.

Atlanta also receives the right to swap second-round picks with Chicago in 2028.

The 6-foot-3 Reese averaged 14.1 points and 12.9 rebounds in her two seasons with Chicago, earning All-Star honors each year while finishing as the runner-up for rookie of the year in 2024.

“Angel is a dynamic talent and a perfect fit for what we are building in Atlanta,” general manager Dan Padover said in a statement released by the Dream. “She has already proven herself as one of the most impactful players in the league, and her competitiveness, production and drive to win align seamlessly with our vision. This is an exciting moment for our organization and our fans.”

Reese, 23, was the No. 7 overall pick by Chicago in the 2024 WNBA draft after leading LSU to the 2023 national championship.

The trade comes after Reese expressed frustrations late in last season’s 10-34 finish for the Sky. She told the Chicago Tribune that she “might have to move in a different direction and do what’s best for me” if the team didn’t improve its outlook. She later apologized to the team for the comments.

“I’m not settling for the same … we did this year,” Reese told the newspaper. “We have to get good players. We have to get great players. That’s a non-negotiable for me. I’m willing and wanting to play with the best. And however I can help to get the best here, that’s what I’m going to do this offseason.

“So it’s going to be very, very important this offseason to make sure we attract the best of the best because we can’t settle for what we have this year.”

The Sky suspended Reese for half of a game for comments deemed “detrimental to the team.” The team listed her as dealing with a back injury for its final three games, raising speculation about her long-term future in Chicago.

“This trade is designed to achieve roster balance and represents a great opportunity for all parties,” Chicago general manager Jeff Pagliocca said in a statement released by the Sky.

“Angel has achieved many record-breaking milestones in her first two years in the WNBA and has been a competitive force for the Sky. We are thankful for her many important contributions to this league and this game, and we know she will continue to have a big impact on the court and beyond. We wish Angel all the best in her next chapter.”

Reese averaged 14.7 points last season and led the WNBA with 12.6 rebounds per game. She joins an Atlanta roster that boasts other established stars and flourished under the leadership of coach Karl Smesko.

Allisha Gray finished fourth in the MVP voting last season. Rhyne Howard became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 300 career 3-pointers. Naz Hillmon was named Sixth Player of the Year and Brionna Jones was an All-Star.

“I’m beyond grateful for the opportunity to join the Atlanta Dream organization,” Reese said. “I’m focused on continuing to grow my game, competing at the highest level, connecting with the fans, and giving everything I’ve got to the Dream.”

Atlanta set a franchise record with 30 wins in 2025.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball