The Atlanta Hawks continued their surge in the Eastern Conference playoff race Tuesday night, defeating the Dallas Mavericks 124-112 at State Farm Arena for their seventh consecutive victory.
Atlanta relied on balanced scoring and late-game shotmaking to secure the win, improving to 34-31 while maintaining the NBA’s longest active winning streak. The Mavericks dropped to 21-44 and extended their losing streak to eight games.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker led the Hawks with 29 points on 12-of-19 shooting, including 5-of-8 from three-point range. The guard sealed the game late by hitting two consecutive three-pointers in the final minutes after Dallas briefly tied the score in the fourth quarter.
Jalen Johnson added 27 points and eight assists while attacking the paint and pushing the pace in transition. Onyeka Okongwu recorded 18 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks, anchoring the interior defense and finishing efficiently near the rim.
Dyson Daniels delivered a two-way performance with 14 points, 10 assists and three steals. The defensive specialist also shadowed Dallas rookie Cooper Flagg for much of the night and reached 1,000 career field goals during the game.
Atlanta controlled most of the contest but faced pressure late. Khris Middleton tied the game at 97 with a step-back jumper with just over nine minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
The Hawks responded with improved execution on both ends of the floor. Ball movement created open perimeter shots while their defense forced contested attempts, allowing Atlanta to rebuild separation down the stretch.
Alexander-Walker’s back-to-back three-pointers ultimately broke Dallas’ momentum and secured the victory. The Hawks finished the night shooting 49-of-95 from the field (52 percent) and added 14 three-pointers.
Atlanta also held a slight rebounding edge, 45-43, while protecting the ball with only nine turnovers.
Dallas struggled to generate consistent offense despite several solid individual performances. Klay Thompson led the Mavericks with 21 points and hit five three-pointers.
Cooper Flagg finished with 14 points, 12 rebounds and five assists but shot 6-of-16 from the field while facing Daniels’ defensive pressure throughout the night.
Daniel Gafford also contributed a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Middleton scored 16 points off the bench.
The Mavericks have now lost 18 of their last 20 games as the franchise continues a rebuild centered on the 19-year-old Flagg.
Atlanta entered the night sitting ninth in the Eastern Conference standings, 2.5 games behind sixth-place Orlando for the final guaranteed playoff position. The Hawks hope their recent momentum can help them avoid a fifth straight appearance in the play-in tournament.
Six of Atlanta’s seven wins during the streak have come at home, lifting the team to a 16-16 record at State Farm Arena for the first time since late November.
Dallas will continue its road trip Thursday against Memphis, while Atlanta returns home to face the Brooklyn Nets.
