The Atlanta Hawks escaped with a 108–104 victory over an Indiana Pacers team with just six available players Monday, surviving a late rally behind Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s 34 points.
Alexander-Walker connected on nine of his 15 three-point attempts. CJ McCollum finished one rebound shy of a triple-double with 13 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds, while Onyeka Okongwu contributed 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Atlanta made 15 three-pointers before halftime, tying the franchise record for any half.
However, its hot shooting gave way to a stagnant offense after the break, allowing the depleted Pacers to fight their way back.
The Hawks were also missing key players, with Jalen Johnson sidelined by a left ankle sprain and Kingston Flemings serving a one-game suspension. Still, against an Indiana team operating with such limited personnel, Atlanta made the finish considerably harder than it needed to be.
The opening quarter offered little indication of those later struggles. Atlanta shot 60 percent from the field and 70 percent from three-point range, establishing an early offensive rhythm.
Rookie Zuby Ejiofor also made his regular-season debut, connecting from beyond the arc for his first NBA basket.
The Hawks maintained control through the second quarter, although Indiana showed the persistence that kept it competitive throughout the night. An 11–2 Pacers run cut the deficit to single digits, but Atlanta continued making perimeter shots to finish its record-tying half.
After halftime, those shots stopped falling as consistently. Atlanta led by as many as 15 points, but Indiana put together a 7–0 third-quarter run to help trim the deficit to five.
The Hawks’ ball movement stalled, leaving them with stagnant possessions against a more active Pacers defense. Indiana outscored Atlanta 23–19 in the quarter, setting up a competitive finish.
Atlanta continued leaving the door open in the fourth. Fouls gave the Pacers opportunities at the free-throw line, while a late 9–0 Indiana run made it a one-possession game.
The Hawks ultimately held on, but the result did little to erase concerns about their second-half execution. Alexander-Walker’s shooting and McCollum’s playmaking helped secure the victory, yet Atlanta struggled to sustain the offensive flow needed to put away its opponent.
Indiana deserves credit for its effort. Despite having only six players available, the Pacers continued competing, increased their defensive pressure and gave themselves a chance to win late.
For Atlanta, the victory was welcome, but the performance left plenty to address. A record-tying shooting half should have provided the foundation for a more controlled finish. Instead, the Hawks needed to survive a final push from a severely shorthanded opponent.
The Hawks next face the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, hoping to have Jalen Johnson and Jock Landale back in the lineup.
