The Atlanta Hawks dismantled the Charlotte Hornets 128-81 on Friday at Spectrum Center, improving to 2-0 to start the season. Jalen Johnson led all scorers with 19 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, while the Hawks shot 51% from the field and built a lead as large as 49 points in the Hawks vs Hornets 128-81 result.
Atlanta pulled away for good in the second quarter, when a 19-10 burst built around Aaron Wiggins and Nickeil Alexander-Walker turned a tight game into a rout. Naz Reid led Charlotte with 17 points on 7-of-16 shooting, but the Hornets shot just 34% from the field and turned the ball over 27 times, which Atlanta converted into 19 fast-break points.
Key Moments: How The Hawks Pulled Away
The game was tied at 7-7 early in the first quarter before Atlanta answered with an 11-2 run capped by a Jalen Johnson dunk and free throw that made it 12-9. CJ McCollum added a three-point play and a pair of triples to push the lead to 24-11, and the Hawks closed the opening period on a 9-4 spurt to take a 33-20 edge into the second.
Charlotte never got closer than two points for the rest of the night. Atlanta outscored the Hornets 35-23 in the second quarter, with Wiggins scoring 12 of his points in the frame and Alexander-Walker knocking down back-to-back threes. By halftime the Hawks led 68-40, and Charlotte’s largest lead of the entire game finished at just two points.
Top Performers
Johnson’s all-around line of 19 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists and 3 steals paced Atlanta, and he finished at plus-26. Onyeka Okongwu added 10 points and a plus-27 rating in 22 minutes, while Alexander-Walker scored 14 points and posted a game-high plus-43. McCollum chipped in 13 points, and Dyson Daniels recorded a double-double near miss with 11 points and nine rebounds to go with seven steals.
For Charlotte, Reid’s 17 points and 6 rebounds led the way, but he also committed 7 turnovers. Moussa Diabate grabbed a team-high 8 rebounds, and Sion James dished 5 assists. Brandon Miller struggled badly, shooting 2-of-14 from the field for six points and finishing at minus-37, the worst mark of any player in the game.
What It Means
Atlanta sits atop the Southeast Division standings at 2-0 with a two-game winning streak, while Charlotte fell to 1-1. The Hawks also lead the season series 1-0. The 47-point margin matched the scope of Atlanta’s dominance, with the Hawks outscoring the Hornets 54-34 in the paint and 19-6 on fast breaks while forcing 27 Charlotte turnovers against 13 of their own.
What’s Next
Both teams return to action with new opponents still to be finalized following this early-season stretch. Atlanta will look to carry its 2-0 start forward, while Charlotte looks to bounce back after its offense managed just 34% shooting in the loss.
Don't stop here
Every Score. Every Story. One Home.
Breaking sports, entertainment and news from across the Total Apex network, updated all day.
Get the Full Story →
