Hornets' nine-game win streak fuels comeback, tightening East race. Hawks falter late, surrendering critical rebounding and free-throw advantage.
The Atlanta Hawks once again found themselves staring at the familiar frustration of opportunity slipping away, unable to pull themselves closer to a .500 record as the season’s margins continue to thin.
Atlanta fell 126-119 to the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday night at State Farm Arena, a loss that carried weight beyond the final score. The defeat handed the Hawks a damaging result in a potential tiebreaker scenario and allowed Charlotte to extend its winning streak to nine games, the longest active run in the NBA.
The Hawks entered the night holding a 1.5-game edge over the Hornets in the Eastern Conference standings, but Charlotte’s surge has quickly tightened the race for ninth place. Atlanta has now dropped two of four meetings against Charlotte this season, including a December loss that looms larger with every swing in the standings.
For much of the night, the Hawks matched Charlotte’s shot-making. Jalen Johnson delivered one of his most complete performances of the season with 31 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, while Zaccharie Risacher continued to show growth, scoring 18 points and knocking down all four of his attempts from beyond the arc. Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 13 points and a career-high 10 assists, helping Atlanta keep pace offensively.
Yet the game ultimately turned on possessions — and Atlanta ran out of them.
Charlotte finished with a commanding 49-30 rebounding advantage, led by Moussa Diabate’s 15 boards, repeatedly extending possessions and blunting Atlanta’s attempts to string together stops. The Hornets also went a perfect 16-for-16 from the free-throw line, sealing the game late after Atlanta briefly threatened in the final minutes.
The pivotal sequence came late in the third quarter. Trailing by as many as 13, Atlanta surged back to grab a three-point lead, briefly swinging momentum inside State Farm Arena. That momentum evaporated after a controversial moment involving new Hawks center Jock Landale and Charlotte forward Grant Williams. Williams powered through contact on a drive, converting a three-point play that ignited an 11-0 Hornets run to close the quarter.
From there, Atlanta was left chasing.
Hornets guards LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller helped steady Charlotte in the fourth, combining timely shot-making with calm execution at the line as the Hawks’ comeback stalled just short.
After the game, Hawks head coach Quin Snyder pointed to that late third-quarter stretch as a defining test for his group.
Snyder framed the sequence as a lesson in composure and growth, emphasizing the importance of how teams respond when momentum swings against them.
“There are stretches and plays like that in games, and you have to endure them,” Snyder said. “Whatever those catalysts are, you can’t control what just happened. How we respond mentally and make sure those moments don’t compound is something we need to continue to grow in as a team.”
Snyder also returned repeatedly to rebounding, describing it as a possession battle that continues to define Atlanta’s margin for error.
“It’s a possession game,” Snyder said. “We’ve emphasized taking care of the ball, forcing turnovers, limiting offensive rebounds, and crashing ourselves. There were situations where it hurt us, and we have to be more physical. Whatever it takes, we have to do a better job.”
Atlanta did find encouragement in the return of Onyeka Okongwu, who scored 16 points in his first game back after dental surgery, playing in a protective mask that quickly became a visual focal point.
Snyder noted Okongwu’s aggressiveness immediately stood out.
“I was glad to see him take the first shot willingly,” Snyder said. “I didn’t see him shying away from anything. It felt like he lost himself in the game in a good way.”
Okongwu later detailed the physical toll of his recovery, describing the challenge of returning so quickly after the procedure.
“It was about managing the pain and making it tolerable enough to play,” Okongwu said. “I lost a lot of blood over the last week or so. I’m just grateful to keep my teeth and be back out there playing basketball.”
Johnson, who carried a heavy offensive and playmaking load throughout the night, pointed directly to the glass when asked what separated the teams.
“Rebounding was a huge thing on the scouting report, and we didn’t do a good enough job,” Johnson said. “I have to be better there. We also gave up a lot of open looks, and that played a part.”
Atlanta will have little time to dwell on the loss. The Hawks open a three-game road trip Monday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves, while Charlotte returns home riding confidence, momentum — and now, pressure — into the final stretch before the All-Star break.