DALLAS (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks continued their late-season push Wednesday night, stretching their winning streak to 11 games with a 135-120 victory over the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center.
Atlanta (38-31) controlled the tempo throughout, countering every Dallas run with efficient scoring and balanced production to secure its longest win streak since the 2014-15 season.
Dallas (23-47) showed flashes offensively, particularly from its bench unit, but couldn’t keep pace defensively as Atlanta’s attack proved too consistent.
The Mavericks’ second unit delivered a major spark, pouring in 55 points — marking the team’s 21st game this season with 50 or more bench points, their highest total in a decade. Leading that charge was Daniel Gafford, who turned in his best performance of the season with 24 points on 9-of-10 shooting, adding eight rebounds and a block. It also marked the second time in his career — and first with Dallas — that he has recorded back-to-back 20-point outings.
P.J. Washington added 23 points, continuing his strong recent stretch. Over his last three games, Washington is averaging just over 20 points while contributing across the stat sheet on both ends.
Rookie guard Ryan Nembhard orchestrated the offense with a game-high 12 assists, falling just one shy of his career best. It was his fifth game this season with double-digit assists, placing him among a rare group of undrafted rookies to reach that mark multiple times in a single campaign.
Fellow rookie Cooper Flagg continued his all-around impact, finishing with 17 points, six rebounds, and five assists, along with two steals and two blocks. It marked his third straight game posting at least 15 points, five rebounds, and five assists — further highlighting his versatility.
The rookie duo of Nembhard and Flagg each recorded at least five assists, doing so together for the 10th time this season — the most by a Mavericks rookie pair in franchise history.
Atlanta’s Jalen Johnson flirted with another triple-double, finishing with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists, narrowly missing his third consecutive such performance.
Despite Dallas’ offensive contributions, defensive lapses and Atlanta’s relentless scoring proved to be the difference as the Hawks continued to surge in the playoff race.
Dallas will look to regroup as it searches for consistency down the stretch, while Atlanta’s momentum continues to build at a critical point in the season.
