Daniels double-double but Hawks lose sixth straight
Dyson Daniels’ typically-busy performance couldn’t prevent his Atlanta Hawks falling to a season-high sixth straight NBA loss as they were beaten 100-96 by the Houston Rockets.
Australian starter Daniels scored 12 points and had 10 rebounds, six assists, three steals and a block in Tuesday night’s home game.
Trailing 96-80 with 5:41 remaining, the Hawks almost pulled off a big comeback, closing within two in the final minute before bench star De’Andre Hunter missed a potential go-ahead 3-pointer with 12 seconds left.
The Hawks (22-25) have stumbled in recent games and sit ninth in the eastern conference after starting the season brightly and reaching the NBA Cup semi-finals.
They have not won since beating defending champions Boston 119-115 in overtime on the road on January 18.
The Rockets (32-14) conversely have now won 10 of 12 and moved 1 1/2 games ahead of Memphis for the No.2 seed in the Western Conference.
Jalen Green scored 25 points for the Rockets and Alperen Sengun added 18 points and 10 rebounds.
Trae Young had 21 points and nine assists for the Hawks while Hunter added 16 points.
The Hawks shot just 11 of 47 from 3-point range. After hitting three of their first seven 3-pointers, Atlanta went 8 of 40 the rest of the game.
It doesn’t get any easier for the Hawks as they now travel to Cleveland play the eastern conference leaders on Thursday.
In Philadelphia, last season’s Most Improved Player Tyrese Maxey scored 43 points as the 76ers overcame the injury absence of Joel Embiid and Paul George in a 118-104 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Maxey continued his recent hot scoring streak as he tries to keep the Sixers (18-27) within striking distance of the play-in tournament. He had averaged 30.4 points over the last 10 games.
LeBron James scored 31 points for the Lakers (26-19) but fellow superstar Anthony Davis left the Lakers without a key cog when he was forced out in the first half with an abdominal muscle strain.
– with AAP
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