The Phoenix Suns (8-5) welcomed the Atlanta Hawks (8-5) on Sunday at Mortgage Matchup Center.
The Hawks entered the game with a four-game winning streak and sat fourth in the Eastern Conference.
“Ability to play with the basketball,” Suns head coach Jordan Ott said regarding Atlanta’s playstyle. “Shooting piece has gotten better. Their movement offensively puts them in different spots. They get the ball at the nail, they’ll get the ball at the top of the key, and they’ll get a ball on a screen. Makes you pick and choose exactly what you want to take away so that’s the challenge tonight.”
While the Hawks had momentum, the Suns had more.
The Suns had won seven out of their last eight games after a poor start, entering the game with a five-game winning streak, sitting sixth in the Western Conference.
Both teams were missing key players, with the Hawks being without star point guard Trae Young (knee), and center Kristaps Porzingis was on Game-Time Decision, also with a knee injury.
“Without their true point guard, we’re going to have to find a way to get some extra possession,” Ott told reporters before the game.
As for the Suns, they were without new guard Jalen Green (hamstring) for at least a month, and Grayson Allen (quadriceps) was also out.
“It’s just a swelling,” Ott said regarding Allen’s injury. “Kind of regulating the swelling. I would still say (Allen’s injury is) day-to-day, and hopeful that the swelling goes away, and then he’s able to get back out there.”
Allen had dropped 42 points in a recent win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
The big name for Atlanta was power forward Jalen Johnson, who had not only averaged 21.5 points per game and 9.5 rebounds per game, but almost achieved a quadruple double against the Utah Jazz; a feat only achieved four times in the NBA’s history.
“Size, force, speed,” Ott said regarding Johnson.
“Him as a ball handler is different. That guy, that size with that much force, it’ll make a really good challenge tonight.”
However, Johnson fell short of getting a quadruple-double after scoring 31 points, 18 rebounds, 14 assists, and seven steals.
As for the Suns, they had new small forward Dillon Brooks averaging 20.3 PPG, and star player Devin Booker averaging 28.5 PPG.
Brooks and Green had both come to Phoenix after the Suns traded Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets in the NBA’s first ever seven team trade.
This game also meant something for Ott, who began his NBA career with the Atlanta Hawks as a video coordinator, and being on the same staff as current Hawks head coach Quin Snyder when he started.
“Incredible mind,” Ott said regarding Snyder. “Always prepared, always thinking. He’s so smart and intelligent. Obviously, he had been a head coach before. Just a mastermind in general.”
Despite Atlanta’s solid roster, Porzingis was ruled out before the game began, giving Phoenix a bit of wiggle room at the center spot.
At the end of the first quarter, Atlanta led 25-21.
Despite the scoreline, the game didn’t feel close, as Phoenix had shot 8-for-26 overall, including an abysmal 1-for-12 from beyond the arc.
As for the Hawks, their problem was the inability to capitalize from Phoenix’s mistakes.
Despite having 12 points, Booker had struggled, shooting 4-for-9, and had missed all four attempts when shooting for three.
With three quarters to play though, there was still time to turn things around.
Midway through the second quarter, the Hawks went on a 12-2 run, giving Atlanta a 50-37 lead over the Suns.
Phoenix wasn’t fazed, as they went on a 10-0 run to try and keep the game close.
Nearing the end of the half, Brooks ran straight into Atlanta’s Dayson Daniels and scored. The refs ruled a foul in favor of Brooks.
Atlanta challenged the foul to try and overturn a three-point play, but the challenge was deemed unsuccessful by the referees.
In the final seconds of the half, Brooks was fouled by Johnson, and the referees reviewed the play for a possible flagrant foul on Johnson.
After the review, it was deemed a flagrant foul, sending Brooks to the free-throw line.
Entering the second half, Phoenix led by one.
It was anyone’s game.
The Hawks were moving the ball around and well.
It showed in the way they distributed scoring as Johnson had 13 points, Onyeka Okongwu had 11 points, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker had 10 points.
Brooks had 14 points entering the second half, but his motor was the heart of the defensive side of the ball, and it showed in the way the Suns played with him on the court versus when he wasn’t.
Collin Gillespie stepped up for the Suns, grabbing 11 points despite being a role-player.
Near the end of the quarter, Phoenix went on a 14-0 run.
Entering the fourth quarter, the Suns were winning, and comfortably, with a 95-77 lead.
Phoenix found their rhythm, and played with confidence.
Booker had been shut down by Atlanta, having scored only two points after the first quarter, but that came at a cost, with Brooks going off for 30 points, going 12-for-22.
Midway through the fourth quarter, after a breakaway, Atlanta’s Zaccharie Risacher scored a dunk, but flipped as he let go of the rim.
The Suns tried to transition, but play was stopped, and the Hawks surrounded their teammate.
Even the fans let out an audible groan when he landed, and soon after he got up, he was given an applause.
A technical foul was given to Brooks, and Risacher was subbed off.
Risacher ended the night with 15 points, four assists and three rebounds.
Phoenix looked to have the game wrapped up, but midway through the fourth; Atlanta went on a 19-0 run, including Risacher’s dunk.
“Overall, in the fourth, we lost our way,” Ott said. “We turned it over a couple of times. At that point you just got to regain composure, execute a little bit offensively and get one stop.”
With 5:36 left to play, Phoenix went from being up by as much as 22, to being up by six.
The teams traded bucket after bucket but with 23.3 seconds left, Atlanta got a foul up by one. The Suns challenged the ruling of the foul, but it was unsuccessful.
“It was close,” Ott said regarding the challenge. “And we had possession afterwards so, we thought it was close. We have a process for it all. It was a risk we were willing to take that time.”
Johnson went to the line to shoot two to try and make it a three-point lead for Atlanta. He made both, and the Suns made a quick two to make it 121-120 Atlanta.
The teams traded fouls, as Atlanta looked to milk out the clock.
After many fouls, Alexander-Walker went to the line. He made the first but missed the second on purpose with 3.1 seconds left.
With no timeouts left, Royce O’Neale of the Suns chucked it up from mid-court, but barely missed, as Atlanta won 124-122.
The Hawks saw Alexander-Walker, Johnson, and Okongwu all score 25 or more points, with Johnson getting a double-double after getting 10 rebounds.
For the Suns, Booker ended up with 27 points, with Brooks having 34, while Gillespie quietly had a great game, with 15 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists.
“It’s part of Dillon Brooks, it’s why we love him,” Ott said regarding Brooks’ game and personality on the court. “His energy, especially here at home. He’s extremely competitive; we feel it. This isn’t his first year. He knows exactly what he’s doing. It’s new for all of us. We need that energy.”
The Suns drop to 8-6, while Atlanta jumps to 9-5 and extends their winning streak to five in a row, while snapping Phoenix’s win streak.
The Suns visit the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center on Tuesday.
