CJ McCollum scored 25 points as the surging Atlanta Hawks never trailed and pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 141-107 victory over the Brooklyn Nets Friday night in New York.
The Hawks (45-33) improved to 18-2 in their past 20 games and earned their third win over the Nets in this surge.
McCollum made 8 of 12 shots after being held to 23 total points on 10-of-30 shooting in his previous two games. He also handed out a team-high seven of Atlanta’s 37 assists.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 21 for the Hawks who led by double digits most of the way and for the entire second half after scoring the game’s first 10 points. Jalen Johnson contributed 18 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in the Hawks’ fourth straight win.
Onyeka Okongwu added 15 points and seven rebounds as the Hawks shot 56.7% and shot 50% (20 of 40) from 3-point range. Corey Kispert contributed 13 and Jonathan Kuminga chipped in 12 off Atlanta’s bench.
The Nets (18-59) moved within a half-game of the Washington Wizards for the league’s worst record. Coincidentally, Brooklyn hosts Washington on Sunday afternoon.
Nic Claxton led the Nets with 16 points, Malachi Smith added 15 and rookie Nolan Traore contributed 13. Noah Clowney scored 12 before getting ejected by referee Tyler Ford following a jump ball with 5:35 left in the third.
The Nets allowed their second-most points of the season and took their ninth loss by at least 30 points.
Brooklyn shot 49.4% and allowed 35 points off 20 turnovers.
After taking an 18-point lead late in the first on a 3 by Gabe Vincent, the Hawks let the lead slip to four early in the second but recovered in time to get a 71-55 lead by halftime.
Atlanta took a 98-85 lead into the fourth on a putback by Mouhamed Gueye with four seconds left. The Hawks finished it off in the opening minutes of the fourth when they scored eight straight points and took a 116-91 lead on a layup by Johnson with 7:55 left.
