The Atlanta Hawks are in the midst of a playoff race for the first time since 2017, and every game matters. If anything, though, Wednesday’s tilt against the Phoenix Suns took on a bit of heightened emphasis for the Hawks, with the visitors entering the night tied for the NBA’s best record. The opening half was back-and-forth in nature, but Atlanta pulled away with impressive two-way effort in the second half, riding a huge night from the team’s bench to a 135-103 victory.
The offenses were dominant in the opening minutes, with the Hawks and Suns combining for 34 points — on 15-of-20 shooting — in approximately five minutes.