Hawks Beat Jazz; Suns, Raptors Win in High-Scoring Matches

The Atlanta Hawks claimed a 132-122 win over the Utah Jazz on Thursday in Salt Lake City. Onyeka Okongwu scored a career-high 32 points while Jalen Johnson added 31 points, marking his career-best in scoring. This victory marked Atlanta’s sixth road win of the season, maintaining their position as the Eastern Conference leader in away games.

Jalen Johnson’s performance was historic as he recorded his third career triple-double. Johnson tallied 18 rebounds, 14 assists, and seven steals along with his 31 points. Onyeka Okongwu supported the effort with 11 rebounds. Vit Krejci came off the bench to hit six 3-pointers, scoring 20 points. The Hawks’ sharp-shooting helped them sink 24 3-pointers and maintain a 51.1% success rate from long range.

Despite the loss, Utah’s Lauri Markkanen led the team with 40 points. Rookie Ace Bailey scored a career-high 21 points, and Keyonte George contributed 19 points. The Jazz have struggled recently, losing four of their past five games. The team showed determination but could not counter the Hawks’ scoring depth.

In another NBA matchup, the Phoenix Suns routed the Indiana Pacers 133-98. Devin Booker led the charge, scoring 33 points with 16 points in the third quarter alone. Dillon Brooks added 32 points, scoring 24 in the first half. The Suns’ Oso Ighodaro contributed a career-high 17 points and seven rebounds. Grayson Allen scored 12 points but exited in the second quarter due to a quad injury.

The Pacers were unable to keep pace with Phoenix’s aggressive scoring. Andrew Nembhard scored 21 points and provided eight assists while Pascal Siakam added 19 points. Aaron Nesmith left the game in the third quarter due to knee soreness. Indiana has now lost six consecutive games, highlighting ongoing struggles for the team.

The Toronto Raptors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 126-113 in another Eastern Conference matchup. Scottie Barnes starred with 28 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, and five blocked shots. Immanuel Quickley scored 25 points while Jakob Poeltl added 20 points. The Raptors have now improved to 6-1 since their previous win in Cleveland on October 31 and stand two games above .500 for the season.

Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell led the team with 31 points, making 15 of 17 free throws. Nae’Qwan Tomlin added 18 points, and De’Andre Hunter scored 16. Despite these efforts, the Cavaliers lost for the second time in seven games, struggling to match Toronto’s offensive depth and balanced scoring.

The Hawks continue to assert themselves in the Eastern Conference, while the Suns maintain momentum with five straight wins. The Raptors show strong form on the road, and teams like Utah and Cleveland will look to regroup after recent losses. Individual performances from Okongwu, Johnson, Markkanen, and Booker highlight emerging stars shaping the current NBA season.