The Atlanta Hawks took on the Miami Heat on February 20th, 2026, at State Farm Arena. Atlanta went to the game with a record of 27-30, off a win against the Philadelphia 76ers. It was a back-to-back for Atlanta, and they were looking to keep their playoff momentum going being that they’re the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference.
For Miami, they hadn’t played a game since early February, so being rusty off the All-Star Break could’ve been a hindrance. The Heat are in eighth place in the conference
and will need to do more to maintain their potential playoff spot.
Game Analysis
The game started with Miami going on a 7-0 run in the first quarter. Atlanta started to rally back, getting the score to 25-33 with the Heat leading at 8:53 in the second quarter. Atlanta started to rally back late in the second quarter, with Nickeil Alexander-Walker scoring a few threes and CJ McCollum making plays on the floor, increasing the Hawks’ score to 45, while Miami had 46 with 2:55 left in the second quarter.
Atlanta didn’t seem to get very many foul calls, particularly forward Jalen Johnson. There were a few times where Johnson could have been given a foul call, but they were missed.
In the second half it was more of the same. The game got away from the Hawks, with the Heat leading by 17 at point toward the end of the third quarter. Atlanta had a troubling fourth quarter again, with them being down by 28 on the tail end of the fourth.
McCollum and Alexander-Walker Big Game
Although the Hawks struggled overall in the game, CJ McCollum and Nickeil Alexander-Walker did well offensively. McCollum had 22 points, two rebounds, and an assist, while Alexander-Walker concluded the game with 20 points, three rebounds, and three assists. Alexander-Walker was able to make plays throughout the game, and McCollum ran the offense well, but it wasn’t enough. Jalen Johnson also had a triple-double, but the Hawks lost to the Heat, 128 to 97.
In the postgame press conference, we noted Jalen Johnson’s triple-double, and he emphasized that he didn’t care for it and that he played “terrible” and has to play better. We also asked Hawks guard CJ McCollum what he grades the backcourt’s performance, and he said it wasn’t an “A”, that they lost, and that they didn’t deserve to win this game.
This was a back-to-back for the Hawks, as they played the 76ers previously, but it appeared that they were a bit tired. Miami seemed to be more rested after the All-Star Break as this was their first game back.
