Hawks fall to Rockets, 120-110, in second straight loss

The Atlanta Hawks lost their second consecutive game to the Houston Rockets on Monday night. The final score was 120-110 in Houston's favor. This result completes a back-to-back defeat for the local team.

The Hawks opened their home season Saturday with a 121-114 loss to the same opponent. That game set the stage for Monday's contest, which the Hawks also dropped. The team has now lost two games in a row.

Shooting difficulties plagued Atlanta for the second night in a row. The Hawks shot 43 percent from the field. They made only 28 percent of their three-point attempts. Jalen Johnson led the scoring with 21 points. Ten of those points came from the free-throw line. He went 5-for-14 from the floor.

CJ McCollum added 20 points on 8-for-16 shooting. The Hawks also struggled to secure the ball after missed shots. Houston grabbed 52 rebounds. Atlanta managed only 35 boards. Alperen Sengun led all scorers with 29 points on 11-for-15 shooting. Kevin Durant added 22 points for the visitors.

Jabari Smith Jr. recorded a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. The game remained close until the fourth quarter. A 7-0 run by Atlanta, capped by a three-pointer from Nickeil Alexander-Walker, cut the lead to 95-93 early in the final period.

Houston responded with a 14-0 run. Reed Sheppard and Tari Eason both hit three-pointers during that stretch. The score became 109-93 with less than seven minutes remaining. Jalen Johnson scored on a dunk to end a 3 1/2 minute scoring drought for the Hawks. Houston followed with an 8-0 run to make it 117-95 with under five minutes left.

The Hawks will host the Miami Heat at home on Wednesday.