Hawks rally past Lakers for seventh straight win
League-best Phoenix overcomes 12-point deficit to set back San Antonio
ATLANTA — Trae Young believes a defensive revival has the Atlanta Hawks back on track. That defense finally showed up in the final quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Young had 36 points and 12 assists, and the Hawks earned their seventh straight win by rallying to beat the Lakers 129-121 on Sunday.
The Hawks outscored Los Angeles 38-20 in the final period, when Young scored 13 points.
“If our mindset is right we get stops on the defensive end … I think we have a good chance of winning any night,” Young said.
Onyeka Okongwu scored 12 of his 16 points in the final period, when he helped hold Anthony Davis to five of his 27 points.
Malik Monk led Los Angeles with 33 points in the Lakers’ third consecutive loss, all without LeBron James.
James was not with the team due to continued swelling in his left knee. He returned to Los Angeles for treatment.
The Hawks (24-25) matched their longest win streak of the season by charging back after trailing 101-91 entering the fourth quarter. The Lakers scored a season-high 71 points in the first half while making 71.4% of their shots from the field, but they couldn’t continue the hot shooting in the final period.
SUNS 115, SPURS 110: In Phoenix, Devin Booker scored 28 points, Mikal Bridges added a season-high 26 and Phoenix overcame a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter to win its 10th straight game, beating San Antonio.
The NBA-leading Suns became the first team in the league with 40 wins — against only nine losses. The victory also assured that coach Monty Williams and the rest of the coaching staff will lead Team LeBron in the All-Star Game next month.
Booker hit back-to-back 3-pointers late in the fourth to turn a twopoint deficit into a 112-108 lead with 1:18 left. He finished 12 of 24 from the field.
TIMBERWOLVES 126, JAZZ 106: In Minneapolis, KarlAnthony Towns had 31 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, Jaden McDaniels scored a season-high 22 points off the bench and Minnesota routed short-handed Utah.
Towns scored 16 straight points as the Wolves pushed a four-point halftime lead to 17 entering the fourth quarter.
Utah, playing without Donovan Mitchell (concussion) and Rudy Gobert (left calf strain), suffered another setback when forward Joe Ingles left the game in the second quarter with a knee injury.
PISTONS 115, CAVALIERS 105: In Detroit, Saddiq Bey scored 31 points, Cade Cunningham had 19 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists and Detroit overcame a terrible start to beat Cleveland.
After Cleveland raced to a 15-0 lead, Detroit cut it to 55-49 at halftime, and finally took its first lead in the fourth quarter. Cunningham finished with the triple-double after failing to score in the first half.
Darius Garland had 24 points for Cleveland.
NUGGETS 136, BUCKS 100: In Milwaukee, Nikola Jokic had 18 points, 15 assists and nine rebounds to help Denver rout Milwaukee.
The reigning NBA MVP just missed his 13th triple-double of the season. He matched his season high for assists.
Aaron Gordon scored 24 points, Monte Morris had 18 and Will Barton 15 for the Nuggets.
Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 22 of his 29 points in the first half.
BULLS 130, TRAIL BLAZERS 116: In Chicago, Nikola Vucevic had 24 points and 14 rebounds, DeMar DeRozan added 23 points and 10 assists, and Chicago overcame a slow to start to beat Portland.
Zach LaVine had 20 points, and Ayo Dosunmu finished with 11 assists. Chicago has won three of four to improve to 31-18.
C.J. McCollum had 29 points for Portland. Norman Powell added 22, and Anfernee Simons had 21.
CLIPPERS 115, HORNETS 90: In Charlotte, N.C., Reggie Jackson and Brandon Boston Jr. each scored 19 points, helping Los Angeles beat Charlotte.
Marcus Morris Sr. scored 16 points for the Clippers. They are 4-3 on an eight-game trip.
MAGIC 110, MAVERICKS 108: In Orlando, Fla., Franz Wagner scored 18 points, including the tiebreaking layup with 54 seconds left, and Orlando overcame Luka Doncic’s seventh triple-double of the season to beat Dallas.
Chuma Okeke scored 19 points for Orlando..
Doncic finished with 34 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists.