Jalen Johnson delivered a dominant all-around performance and a clutch bucket late as the Atlanta Hawks surged in the fourth quarter to edge the Memphis Grizzlies 124-122 on Wednesday night.
Johnson finished with 32 points and 15 rebounds, including a key basket in the lane with 40 seconds remaining that helped Atlanta hold off Memphis down the stretch. Luke Kennard and Onyeka Okongwu each added 18 points for the Hawks, who snapped a four-game losing streak.
The game featured 21 lead changes and 14 ties, staying tight throughout. Memphis held a 110-108 advantage with 5:39 left, but Atlanta responded with an 8-0 run, capped by a pair of free throws from Johnson, to seize control. The Grizzlies never regained the lead, though Cedric Coward’s 3-pointer with 1:09 remaining pulled Memphis within 122-121.
Ja Morant led the Grizzlies with 23 points and 12 assists, but his 3-point attempt at the buzzer fell short. Jaylen Wells scored 18 points, while Jaren Jackson Jr. and Coward added 17 apiece.
The contest was closely contested from the start, with 16 lead changes and 10 ties over the first three quarters. Memphis carried a slim 95-94 lead into the fourth, and neither team led by more than six points in the final period.
Kennard, facing his former team, provided an early spark for Atlanta by hitting his first six shots, including four from 3-point range. He scored 16 points in the first half as the Hawks led 66-59 at the break and extended their streak of games with at least 10 made 3-pointers to 37. Johnson also scored 16 points before halftime. Morant paced Memphis with 14 first-half points.
Up next:
Up next, the Hawks return home to host the Phoenix Suns on Friday night. The Grizzlies also play Friday, hosting the New Orleans Pelicans.
