Johnson's 41 points and clutch threes fueled the Hawks' epic double-overtime victory, overcoming Maxey's scoring barrage.
The Atlanta Hawks needed two overtimes, a flurry of late threes and a career-making performance from Jalen Johnson to outlast the Philadelphia 76ers 142-134 on Sunday night.
Johnson delivered one of the most complete games of his young career, pouring in 41 points and 14 rebounds while burying the pair of deep shots that finally separated the Hawks in the second overtime. His third 3-pointer of the night broke a 134-all tie; his fourth ensured Atlanta’s fourth win in five games and capped the franchise’s first 10-win month since March 2022.
The Hawks led by as many as eight in the fourth quarter before Tyrese Maxey — who finished with 44 points, seven rebounds and nine assists — dragged Philadelphia back with one explosive drive after another. Maxey forced overtime with a 3-pointer in the final minute and gave the Sixers a late lead in the first overtime. But his two missed free throws with 15 seconds remaining opened the door for Atlanta to tie it.
The moment fell to Nickeil Alexander-Walker. After Dominick Barlow was whistled for a foul with 1.1 seconds left in the first OT, Alexander-Walker calmly sank both shots to push the game to a second overtime. He finished with 34 points and eight rebounds in one of his strongest outings of the season.
It overshadowed the long-awaited return of Joel Embiid, who scored 18 points in 30 minutes in his first action since Nov. 8. It also marked the first night Philadelphia played Embiid, Paul George and Maxey together in the starting lineup. George added 16 points, while Quentin Grimes chipped in 28.
Atlanta, however, owned the defining stretches. The Hawks opened the fourth quarter with a 13-0 burst sparked by their defensive pressure, turning turnovers into transition looks. One of the night’s loudest moments came midway through the second quarter when Alexander-Walker jumped a passing lane, sprinted out on the break and flipped a behind-the-back bounce pass to Johnson for a soaring dunk. Moments later, Dyson Daniels turned a Maxey turnover into another break, hanging in the air long enough to slip a pass to Onyeka Okongwu for a layup.
Afterward, the Hawks reflected on how the game slipped into deep overtime before they took control.
In describing why the night stretched to a second extra period, Alexander-Walker pointed to the smallest margins.
“Just late game execution. You come up on one more rebound, it changes the narrative,” he said. “Credit to us finding a way to get it back. But honestly, the small things.”
Vit Krejčí, who logged important minutes off the bench in both overtime periods, said the Hawks relied on clarity more than complexity.
“Don’t do anything complicated,” Krejčí said. “In a time like that, in overtime, you know who you want taking shots, who you want making plays.”
The night was also another near miss for Daniels, who continues to flirt with triple-doubles. He finished with 17 points, nine rebounds and eight assists while helping lead several pivotal defensive sequences.
“I think just playing with the ball in the hands a bit more allows me to create for others,” Daniels said. “Crashing is a big thing that I’m trying to do… I’ve been close about four or five times this year, but we’ll get one soon.”
Atlanta improved to 10-5 in November, a mark that underscored the team’s resilience as it continues to play without Trae Young. The offense ran through Johnson all night, particularly in moments when the Hawks needed composure. Even after letting a late lead slip and watching Maxey impose his will, the Hawks found poise in the second overtime when it mattered most.
The Sixers nearly stole the game despite playing their stars heavy minutes in Embiid’s first game back from a long absence due to right knee soreness. Philadelphia never led in the second overtime, and Johnson’s back-to-back threes finally pushed the night out of reach.
Atlanta won’t have long to enjoy the victory. The Hawks travel to Detroit to face the Pistons on Monday at Little Caesars Arena — their second meeting of the season, with another matchup to come on Dec. 12.