The Atlanta Hawks won their second consecutive game at State Farm Arena, staging a furious fourth-quarter comeback to defeat the Chicago Bulls by a score of 141-133 on Thursday night.
It was the second consecutive game in which the Hawks had triumphed due to a strong fourth-quarter performance. The Hawks seemingly had no answer for Chicago’s Jevon Carter all night, as he finished with 26 points, shooting 7-of-11 from downtown. Trailing by 11 after the first half, the situation looked dire for the Hawks entering the fourth quarter. Chicago shot a miraculous 61 percent from the field in the third quarter, thanks primarily to 22 points from Zach LaVine alone, extending the Bulls’ lead to 17 entering the final frame and maintaining a commanding 19-point lead with just over six minutes remaining.
However, timely baskets by Trae Young and Dyson Daniels, along with a strong defensive effort by Clint Capela, cut the Bulls’ lead to eight with four minutes remaining. Then, LaVine initiated a clear-path foul on Young, which awarded the Hawks two free throws and possession of the ball.
As Young successfully converted both free throws, it was evident that the momentum had shifted in favor of the Hawks. Daniels, Jalen Johnson, and De’Andre Hunter all came up with timely steals, and Johnson’s dunk with 2:45 remaining gave Atlanta a lead they would not relinquish. Johnson finished the night with 30 points for the first time in his career and added 15 rebounds, making a compelling case for his first career All-Star Game selection.
When asked about his impact on the team, Johnson explained that his main incentive is to “do literally whatever it takes to help my team win” and to “be a positive impact somehow, some way.”
2024 first-overall pick Zaccarie Risacher also finished the night with 16 points and five rebounds, along with an outstanding hustle play in the third quarter—Risacher dove after a loose ball, which led to a Daniels layup on the other end.
Hawks head coach Quin Snyder praised the passion and energy the young rookie brings to the team.
“On plays like that, you saw his passion and his competitiveness,” Snyder explained.
If Risacher can contribute consistently, he could potentially serve as another cornerstone of Atlanta’s young core.
Atlanta’s comeback win capped off a fourth quarter in which the Hawks outscored Chicago 50-25, converting 17 out of 19 free throw attempts and committing zero turnovers. They will look to win their third straight game and remain undefeated during the ongoing home stretch as they welcome the Miami Heat to town this Saturday afternoon.