Soaring. Flying. Rising.
With 28 days until postseason hoops, the Hawks are playing their best ball.
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
Streaks Extended: NAW erupts for Hawks’ 10th straight W, Luka & Lakers notch six in a row
No. 2 Seeds Stay Hot: Brown bests Booker in 40-piece duel, Castle & Wemby lift Spurs in LA
Roundup: Kerr earns win No. 600, Blazers keep pace, Zion rolls, Buzelis sparks Bulls
Coast 2 Coast Tuesday: Jokić’s record tear meets Philly’s resolve, Cavs face Bucks seeking timely dub
Power Rankings Spotlight: OKC & Orlando climb ahead of tonight’s duel on League Pass
BUT FIRST … ⏰
NBC’s Coast 2 Coast Tuesday headlines another eight-game slate, as the Cavs visit the Bucks (8 ET | Tap to Watch), before the Nuggets host the Sixers (10 ET | Tap to Watch).
1. STREAKING: HAWKS SOAR PAST MAGIC, LUKA LIFTS LAKERS IN HOUSTON
For the first time in 11 years, the Hawks have won 10 straight games.
Hawks 124, Magic 112: Nickeil Alexander-Walker splashed nine 3s en route to a career-high 41 points, while Jalen Johnson posted a big triple-double (24 pts, 15 reb, 13 ast) as the Hawks raced past the Magic to extend their win streak while ending Orlando’s at seven games. | Recap
Can NAWt Miss: Alexander-Walker’s nine 3s were also a career-best as he joins Bogdan Bogdanović as the only Hawks to post 40+ pts and 9+ treys in a game
Letting It Fly: NAW is averaging 22.6 points while shooting 46.7% from 3 amid Atlanta’s 10-0 run. In that span, the Hawks rank 2nd in scoring (122.9 ppg)
Leading the Flock: At the heart of Atlanta’s attack is Johnson. A first-time All-Star, the 24-year-old isn’t just averaging career-highs across the board (23 pts, 10.4 reb, 8.1 ast) – he’s blossoming into one of the league’s premier playmakers.
All-Around Elite: Last night marked Johnson’s 13th triple-double this year, the most by a player under 25 since Luka Dončić in 2019
Superstar Company: Alongside Johnson, only one other player is averaging more than 20+ pts, 10+ reb & 7+ ast this season: Nikola Jokić
Also red-hot: Luka Dončić, LeBron James and the Lakers, who keep making winning plays when it matters most.
Lakers 100, Rockets 92: Dončić’s scoring tear continued, dropping a game-high 36 points along with 6 boards and 4 dimes, but the Lakers still trailed 88-86 with 5:52 left.
Then, their defense flipped a switch, holding Houston to 1-of-10 shooting the rest of the way while Dončić and James (18 pts, 5 reb, 5 ast, 1 poster) ignited a 15-2 run, leading Los Angeles past the Rockets for a sixth straight win. | Recap
The Surge: After Deandre Ayton gave L.A. the lead, Luka splashed a turnaround fadeaway, then found James, who hit Marcus Smart for a tic-tac-toe 3
The Slam: Ayton followed with back-to-back buckets to push the lead to eight, before LeBron hammered home an exclamation jam to ice it with 40 ticks left
The Stops: Los Angeles held Houston to 12 points in the 4th, improving its clutch record to an NBA-best 19-6. That includes two clutch wins during its 6-0 run
The Magic: Luka has six straight 30-pieces amid the streak, averaging 37.8 pts, 9.2 reb and 7.7 ast while shooting 40.2% from 3
“All that matters is that we got the win,” said Luka of his latest outburst. “We gotta keep this rolling.”
The Race: The Lakers now hold a 1.5-game lead over the Rockets for 3rd in the West, with Denver (5th) and Minnesota (6th) each a half-game back of Houston
2. NO. 2 SEEDS STAY HOT: BROWN OUTDUELS BOOK, SPURS TOP CLIPS
Only two teams have 25+ wins since Jan. 1: the Celtics and Spurs.
Both sit 2nd in their conference and are gaining ground on the top spot. And both kept rolling last night.
