Jalen Johnson had 28 points and 13 rebounds and the Atlanta Hawks won their third straight with a 120-110 victory over the visiting Miami Heat on Saturday.
Johnson was 13-for-20 from the floor, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range, and had five assists and two blocked shots.
Johnson posted his fourth straight double-double and his 18th of the season. The fourth-year veteran extended his streak of double-figure scoring games to 27, the longest of his career and the longest active streak on the team.
Atlanta also got 26 points off the bench from De’Andre Hunter and 11 points and 15 assists from Trae Young.
Miami was led by Tyler Herro’s 28 points, seven rebounds and 10 assists and Bam Adebayo’s 17 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks.
The Heat pulled within 108-107 on a bucket by Adebayo at 3:28 before Atlanta reeled off nine unanswered points. Johnson finished the surge with a 3-pointer to make it a 10-point game with 1:08 left.
Miami got no closer than seven down the stretch in the first of four meetings this season between the Southeast Division squads.
Atlanta led 35-28 after the first quarter, with Garrison Mathews coming off the bench to score eight points. The Hawks maintained the lead in the second quarter and took a 61-58 lead into the break.
Atlanta led by as many as nine points in the third quarter and scored the final six points of the period – offsetting an 11-point quarter by Herro – to lead 93-83 entering the fourth.
The Heat played without veteran Jimmy Butler (illness) for the fourth straight game. The Hawks were without Bogdan Bogdanovic (left lower leg contusion) and Onyeka Okongwu (left knee soreness), as well as Dyson Daniels, the NBA’s leader in steals (3.1 per game), who had a non-COVID illness.
The Hawks begin a season-long six-game road trip that starts with the second half of a back-to-back on Sunday at Toronto. The Heat conclude a two-game road back-to-back with a visit to Houston on Sunday.
–Field Level Media
