Dejounte Murray led the charge with 34 points, helping the Atlanta Hawks to a 122-113 victory over the Houston Rockets during Saturday’s NBA action, despite a slow start and recent trade rumors surrounding Murray.
The Hawks secured their sixth win in their last eight outings, with Trae Young contributing 18 points and eight assists. Saddiq Bey added 24 points, and Jalen Johnson scored 21, bolstering Atlanta’s offense.
Jalen Green recorded his first career triple-double for the Rockets, tallying 26 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Houston from losing all four games of their road trip. Jeff Green provided a season-high 19 points, while Aaron Holiday, facing his former team, scored 18.
Murray, who also had seven assists and six rebounds, made 12 of 15 attempts from the free-throw line, setting a personal record for free throws attempted.
“Just playing my game, and they gave me some calls,” Murray said.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Dejounte Murray, Atlanta Hawks, Jalen Green, Houston Rockets Updates
Bey’s crucial 3-pointer late in the game extended the Hawks’ lead to 118-109, highlighting his improved shooting form, having shot at least 40% from beyond the arc for the fourth consecutive game after a previous stretch of inconsistency.
Hawks coach Quin Snyder praised Bey’s resilience and shooting, emphasizing the encouragement Bey received to continue shooting despite earlier struggles. Snyder also noted Bey’s defensive efforts.
“We said, `Keep shooting, keep shooting, keep shooting,’” Snyder said. “He’s tough. The fact that he is continuing to shoot the ball even when he doesn’t see it go in, that shows that. His defensive consistency shows that.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Dejounte Murray, Atlanta Hawks, Jalen Green, Houston Rockets Updates
Johnson’s dynamic play, including a putback dunk to end the first half, helped give the Hawks a lead. His six dunks throughout the game underscored Atlanta’s athleticism. After a disappointing first quarter, where they shot just 29% from the field, the Hawks rallied to outscore the Rockets 38-18 in the second quarter.
Both teams were missing key players due to injuries. The Rockets were without Alperen Sengun, Fred VanVleet, and Cam Whitmore, impacting their lineup significantly.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Dejounte Murray, Atlanta Hawks, Jalen Green, Houston Rockets Updates
The Hawks missed De’Andre Hunter and Clint Capela, with rookie Kobe Bufkin seeing his first meaningful NBA action, scoring three points in 15 minutes.
Looking ahead, the Rockets will host the New York Knicks, while the Hawks will face the Chicago Bulls at home, both games scheduled for Monday.
