The Atlanta Hawks were in Chicago on Monday evening to face the Bulls as they start their four-game road trip. Coming off a loss against the defending champs, the Hawks are looking to get back on track this week, and they should be able to as they were fully healthy coming into the game, with Zaccharie Risacher, Jalen Johnson, and Kristaps Porzingis back in the lineup.
Porzingis let his presence be known early, getting on the board with a dunk and then a 3-pointer. It didn’t stop there, as he knocked
down another 3-pointer and had eight early points.
Risacher got in on the fun after missing the past few games, and had an easy flush on an outlet pass from Trae Young.
Johnson, another returnee to the lineup, got this and-one to go in the quarter to extend the Hawks’ lead.
The Hawks continued to flow throughout the quarter on offense, while also defending the Bulls well on the other end. The second unit came in and made an impact, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker knocked down a 3-pointer.
Going into the second quarter, the Hawks led 35-27. They continued to keep the pressure on the Bulls, despite them making a small run early. The Hawks buckled down on defense, and Risacher led the way with this good possession, guarding Matas Buzelis.
Johnson followed it up with a steal, and getting out for an easy flush on the other end.
Young and Johnson connected on an easy pick-and-roll layup later in the quarter.
Johnson got another easy paint look after Dyson Daniels got a steal. Porzingis got the ball out to Young, and the rest is history.
Though the Hawks were flowing on offense, the Bulls came back fighting toward the end of the first half, going on a 16-6 run to cut their deficit down 58-57 going into halftime.
The Bulls took the lead to start the second half, and the Hawks went back and forth with them throughout the quarter. Down the stretch of the third quarter, the Bulls kept scoring while the Hawks went through a cold spell, and they went up as much as 11 points.
Young got the Hawks back going late in the quarter, making plays for others and getting his own. He got Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard easy 3-pointers.
Young then got to his bread and butter.
Going into the fourth, the Hawks trailed 98-92. It was still the Trae Young show, and he found Okongwu for an easy shot in the paint. Then found him again minutes later.
The Hawks turned it up on defense and started to string along a few stops, while also executing and knocking down shots on offense. Okongwu got an above the break 3-pointer to go and gave the Hawks a six-point lead.
That lead didn’t last for long, and the Bulls went on a 7-0 run to take it back. The frontcourt passing was big down the stretch of the game, with Porzingis and Johnson finding each other several times in the paint.
The Hawks found themselves down three points with less than a minute left, and Alexander-Walker knocked down a 3 to cut their deficit. The Hawks got the stop, but Daniels missed an easy layup to cut their deficit to one. The Bulls came down and missed their first attempt, but Josh Giddey got his own rebound, and the Hawks had to foul. Giddey knocked down both free throws and gave the Bulls a five-point lead with seven seconds left.
Young then missed the 3-pointer, and the Hawks walked out of Chicago with a loss.
Porzingis finished with 27 points, Johnson finished with 25 points, six rebounds, and three assists, and Young finished with 21 points and 17 assists.
The Hawks will be back in action on Wednesday against the Brooklyn Nets.
