Nets Finally Close Out a Close Game, Down Hawks at Home

Brooklyn got back in the win column.

Mar 16, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Terance Mann (14) goes to the basket as Brooklyn Nets forward Jalen Wilson (22) during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

In the closing act of a home back-to-back, the Brooklyn Nets played host to the Atlanta Hawks just 24 hours after narrowly falling to the Boston Celtics. Atlanta claimed the lone previous meeting, an opening night 120-116 back-and-fourth bout, but Brooklyn evened the season series with a 122-114 on Sunday night.

Cam Johnson led the Nets with 28 points and seven assists in the much-needed victory.

Sans Cam Thomas and D'Angelo Russell, the first quarter belonged to second-year forward Jalen Wilson. The Kansas product showed off his crafty offensive skillset which resulted in the 2024 Summer League MVP honors en route to a team-high eight points in the opening frame.

Alongside Wilson was Cam Johnson, fresh off the sixth double-double of his career against Boston on Saturday night. He tallied six of his own — all courtesy of the three-point line — as the Nets took advantage of a banged-up Hawks frontcourt. Despite the easy-flowing scoring attack early on, Trae Young's two driving lay-ins and one corner triple prevented Brooklyn from surging ahead more than six heading into the second quarter.

The next stanza followed a similar trend to its predecessor, as the Nets' lead fluctuated between 12 and six until a game-changing run. Brooklyn had been careless with the basketball all game up to this point, but the lapses in offensive focus really cost Jordi Fernandez's group down the stretch of the first half.

In the final 180 seconds of the second quarter, the Nets were outscored 13-2 courtesy of Dyson Daniels' defensive impact. Come halftime, the first-year Hawk had already recorded four steals, allowing Young to capitalize in transition. Young matched his first-quarter scoring total in the second, guiding Atlanta from down 12 to up six at the break.

In an eventful third quarter full of non-basketball antics, Brooklyn experienced both ends of the competitive spectrum. Almost immediately, Barclays Centerfans were treated to a mini one-on-one matchup between Tyrese Martin and the top selection from the 2024 NBA Draft, Zaccharie Risacher. Martin notched 10 points — including two triples — while Risacher added nine, creating a knotted scoreboard amid the exciting battle.

However, after both Cam Johnson and Dyson Daniels recieved technical fouls for complaining following separate incidents, it was Keon Johnson who began to steal the spotlight. After trailing by as much as 10, the Nets' scrappy guard drilled a triple to cut the defecit to two, then sank another before the third quarter horn sounded to bring it within one.

Unlike recent performances, Brooklyn didn't crumble in the clutch. Evidently motivated to finally close out a much-needed win, the team ripped off an 18-6 run to kick off the fourth quarter. Included in the lopsided stretch: a Maxwell Lewis three-pointer, giving him 10 points on the evening in an increased role off the bench.

Following a quick 5-0 response from Young and Daniels, the Nets led by five with five minutes to play in regulation. From that point, Brooklyn was finally able to finish off a quality Eastern Conference opponent amid a dissapointing stretch throuhghout March.

To access the final box score from the Nets' win over the Hawks, click here.

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