Fresh off one of the most explosive back-to-back sets in franchise history, the Atlanta Hawks will enter Sunday’s matchup in Phoenix carrying both momentum and a sense of possibility — powered by Onyeka Okongwu and Jalen Johnson, who produced two of the NBA’s most staggering stat lines of the season.

The path to this moment began well before the Hawks arrived in Utah on Friday night. It started in April 2022, when Okongwu, then a second-year big whose range rarely extended beyond the paint, made a promise about the next step in his development.

“The next time you see me, I will have a jump shot,” Okongwu said then, leaning heavily on the word will as if willing his future into place.

For Johnson, the turning point came eight months ago as he recovered from shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum. He spoke then about the mental strain of early rehab and the urgency he felt to push forward.

“The first 24 hours after anything happening is super tough on you mentally,” Johnson said. “But then you’ve got to look at the bigger picture of things, and I understand that I can’t just dwell on the past anymore.”

Both journeys converged Friday in Salt Lake City.

With Atlanta playing its second game in less than 24 hours, Johnson delivered the first 31-point, 18-rebound, 14-assist, 7-steal game in NBA history. Okongwu added career highs with 32 points and eight 3-pointers, becoming just the third player — alongside LeBron James and James Harden — to record at least 30 points, 10 rebounds, two blocks, two steals and eight made threes in one outing.

Vit Krejčí scored 20 points, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 16 as the Hawks completed a 132–122 victory, their fourth straight — all against Western Conference opponents.

Johnson said Okongwu’s resilience played a decisive role after foul trouble threatened to stall Atlanta’s control of the game.

“He got in some foul trouble early,” Johnson said in a courtside interview with Matt Winer. “It could have been easy for him to just lose it mentally, but he stayed with it, and he came up huge down the stretch for us.”

Okongwu, in turn, praised Johnson’s work behind the scenes.

“He works so damn hard every day,” Okongwu said. “I love this guy. He deserves everything.”

Now the Hawks turn to the final stop of their trip — a Sunday meeting with the surging Phoenix Suns, who have won five in a row behind Devin Booker’s career-best efficiency and a fast-paced attack under first-year coach Jordan Ott. Phoenix will be without guard Grayson Allen, who is day-to-day after suffering a right quad contusion.

For Atlanta, the stakes stretch beyond the chance to complete a perfect Western Conference swing. Johnson has elevated his production to 22 points, 11 rebounds and 7.4 assists since Trae Young’s knee injury, while Okongwu’s expanded shooting range has reshaped the team’s spacing and late-game options.

After Friday’s win, Okongwu said the Hawks have no interest in slowing down with one more test ahead.

“We’re going to rest up,” he said, “and prepare to make it five in a row.”

Sunday’s game will answer whether the Hawks’ breakout stretch — fueled by growth, recovery and two ascending young stars — can carry them through one more time.