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Inside the Atlanta Hawks 4-Game Win Streak

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The Atlanta Hawks have shocked a lot of people since Trae Young went down with a sprained MCL in his right knee. They own an 8-5 record, a four-game win streak, and sit fifth in the Eastern Conference, despite Young playing only five games. Three of the four wins came off the backs of incredible defensive performances. Career-best offensive games from Jalen Johnson, Onyeka Okongwu, and Vít Krejćí have also fueled the Hawks’ impressive run.

Inside the Atlanta Hawks’ 4-Game Win Streak

Defense Leads to Easy Offense

Before the Hawks’ most recent game against the Utah Jazz, they held the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, and Sacramento Kings under 103 points. They forced 16 turnovers per game across these three contests. Over the past four games, Atlanta ranks first in the association with a 104.7 defensive rating. This brings its season number to 111.0 – good for fifth in the NBA.

The Hawks started slowly on defense this season. Kristaps Porziņģis and Johnson’s communication on the backline looked rough over the first two weeks. If opposing guards broke the paint, they were often too late to help or leaning on each other to do so. However, their on-court chemistry has developed a lot more since Atlanta allowed a season-worst 86 points in the paint against the Toronto Raptors on opening night. Porziņģis only played two games during the win streak, due to resting back-to-backs, but registered five blocks against the Clippers and Kings. Those two teams only scored 42 and 44 points in the paint against Atlanta, respectively.

The Hawks’ perimeter defense improves without Young. Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Dyson Daniels lived up to the high defensive expectations they placed on themselves this past summer. Their ability to guard multiple positions, hound ball handlers, and block passing lanes gives Atlanta live-ball turnovers and more opportunities for outlet passes after tough perimeter shots.

Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) drives in against the Sacramento Kings during the first quarter at Golden 1 Center.
Nov 12, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) drives in against the Sacramento Kings during the first quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

Record-Setting Road Trip

The Hawks got off to a slow start against the Clippers on Nov. 10. They only scored 19 points in the first quarter and trailed by 10. While Atlanta eventually found a defensive rhythm, it needed an offensive spark.

Krejćí delivered just that in the second frame. He came off the bench shooting 4-6 from 3-point range for 14 points. The Hawks’ wing entered halftime with 17 points – just three shy of his career high. Krejćí shot 3-3 from beyond the arc in the second half to finish with a career-best 28 points on a mind-blowing 8-10 performance from downtown. Furthermore, he even banked in a 3-pointer with the shot clock winding down to help seal the victory. Krejćí continued his deadly marksmanship against the Kings and Jazz, shooting 17-23 from deep over his last three games.

Big Night In Utah

The Hawks’ win against the Jazz serves as the outlier in the win streak. Neither team got consistent stops throughout the contest. The Hawks made 24 3-pointers, falling one short of tying the franchise record. Utah cashed in 19 of its own, but it turned the ball over a whopping 24 times. The Hawks won by a final score of 132-122, led by Johnson and Okongwu.

Johnson put up a historic stat line of 31 points, 18 rebounds, 14 assists, and seven steals. No one in NBA history achieved this line before, and every one of those numbers set an impressive career high. Unquestionably, Johnson dominated every facet of the game, adding to his All-Star candidacy early in the season.

Porzingis missed this contest because it was the second night of a back-to-back, but Okongwu more than made up for the big man’s absence. The sixth pick in the 2020 NBA Draft dropped a career-high 32 points on 8-14 shooting from beyond the arc. Okongwu’s previous 3-point best was four. Jusuf Nurkić dared Atlanta’s center to shoot, and Okongwu certainly made Nurkić pay.

The Hawks aim for a five-game win streak in the final game of their West Coast road trip against the Phoenix Suns on Nov. 16.

Featured Image: Rob Gray-Imagn Images

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