Rockets stifle Hawks in 120-110 loss at State Farm Arena

ATLANTA, Ga. The Atlanta Hawks lost their fourth home game of the season Monday evening, falling 120-110 to the Houston Rockets at State Farm Arena. The result drops the Hawks to 2-2 after they started the year with victories over the Orlando Magic and Charlotte Hornets.

The game remained competitive until late in the third quarter, when Houston took a one-point lead. By the five-minute mark of the final period, the Rockets had built a 20-point advantage. That margin stemmed from a 14-0 run that Houston executed in just over two minutes midway through the fourth quarter. The scoring spree briefly widened the gap to 22-2.

The Hawks' offense struggled in the final two periods. The team shot 3-for-16 from beyond the arc in the second half, a drop from their 53.5% mark in the first half. The inability to generate consistent baskets allowed Houston to control the pace and extend its lead.

Trae Young led Atlanta with 25 points, while Jalen Johnson added 20. Austin Reaves contributed 12 points for the Rockets. Houston's bench outscored Atlanta's reserves by a wide margin, compounding the starting lineup's fatigue.

The Hawks return to the floor Wednesday night when they host the Orlando Magic at 7 p.m. The team will look to bounce back from a back-to-back loss to the Rockets, a series that highlighted defensive gaps and offensive stagnation.