Johnson scores 30 as Hawks rally past Nets 124-121

Jalen Johnson scored 30 points and the Atlanta Hawks closed on a 10-0 run to beat the Brooklyn Nets 124-121 on Saturday, November 7, after trailing by 17 in the first quarter.

Johnson made 11 of 17 shots. The Hawks (7-4), favored before tip-off, trailed 106-101 with five minutes left and outscored Brooklyn 23-15 the rest of the way.

Atlanta's 10 straight points put it ahead 120-114 with 38.5 seconds left. The lead changed hands only once all night.

Brooklyn (2-7) controlled the start, scoring 37 points in the first quarter and leading 31-14 late in the period. Atlanta scored 39 in the second, including a 10-0 run that cut the deficit to 68-66.

Brooklyn pulled away again in the third quarter, holding Atlanta to 22 points, but the Hawks scored 36 in the fourth to take the game.

Day'Ron Sharpe had a triple-double for Brooklyn with 12 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists, well above his season averages of 7.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists.

Michael Porter Jr. led the Nets with 25 points and nine rebounds but made three of 11 3-pointers.

The Nets' effective field goal percentage of 56.2 was better than Atlanta's, but they turned the ball over 22 times to the Hawks' 12. That gap gave Atlanta the extra possessions in a game it shot worse.

Aaron Wiggins scored 20 points off the bench for Atlanta and made five of 13 3-pointers. Onyeka Okongwu added 16 points and four of the Hawks' 10 blocks.

Free throws by Okongwu and Wiggins pushed the lead to 123-116. Porter made two free throws, and Danny Wolf's 3-pointer with 1.5 seconds left cut it to 123-121, before Okongwu made a free throw with 0.2 seconds left for the final margin.

Up next

Nets: at the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday, November 8.

Hawks: home against the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, November 9.