Dyson Daniels scored a season-high 27 points to help the Atlanta Hawks defeat the visiting Philadelphia 76ers 120-117 on Sunday.
It was Atlanta’s seventh straight win over Philadelphia dating back to a 76ers’ victory on Dec. 8, 2023.
Philadelphia’s Quentin Grimes’ 3-pointer to tie the game rimmed out at the buzzer.
Daniels was 13-for-19 from the field and matched his season-high with 10 rebounds, first set Friday in a loss at Detroit. He drove for a basket that was goaltended with 1:15 left to give the Hawks a 118-114 lead.
Atlanta’s Jalen Johnson recorded his fourth straight triple-double with 12 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists. It was his franchise-record eighth career triple-double.
Onyeka Okongwu added 20 points and a game-high 15 rebounds and Vit Krejci came off the bench to score 19.
Philadelphia was led by Paul George, who scored a season-high 35 points, and Joel Embiid, who had 22 points and 14 rebounds for his first double-double of the season. Rookie guard V.J. Edgecombe scored 26 points.
The Sixers played without leading scorer Tyrese Maxey, who missed his second straight game with an illness.
The Hawks jumped out to a 39-29 lead after the first quarter thanks largely to 11 points from reserve Krejci, who didn’t miss his three shots and hit a pair of 3-pointers.
The Sixers opened the second quarter on a 13-2 run to take a 42-41 lead, although the Hawks finished strong to take a 59-55 lead into halftime. Embiid was tagged with a flagrant 1 foul with 38 seconds remaining after he threw an elbow into Okongwu’s face.
Atlanta went up by seven points midway in the third quarter and led 94-91 going into the fourth. The Sixers kept it close thanks to 17 third-quarter points from Edgecombe.
Atlanta got some good news when the team announced that All-Star point guard Trae Young would return to practice this week. He has been out with a right MCL sprain since Oct. 29. Atlanta also said Kristaps Porzingis would miss up to two more weeks due an illness and rehabilitation. He has missed seven of the last eight games.