Celtics 120, Suns 112: Jaylen Brown (41 pts, 7 reb, 6 ast) and Devin Booker (40 pts, 6 ast, 15-24 FG) put on a show, trading buckets in a back-and-forth duel that Brown ended with a dagger – drilling a lead-extending pull-up with 1 minute left to lift the C’s past the Suns. | Recap
B&B Buckets: Brown & Booker each scored 19 in the 1st half, before Booker dropped 16 in the 3rd to keep Phoenix within striking distance
Suns Surge: In the 4th, Phoenix made its move, using a 21-9 run to go up two with 4:56 left
Celtics Answer: Boston responded with a 10-1 blitz, with all 10 points coming from Brown and Jayson Tatum (21 pts, 7 reb), capped by JB’s putaway pull-up
Used To This: Brown finished with 18 in the 4th for his sixth 40-ball of the season. Only Luka (11) and Anthony Edwards (10) have more
C’s Climbing: Boston is now 3.5 games back of Detroit for 1st in the East
Make that 18-2 in the Spurs’ last 20, and their first 50-win season since 2016-17.
Spurs 119, Clippers 115: With Kawhi Leonard out (ankle), Darius Garland stepped up (25 pts, 10 ast) as LA jumped out to a 17-3 lead. But it was all San Antonio from there, as the Spurs took control with a 37-15 2nd quarter and never looked back, improving to 50-18. | Recap
Shining: Stephon Castle (23 pts, 7 reb, 8 ast) and Victor Wembanyama (21 pts, 13 reb, 4 blk) led the way, while Devin Vassell scored 20
Scorching: San Antonio’s 18-2 record since Feb. 1 marks its best 20-game stretch in nine seasons, moving 3 games back of OKC for 1st in the West
Winning Both Ways: In that span, the Spurs own an NBA-best +12 point differential, leading the league in scoring (123.3) while ranking 5th in DefRtg
“All of us are chasing new heights, individually and collectively,” said Wemby postgame. “It’s a real pleasure to be a part of.”
3. ROUNDUP: KERR HITS 600, BLAZERS ROLL, ZION & BUZELIS SHINE
Warriors 125, Wizards 117: Kristaps Porziņģis scored 30 off the bench, while De’Anthony Melton added 27 (and 1 mean poster) as the Steph-less Warriors outpaced Trae Young (21 pts, 5 ast) and the Wizards to snap a five-game skid, securing Steve Kerr’s 600th career coaching win. | Recap
Legendary Pace: Of the 28 coaches to reach 600 wins, Kerr is the fourth fastest (943 games), trailing only Phil Jackson (805 games), Pat Riley (832) and Gregg Popovich (887)
Players’ Coach: The credit for his success? In typical Kerr fashion, he says it all belongs to his players and staff
Blazers 114, Nets 95: Deni Avdija (18 pts, 6 reb, 5 ast) and Toumani Camara (18 pts, 5 reb) led seven Blazers in double figures as Portland picked up a wire-to-wire win in Brooklyn, remaining a half-game back of Golden State for 9th in the West. | Recap
Pelicans 129, Mavericks 111: Zion Williamson owned the inside (27 pts, 11-13 FG), combining for 50 points with Saddiq Bey (23 pts, 6 reb) as the Pels soared past the Mavs, despite strong nights from Naji Marshall (32 pts, 8 reb, 7 ast) and Cooper Flagg (21 pts, 7 reb, 8 ast). | Recap
Bulls 132, Grizzlies 107: Matas Buzelis notched his fourth 20-piece in five games (29 pts, 7 reb, 5 3s), while Josh Giddey added a triple-double (16 pts, 15 reb, 13 ast), sparking a 71-point 2nd half as Chicago pulled past Memphis. | Recap
4. COAST 2 COAST TUESDAY: NUGGETS HOST SIXERS, CAVS VISIT BUCKS
First in rebounds per game. First in assists per game. Top-10 in scoring.
No player in NBA history has done all three in the same season. Nikola Jokić is on pace to change that.
And with 5th-place Denver in the heart of the wild West race – two games back of 3rd – the Joker has elevated his game, even for his Mile High standards.
Tonight (10 ET, NBC), he takes center stage on Coast 2 Coast Tuesday as the Nuggets host the Sixers in a crucial clash.
