It was another game that came down the stretch for the Atlanta Hawks, and they were able to get the win once again against the Indiana Pacers, 120-118. In their last game, the Hawks went on an offensive surge late to pull away from the Pacers, but in this game, it came down to the extra possessions, and that’s where Onyeka Okongwu made his bread in the final minutes.
Okongwu grabbed five offensive rebounds in the fourth quarter, and two in the clutch that helped the Hawks burn more time on the clock with the lead in their hands. It was another double-double performance for Okongwu, as he finished with 16 points and 16 rebounds.
“I think the best player we had in the clutch was Onyeka,” head coach Quin Snyder said after the game. “He got every rebound; he made every play. Sometimes those plays aren’t as noticeable as someone making a bucket.”
“I’m always trying to crash the glass, trying to keep the plays alive, get as many possessions as possible, and I was able to do a little bit of that tonight,” Okongwu said.
Caris LeVert was another player down the stretch who made big plays for the Hawks and is finding his rhythm with the team as he’s scored 20 or more points in four of the last five games. Tonight he finished with 26, with nine of them coming in the fourth quarter.
“Really doing whatever it takes to win whether that be defensively blocking a shot, rebound, getting a loose ball, making a big shot,” LeVert said. “I’m just not scared of those moments, and I’ve been in a lot of them. I think I really relish in those moments for sure.”
“Caris has the ability to create his own shot, and I think one of the things that he’s been doing a real good job of is he’s creating an opportunity and finding other people as well,” Snyder said.
Hawks win another game down the stretch vs. Pacers
The Hawks had a strong first half going into the third quarter leading 69-52. The Pacers caught a groove throughout the third and cut their deficit, and the Hawks held their breath for a moment as Trae Young went down with a left hip contusion and left the game for the remainder of the quarter.
He was able to return and finish the game, also adding some clutch buckets down the stretch to help the Hawks get the win.
“I got kneed,” Young said. “It’s frustrating, man. It’s one basketball out there and three guys just looking at the basketball. You can’t stay in front of me without fouling full-court 1-on-1. Obvious play, another turnover for me, it’s all good we won.”
Young was on a heater for all of the first half with 26 points, knocking down three-pointers, getting to his mid-range shot, and making plays in the paint. It was quiet for him in the third, but he came back in the fourth and scored 10 points in the quarter.
With the win, the Hawks have now won two games in a row and are 7th in the Eastern Conference. It looks like they’re starting to truly find a rhythm, and it’s coming at the right time in the season.
“Caris had an unbelievable game again, everybody was playing aggressive,” Young said. “Onyeka was rebounding, playing defense, getting buckets on the other end. It was good to see Dyson do what he does, defensive player of the year. It was great, everybody contributed to the win tonight.”
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