Atlanta Hawks head coach Quin Snyder celebrated a milestone on Saturday night, earning his 500th career victory after his team defeated the Sacramento Kings 123-113 at State Farm Arena.
“It was special to, you know, there’s when you’ve been in this league for a while, you realize that, you know, coaches, they keep your record, but it’s really the players and the other people that allow for that to happen,” Snyder said.
The game saw standout performances from Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jalen Johnson. Snyder praised their execution and unselfish play, noting, “Both those guys have their confidence really high. You know, as far as making a play, whether it’s a shot or they find each other. I think that’s the best part about it.”
Jock Landale also contributed with 19 points and 13 rebounds, giving Atlanta added strength on the boards in the absence of injured teammates. Snyder commented on the team’s resilience despite multiple absences: “We’ve been gritty, you know, and I think they came out really strong in the early part of the game. And we didn’t do a good job on the defensive glass. And second chance points were, I think, hurting us. And as we started to defend better, you could feel some of our energy rising.”
Snyder acknowledged the efforts of individual players while highlighting the team’s growing cohesion. “But with Onyeka out, his physicality particularly on the glass we’re getting. I think our team’s becoming more proficient at finding him too. He does such a good job sealing. We have a lot of confidence in him. The way that he plays gives our team a lift.”
Alexander-Walker led the Hawks with 27 points, shooting 8 of 12 from three-point range in the fourth quarter, while Johnson added 26 points and 10 assists. Landale’s double-double was his first since joining Atlanta on February 5. Atlanta overcame Sacramento’s late surge, which tied the game at 97 with just under eight minutes left, by finishing on a 26-16 run fueled by 18 points from beyond the arc.
Snyder also reflected on the personal significance of reaching 500 wins. “I’ve been really lucky to be able to coach some, not just really good players, but just really quality people. That makes it fun… I’m grateful for my family, my wife Amy in particular, who supported me through that. It’s nice to beat the Kings and to take a breath and appreciate that.”
The Hawks improved to 42-33, marking their 15th win in 17 games, while the Kings fell to 19-56. Atlanta will host the Boston Celtics on Monday, and Sacramento heads to Brooklyn on Sunday.
