The Atlanta Hawks hosted the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday with a lot at stake in terms of the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Hawks clinched the win, triumphing over the Nets by a score of 122-115. Atlanta now sits alone at No. 8 in the Eastern Conference with the win while the Nets are locked in the play-in (can’t finish above No. 7 in the East).
The first quarter was hard fought, in the second the Nets took a 30-28 lead. Kevin Durant led all scorers with 15 points in the first quarter, while De’Andre Hunter led Atlanta with nine points in the first quarter.
The Atlanta bench got off to a hot start in the second quarter, giving the Hawks a double-digit lead at halftime. It was a 65-50 lead at halftime for the home team. The Nets struggled offensively outside of Durant, who had 25 points at the break.
Trae Young led the Hawks with 13 points and six assists in the first half, while Danilo Gallinari had 11 points, including a buzzer-beater three to hit the horn in the second quarter.
Atlanta led 81-66 midway through the third while the second unit continued to provide valuable minutes. The Hawks led 94-87 to fourth after the Nets ended the third quarter with a 21-13 push. Durant had 44 in the last frame while Young had 25 points and 10 assists.
The fourth quarter was competitive right to the end, with the Hawks leading in the dying moments after a three-pointer from Young. Young finished with 36 points, 10 assists and six rebounds in the win.
Hunter and Gallinari each finished with 15 points. Durant set the single-game record for State Farm/Philips Arena with 55 points, beating Allen Iverson’s 2005 record of 53 points. Kyrie Irving finished with 31 points and six assists in the loss.
The Hawks will be back in action Tuesday away against the Toronto Raptors.
Stay tuned.