ATLANTA (AP) — Onyeka Okongwu scored 25 points, CJ McCollum added 19 and the Atlanta Hawks rode a huge first quarter to an easy 135-101 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night.
Jonathan Kuminga had 20 points and seven rebounds off the bench for the Hawks (31-31), who reached .500 for the first time since Dec. 23. They have won four straight games by an average of 26.5 points and moved into ninth place in the Eastern Conference.
Kuminga played
his third game for the Hawks since being traded by Golden State. He is averaging 21.3 points and 7.7 rebounds with Atlanta after barely playing for the Warriors. He soared for a windmill dunk on a breakaway late in the fourth quarter that ignited the home crowd.
Atlanta shot 55% from the field, outrebounded Portland 54-38 and had 36 assists to 23 for the Blazers.
Jrue Holiday scored 23 points for Portland, which has lost its last two games. Donovan Clingan had 15 points, 15 rebounds and a team-high five assists.
The Hawks set their season high for points in a first quarter with 44. They shot 65% from the field and hit 13 of 15 free throws. Atlanta was ahead 44-25 after one and never let the lead fall below 15 the rest of the night.
The Blazers were without leading scorer and first-time All-Star Deni Avdija, who missed his fourth straight game to manage a lower back injury.
Trail Blazers: Visit Memphis on Wednesday.
Hawks: Visit Milwaukee on Wednesday.
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