The Atlanta Hawks were back at State Farm Arena for the season opener against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night.
Atlanta won the game 120-116 behind 30 points from Trae Young, 28 points from backup center Onyeka Okongwu, and 15 points from former New Orleans Pelican forward Dyson Daniels. The Hawks had their highest scoring quarter (37 points) when it counted the most: during the fourth quarter.
Atlanta got off to a strong start, pulling ahead by nine points early in the first quarter before the Nets tied the game at 15 at the 4:51 mark. Okongwu led the way during the first half with 14 points and five rebounds. Okongwu scored several of his points on huge put-back dunks that brought the crowd to its feet.
Though he had nine points during the first half, Young began the game 2-6 from the field. Nets forward Ben Simmons, who often had his best games against the Hawks early in his career as a Philadelphia 76er, nearly had a triple-double at halftime with 6 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. The Nets managed to go into halftime with a 55-51 lead.
Atlanta will host the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night. The Hornets opened the season with a 110-105 victory over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.
News and Notes:
Gucci Mane performed at halftime.
Hawks rookie and the league’s overall number one pick in this summer’s draft Zaccharie Risacher scored the first basket of his career on a three-pointer late in the first quarter.
Wednesday was the first regular season game as a Nets assistant coach for Juwon Howard, the former head men’s basketball coach at the Univeristy of Michigan.
