Hawks 141, Nets 107: CJ McCollum Leads Atlanta

The Atlanta Hawks beat the Brooklyn Nets 141-107 on Friday, April 3, 2026, at Barclays Center, with CJ McCollum leading all scorers with 25 points and adding seven assists in a balanced road performance. Atlanta set the tone early, stayed efficient throughout, and pulled away decisively in the fourth quarter.

Quarter-by-Quarter Breakdown

First Quarter

Atlanta opened the game in control, outscoring Brooklyn 35-25 in the first 12 minutes. The Hawks moved the ball crisply and found quality looks from the perimeter, while the Nets had trouble matching that pace on the offensive end. That early 10-point edge gave Atlanta immediate momentum.

Second Quarter

The Hawks kept the pressure on in the second, adding another 36 points and taking a 71-55 lead into halftime. Brooklyn improved offensively with a 30-point quarter, but Atlanta continued to generate efficient possessions and stayed ahead by winning the assist battle and keeping its shooting percentage high.

Third Quarter

Brooklyn showed some resistance after the break, taking the third quarter 30-27. Nic Claxton helped stabilize the Nets during that stretch, and the home team briefly trimmed the margin. Still, Atlanta avoided a major swing and carried a solid 98-85 advantage into the final period.

Fourth Quarter

Any chance of a late comeback disappeared in the fourth, when the Hawks outscored the Nets 43-22. Atlanta’s offense reached another level in the closing stretch, combining efficient shooting with strong ball movement to turn a manageable lead into a 34-point final margin.

Key Performers

Atlanta Hawks:
CJ McCollum led the Hawks with 25 points and seven assists, setting the tone as both scorer and organizer. Jalen Johnson added 11 rebounds to anchor Atlanta on the glass. Team-wide, the Hawks produced 37 assists, shot 56.7 percent from the field, and made 20 of 40 from three-point range.

Brooklyn Nets:
Nic Claxton paced Brooklyn with 16 points. Chaney Johnson led the Nets with six rebounds, while Nolan Traore finished with four assists. Brooklyn shot a respectable 49.4 percent overall and 42.9 percent from three, but it could not keep up with Atlanta’s volume and efficiency.

NerdSports Stat: Atlanta finished with 20 made threes and 37 assists, meaning the Hawks recorded nearly two assists for every made three-pointer while scoring 141 points without needing overtime.

Game Analysis

This game came down to offensive separation. The Hawks were sharper in nearly every category that typically decides high-scoring games: shooting efficiency, passing volume, three-point production, and rebounding. Atlanta made 51 field goals on 90 attempts, compared to Brooklyn’s 39 on 79, and that extra shot creation steadily widened the gap.

The three-point line was especially important. Atlanta went 20-for-40 from beyond the arc, good for 50 percent, while Brooklyn made 12-of-28. That 24-point edge from long range put constant pressure on the Nets to answer on nearly every possession.

Ball movement also stood out. The Hawks posted 37 assists on 51 made shots, a strong indicator of how connected the offense looked from start to finish. Even when Brooklyn had its best stretch in the third quarter, Atlanta stayed composed and responded with its most productive period in the fourth.

For Brooklyn, the issue was less about one cold stretch and more about not being able to string together enough stops. The Nets scored 107 points on decent percentages, which is often enough to stay competitive, but allowing 141 on 56.7 percent shooting and 20 made threes left little margin for error.

Closing Context

The win moved Atlanta to 45-33, an important result as the Eastern Conference playoff race continues to tighten in the final stretch of the regular season. Brooklyn dropped to 18-59, and with few games remaining, the focus remains on player development and evaluating the rotation heading into the offseason.

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