ATLANTA – The Atlanta Hawks had their 11-game winning streak snapped last night against the Houston Rockets in a way they probably didn't want to. The good news was that he got a chance to get the best taste out of his mouth the next night against the Golden State Warriors. Unfortunately, they had to do it without Jalen Johnson, who was out just hours before the game due to left shoulder inflammation.
In the first half of the game, the Hawks looked like they were missing their best player; Meanwhile, the Warriors were missing two of their best players and that made it interesting. It was the second half where things turned around and the Hawks put on a tremendous performance early in the third quarter, which ultimately helped them win the game by defeating the Warriors 126–110.
Although they were without Johnson, the Hawks got major contributions from several players, and it is something that has helped the team be successful this season.
"I think we're a team, no matter who's on the field, and different guys will do different things every night," Quin Snyder said. "I think our group right now isn't worried about who's actually getting credit for the basket. They're worried about our scoring, and when that happens, your team is better. We want to be greater than the sum of the parts, and when we're missing a guy like Jalen, who is obviously important to our team, other guys have to pick it up, and it'll be his turn when he comes back."
Dyson Daniels did everything for the Hawks in this one, finishing the game with 28 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
"I do a little bit of everything and try to build momentum," Daniels said. "Defense is where I've found my niche in this league, so that's always going to be my number one, and then being able to push the pace, try and get my feet in the paint, find my teammates, and be able to hit some shots tonight."
Mohamed Gueye started in Johnson's place, and like most times this season, when it's his turn to play a bigger role, he performs well. He couldn't miss, as he made 6 of 6 shots from the field and finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
“Every night is the same for me,” Guay said. "I'm just trying to come in and do my thing. Tonight I was fully prepared with the threes, and I made them, so hopefully next time I'll be fully prepared as well."
The third quarter changed the situation for the Hawks and a 25-5 run gave them a 24-point lead. CJ McCollum led the way in the bucket-getting category and scored 13 points in that quarter alone.
“The whole team stepped up defensively and got some stops, and were able to get out and get some easier, better looks,” Snyder said. "Obviously, CJ's shot-making was really big during that time, too."
The Hawks went ahead by a lot in the fourth quarter as the Warriors didn't have enough juice to score in the fourth. With the win, the Hawks are still in the driver's seat, and with the losses to Miami and Orlando, they still sit at No. 6 in the Eastern Conference standings.
"It was one of those things that we needed and it was a critical time for us," Daniels said. “We needed a win, so I'm glad we got this win.”
