The Atlanta Hawks have done incredibly this season, being on the outside of the playoff picture in some ways, then going all the way to sixth place in the Eastern Conference, where they currently remain.
The Hawks’ win streak was halted by the Houston Rockets recently on March 20th, but they followed that loss up with wins against the Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies, and Detroit Pistons. They lost to the Boston Celtics 109 to 102 on March 27th and faced the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night.
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Hawks injuries
The Atlanta Hawks were without forward Jonathan Kuminga, who was dealing with a knee injury and was managing that. Guard Dyson Daniels had a left toe sprain and was questionable but did not play. Center Onyeka Okongwu was also ruled out with a finger sprain.
Game analysis
In the first half, the Hawks struggled from three quite a bit, missing 12 of 18. They also had six turnovers, but in the second quarter, they fought back from down to gain the lead and concluded the half with a score of 66 to 54. Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker led the team with 14 points, going 8-for-8 on free throws.
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In the second half, the Hawks got off to a great start, leading 78-66 in the third quarter with about seven minutes to go. As time went on, the Kings started to claw back into the game, being down less than 10 points in the fourth quarter. But the offensive play of Hawks guard Jalen Johnson and company, knocking down big shots from three.
Hawks win despite injuries
The Atlanta Hawks defeated the Sacramento Kings 123 to 113, despite injuries to several key players, including Dyson Daniels.
We asked Atlanta Hawks head coach Quinn Snyder how he assessed their performance even with said injuries, and he responded with, “we were gritty.” Snyder also harped on their defense defending better as the energy went up.
What’s next for the Atlanta Hawks?
The Hawks now have a record of 42-33, sixth in the Eastern Conference, and they’ll face the Boston Celtics on Monday, March 3oth at State Farm Arena.