NBA: Jalen Johnson, Hawks edge Grizzlies to halt skid

Jalen Johnson delivered a standout performance with 32 points, 15 rebounds, and eight assists as the visiting Atlanta Hawks edged the Memphis Grizzlies, 124-122, on Wednesday night.

The win snapped Atlanta’s four-game losing streak and improved the Hawks’ road record to 14-12.

Ja Morant led Memphis with 23 points and 12 assists while adding a career-high three blocks, but his desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer missed the mark. The Grizzlies converted 24 of 27 free throws, though all three misses came in the final 30.7 seconds.

Onyeka Okongwu finished with 18 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks for Atlanta. Former Grizzlies guard Luke Kennard also scored 18 points, knocking down four of his five attempts from beyond the arc. CJ McCollum added 15 points, including a crucial 3-pointer with 1:23 remaining that gave the Hawks a 122-118 lead.

Memphis received 18 points from Jaylen Wells and 17 each from Cedric Coward and Jaren Jackson Jr. Jock Landale contributed 13 points and 11 rebounds. Playing their first game since completing a two-game international series against Orlando in Berlin and London, the Grizzlies suffered their eighth loss in 11 games and fell to 4-11 against Eastern Conference opponents.

The fourth quarter featured a tight back-and-forth battle with five lead changes in the opening seven minutes. Okongwu’s fourth 3-pointer of the game with 5:25 remaining put Atlanta ahead 111-110, and the Hawks held the lead the rest of the way.

After trailing by seven at halftime, Memphis opened the third quarter with a 13-4 run to take a 72-70 lead, with Coward scoring six points during the surge. The Grizzlies led for most of the quarter, highlighted by Wells’ 12-point effort.

Memphis jumped out to a 12-1 lead early, but Atlanta quickly responded and eventually built an 11-point advantage late in the second quarter. The Hawks took a 66-59 lead into halftime behind strong perimeter shooting, hitting 11 3-pointers in the first half, including four by Kennard.

— Field Level Media/Reuters