Atlanta Hawks knocks off Philadelphia 76ers for third straight time

Trae Young and John Collins combined to score 58 points and the Atlanta Hawks knocked off visiting Philadelphia 130-122 on Wednesday, their third straight victory over the 76ers. Young scored 33 points, including a 3-pointer with 1:32 that allowed Atlanta to stretch its dwindling lead back to eight points.

Philadelphia missed a great opportunity with 32.5 seconds left when Jimmy Butler drew a flagrant-one foul. Butler missed both free throws and a 3-pointer when play resumed as Philadelphia could not cut into Atlanta's five-point lead. The Hawks put it away when Young made a pair of free throws with 20.3 seconds remaining. Collins scored 25 points and had eight rebounds, the final one after Butler's miss. Young was 12-for-18 from the floor, 7-for-7 from the free-throw line, and added 12 assists and seven rebounds.

Atlanta (29-50) took three of four games from the Sixers this season. The Hawks also got 17 points from DeAndre' Bembry and 15 points from Kevin Huerter. Taurean Prince returned from a foot injury and scored 13. Philadelphia (49-29) was led by JJ Redick with 30 points. He made six 3-pointers but uncharacteristically missed three free throws. The Sixers also got 21 points from Tobias Harris, 16 points from Butler, and 15 points and 15 rebounds from Ben Simmons. The Sixers have lost two straight.

The first quarter set the pattern for the game. There were eight ties and 17 lead changes, with neither team leading by more than four points and Atlanta holding a 42-38 lead when the period was over. Atlanta retained the momentum and took a nine-point lead at 10:22 when Jaylen Adams scored on a runner to make it 50-41. But the Sixers went on a 24-8 run and led 65-58 with 3:07 left in the half on Mike Scott's jumper. The Hawks recovered and took a 72-68 lead into halftime. The Hawks led by as many as eight in the third quarter and led 98-94 going into the fourth quarter. The Sixers lost James Ennis III with a right quad contusion late in the quarter; he went straight to the locker room and did not return.

Atlanta stretched its lead to 13 in the final quarter on Huerter's basket with 6:22 to make it 117-104. The Sixers completed a back-to-back on Thursday at home against Milwaukee. Atlanta plays again on Friday at Orlando.

(With inputs from agencies.)