The San Antonio Spurs secured a 135-126 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday, holding off a late surge despite Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s career-high 38-point performance. Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox led the home team with 26 points, while Keldon Johnson contributed a season-high 25 points off the bench.
San Antonio controlled much of the game, building a 19-point lead in the second quarter. The Hawks briefly took the lead early in the fourth quarter on an Alexander-Walker layup, but the Spurs responded with a decisive 10-0 scoring run, including a dunk by Jeremy Sochan to push the score to 110-101.
The Spurs maintained their advantage as David Jones Garcia’s dunk extended the lead to 15 points with just over five minutes remaining. Although Atlanta cut the deficit to 11 after another Alexander-Walker basket, the Hawks were unable to close the gap further. This outcome marked San Antonio’s third consecutive win.
In addition to Fox and Johnson, Julian Champagnie scored 20 points for the Spurs, supported by Harrison Barnes’ 16 and Devin Vassell’s 15. Jones Garcia also chipped in 12 points to bolster the team’s balanced offense.
On the Hawks’ side, Alexander-Walker’s 38 points highlighted a strong individual effort. Jalen Johnson added 26 points and a team-high 12 rebounds. Kristaps Porzingis contributed 16 points, Onyeka Okongwu scored 15, and Luke Kennard finished with 10 points. Yet, Atlanta dropped its second straight game following a five-game winning streak.
The game’s momentum swung early as Atlanta led by eight points after the first quarter. The Spurs surged in the second quarter with a 24-7 run, featuring a layup by Jones Garcia that gave them a 54-41 lead. San Antonio sustained this pace, finishing halftime ahead 74-60 thanks to 68.2% shooting in the quarter.
Atlanta battled back in the third quarter, narrowing the deficit to nine and tying the game at 92 thanks to consecutive three-pointers by John Wallace. However, Champagnie’s timely three-pointer restored the Spurs’ lead at 95-92 entering the final period.
San Antonio’s ability to regain control late and capitalize on key runs proved decisive. The Hawks’ late efforts fell short despite stellar individual performances, exemplifying the Spurs’ resilience and team effort in a high-scoring encounter.
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