Run Of Aces: Jokić has tallied four straight triple-doubles, averaging 25.8 pts, 15.5 reb and 13 ast amid the streak
Rare Tear: Only two other players have ever matched those numbers across four games: Wilt Chamberlain (twice in 1968) and Oscar Robertson (1965)
The numbers are historic. But they only hint at Jokić’s full impact – subtly shaping every aspect of the game to fuel Denver’s league-best offense (120.7 ppg).
Efficient Buckets: Jokić ranks 5th in ppg (28.6) while shooting 57.3%. No other scorer in the top-30 (min. 40 GP) is shooting over 55%
Effective Boards: Three of Jokić’s NBA-best 12.7 rpg are offensive rebounds, leading to 4.8 2nd chance ppg – the most in the league
Elite Facilitating: Jokić is one of six players with 500+ touches this season, yet ranks just 22nd in usage rate
Why? Because he doesn’t need the ball to produce points, leading the league in passes (72.6) and assists points created per game (27.1)
“[He’s] the ultimate positionless center,” said Nuggets coach David Adelman of Jokić in February. “It’s absolutely unbelievable what he’s done.”
Flipped Script: The last time Denver faced Philly (Jan. 5), the Nuggets were without Jokić, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon and others, but pulled out a last-second OT win behind their second unit.
Now it’s the Sixers leaning on depth as they push for a Playoff spot without their top two scorers, Tyrese Maxey (29) and Joel Embiid (26.6), along with Paul George (16). That trio has combined for 71.6 ppg.
Answering The Bell: After learning they’d be without Maxey (finger) for 3+ weeks last Tuesday, Philly has gone 3-1, sitting just 1.5 games back of 6th
The Spark: Quentin Grimes has led the way with 24 ppg over that span, while rookie VJ Edgecombe has shined on both ends (16.3 ppg, 6.5 reb, 3.8 ast)
“Next man up mentality,” said Grimes on the run. “Just gotta keep stacking these wins.”
Four games ahead of 8th-place Philly sits 4th-place Cleveland, another team navigating the crowded East.
Tonight (8 ET, NBC), the Cavs open Coast 2 Coast Tuesday against Milwaukee.
Where They Stand: After an 8-1 surge to open February, Cleveland has cooled, going 4-5 to slip 2.5 games back of 3rd-place New York
Where It Turned: That stretch began with a loss to Milwaukee, where Kevin Porter Jr. (20) and Ryan Rollins (18) combined for 38 in the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is questionable tonight
Missing Pieces: Cleveland was also shorthanded in that matchup without Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, a duo combining for 45.3 ppg since Harden entered the lineup
The Difference-Maker: When available, Mitchell has thrived against Milwaukee this season, averaging 30.5 pts on 54.8% shooting in two wins.
It’s a recipe the Cavs hope to lean on again tonight, as they’re 21-9 when Mitchell scores 30+ points this season.
5. POWER RANKINGS SPOTLIGHT: OKC & ORLANDO RISE BEFORE TONIGHT’S CLASH
With exactly one month until the SoFi Play-In Tournament, OKC and Orlando are climbing up John Schuhmann’s Power Rankings.
Riding an eight-game win streak, the Thunder have reclaimed Schuhmann’s top spot, while the Magic continue to climb behind their 7-1 surge.
Tonight on League Pass (7 ET), the two squads collide in a showdown between two of the league’s hottest teams – and two of its hottest units, writes Schuhmann:
The Thunder are a league-best 11-1 since the All-Star break, with six of those 11 wins having come within the top 10 … they’ve allowed just 106 points per 100 (2nd) since the All-Star break, even though six of their 12 post-break games have come against top-10 offenses.
The Magic had the league’s 3rd-ranked offense (122.4 OffRtg) over their seven-game winning streak (now T-5th amid their 7-1 run).
… Their top four scorers during the streak – Paolo Banchero, Desmond Bane, Jalen Suggs and Tristan da Silva – combined to shoot 65% in the paint and 21-for-39 (54%) from mid-range over the seven games. | Read More
Right behind the Thunder in Schuhmann’s latest rankings sit Victor Wembanyama and the surging Spurs, looking to gain ground on OKC for the West’s top spot.
Tonight on League Pass, San Antonio visits Sacramento (10 ET), while the Wolves host the Suns in a West duel (8 ET), along with three more matchups.
Pistons at Wizards (7 ET)
Heat at Hornets (7 ET)
Pacers at Knicks (7:30 ET)
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