CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Thursday night just wasn’t the Hawks’ night. On the best 3-point shooting night of the season for the Hornets, the Hawks battled back, even cutting their deficit to one with a little over two and a half minutes to play. But the Hornets had other plans, defeating the Hawks 133-126.
Jalen Johnson, who turned 24 on Wednesday, pulled up at the top of the key with 2:39 to play and drained a 3 that cut the game to 122-121.
But Hornets guard LaMelo Ball played spoiler to Johnson’s birthday outing, as well as the return of guard Trae Young. He drove into the paint to put the Hornets up three. Ball made another layup and then hit a dagger with 28.3 seconds to play to put the Hornets up 129-123.
The Hornets finished with a season-high 24 3-pointers, 18 of which came in the first half. The 24 3s were the most allowed by the Hawks this season.
Quick stats: Johnson had a career-high 43 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists as he tried to will the Hawks back into the action. Nickeil Alexander-Walker had 28 points and eight rebounds in his first game back off the bench. Young had eight points and 10 assists in 17 minutes in his return.
Key moment
Young had a minutes restriction and had to wait until his second stint before he scored his first field goal. After a five-minute shift, where he dished two assists, drew an offensive foul but had one turnover, Young returned to the court for the final four minutes of the first quarter.
With 2:57 to play, Young drove into the paint off a pass from Johnson. As two Hornets defenders closed off the rim, Young pulled up and let off his floater for his first points since Oct. 29. Young’s floater pulled the Hawks within six as they tried to fight through the Hornets’ hot-shooting night.
Highlight play
Johnson was not the only one to try and get the Hawks back into Thursday’s game. As the Hornets tried to run away with the game early, Alexander-Walker hit three consecutive 3-pointers that pulled the Hawks within a single-digit deficit at the end of the first half.
Up next
The Hawks return to the court to host the Spurs on Friday at State Farm Arena.
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
