LOS ANGELES — — Dejounte Murray scored 21 points, De’Andre Hunter added 20 and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Los Angeles Clippers 110-93 Sunday night to end a three-game losing streak.
Jalen Johnson had 18 points and 12 rebounds, and Clint Capela added 15 points and 13 rebounds for the Hawks.
“We were all on the same page. Everybody was hungry to do better, and I think we did that from the first guy all the way, we were talking to each other, we were helping each other,” said Murray, who made five 3-pointers, scoring a career-high fifth. In a straight game, he knocked down at least four from beyond the arc. “We were active throughout the game and I think that was important for this great victory for team.”
Kawhi Leonard scored 28 points to lead the Clippers, and Paul George had 26. Los Angeles has lost four of its last five and is in fourth place in the Western Conference.
“If you don’t play hard, compete and take care of the things you need to take care of every night, you can lose. And so tonight was one of those nights,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said.
Atlanta – which sits in 10th place in the Eastern Conference – had a 31-29 lead at the end of the first quarter, before outscoring the Clippers 30-15 in the second quarter to take a 61-44 advantage at midpoint. -time. Atlanta was 11 of 23 from the field in the quarter while Los Angeles was 6 of 23, including 1 of 10 from 3-point range.
Capela led the way for the Hawks in the first half with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Leonard had 17 points in the first quarter, the second most points he had in the first 12 minutes of a regular season game in his 12-year career. He made three 3-pointers and completed a four-point play with 40 seconds remaining, which tied the score at 29-all.
Atlanta then scored the next 10 points to take control.
“I have to give them credit. They started shrinking the floor and bringing another guy towards me,” Leonard said.
Los Angeles got within six midway through the quarter before Atlanta counterattacked with a 17-2 run. A turnaround hook shot by Capela put the Hawks up 61-40 with 2:15 left in the first half.
Hawks coach Quin Snyder praised his team’s defense. Atlanta forced 16 turnovers, which led to 26 points and also held Los Angeles to a 37.8% shooting rate from the floor (28 of 74).
“Our players have told each other some things we need to do on defense and we’re trying to be really focused on those things. And then, offensively, really attacking this group. They’re a really good team, so I was happy with the way we played,” Snyder said.
A 3-point basket by Hunter gave Atlanta its largest lead at 91-62 less than a minute into the fourth quarter. The Clippers went on a 24-9 run, but couldn’t get any closer.
James Harden, who missed the Clippers’ last two games with a left shoulder injury, had nine points and nine assists in 36 minutes.
FOLLOWING
Hawks: Stay in Los Angeles to face the Lakers on Monday night.
Clippers: At Portland on Wednesday evening.
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