In a game that came down to the wire, the Atlanta Hawks emerged victorious over the Indiana Pacers, thanks in large part to Nickeil Alexander-Walker's impressive 34-point performance.
Final: Atlanta Hawks 108, Indiana Pacers 104.
Hawks Prove Dominant Force Over Pacers in Thrilling Win
I was blown away by the Hawks' ability to outlast the Pacers in this thrilling matchup. The final score was a close 108-104 victory for the Hawks, and it's clear that they were the superior team from start to finish.
By the Numbers: Atlanta Hawks at Indiana Pacers
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Hawks | 37 | 31 | 19 | 21 | 108 |
| Indiana Pacers | 29 | 27 | 23 | 25 | 104 |
Points by quarter
| Player | Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickeil Alexander-Walker | Atlanta Hawks | 10 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 34 |
| Jay Huff | Indiana Pacers | 8 | 9 | – | 5 | 22 |
| Quenton Jackson | Indiana Pacers | 7 | 3 | – | 10 | 20 |
| Braden Smith | Indiana Pacers | 5 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 19 |
| Kobe Brown | Indiana Pacers | 2 | 10 | – | 4 | 16 |
| Jarace Walker | Indiana Pacers | 4 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 15 |
| Luguentz Dort | Atlanta Hawks | 2 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 14 |
| Corey Kispert | Atlanta Hawks | 3 | 9 | 2 | – | 14 |
Top 5 by points
| # | Player | Team | Points | Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nickeil Alexander-Walker | Atlanta Hawks | 34 | 34 pts · 4 reb · 4 ast · FG 12-25 · 31 min |
| 2 | Jay Huff | Indiana Pacers | 22 | 22 pts · 8 reb · 2 ast · FG 8-14 · 40 min |
| 3 | Quenton Jackson | Indiana Pacers | 20 | 20 pts · 7 reb · 3 ast · FG 7-16 · 35 min |
| 4 | Braden Smith | Indiana Pacers | 19 | 19 pts · 4 reb · 10 ast · FG 8-13 · 42 min |
| 5 | Kobe Brown | Indiana Pacers | 16 | 16 pts · 6 reb · 1 ast · FG 6-11 · 38 min |
Best on the night
- Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Atlanta Hawks): 34 pts · 4 reb · 4 ast · FG 12-25 · 31 min
- Braden Smith (Indiana Pacers): 19 pts · 4 reb · 10 ast · FG 8-13 · 42 min
- Jay Huff (Indiana Pacers): 22 pts · 8 reb · 2 ast · FG 8-14 · 40 min
Rough night
- Asa Newell (Atlanta Hawks): 0 pts on FG 0-1, 2 turnovers, 3 fouls in 17 min
- Zuby Ejiofor (Atlanta Hawks): 3 pts on FG 1-4, 1 turnovers, 1 fouls in 15 min
- Aaron Wiggins (Atlanta Hawks): 7 pts on FG 3-12, 2 turnovers, 2 fouls in 24 min
Fouls
Team fouls: Atlanta Hawks 23 · Indiana Pacers 14. Foul trouble: Luguentz Dort (Atlanta Hawks, 5).
Injuries and absences
- Jock Landale (Atlanta Hawks) — Out: Landale (hip) has been ruled out for Monday's game against Indiana.
- Mouhamed Gueye (Atlanta Hawks) — Out: Gueye underwent surgery Tuesday to repair a fractured left foot that he suffered during a workout last week, Brad Rowland of the Locked On Podcast Network repor
- Henri Veesaar (Atlanta Hawks) — Out: Veesaar was diagnosed with a torn right ACL and is expected to miss the 2026-27 season, the Hawks announced Monday.
- T.J. McConnell (Indiana Pacers) — Out: Indiana recalled McConnell (hamstring) from the G League's Noblesville Boom on Saturday.
- Ivica Zubac (Indiana Pacers) — Out: Zubac (ankle) will remain on the inactive list for Sunday's game against the Nets.
- Johnny Furphy (Indiana Pacers) — Out: Furphy (knee) is practicing with the G League's Noblesville Boom, per Alex Golden of SI.com.
- Ben Sheppard (Indiana Pacers) — Out: Head coach Rick Carlise confirmed Sheppard will miss "months" after undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee, Tony East of Forbes.com repor
- Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers) — Out: Haliburton (hamstring) will miss at least the next two weeks of action, Shams Charania of ESPN reports.
- Dorian Finney-Smith (Atlanta Hawks) — did not play (COACH'S DECISION)
- Kingston Flemings (Atlanta Hawks) — did not play (COACH'S DECISION)
- Pascal Siakam (Indiana Pacers) — did not play (REST)
- Obi Toppin (Indiana Pacers) — did not play (COACH'S DECISION)
Hawks Overcome Injuries, Defeat Pacers 108-104
- Nickeil Alexander-Walker led the charge with 15 points, including a crucial basket in the final quarter.
- CJ McCollum added 13 points, 9 rebounds, and 12 assists to the mix.
- Onyeka Okongwu scored 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Hawks.
