March 12, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks attacking forwards Jalen Johnson (1) and Zaccharie Risacher (10) after the Hawks defeated the Brooklyn Nets at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Image The Atlanta Hawks, who boast the longest winning streak in the league, will look to continue their position in the crowded Eastern Conference standings when they take on the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday afternoon.
Atlanta’s eight-game winning streak tied the franchise’s longest winning streak since an eight-game winning streak in March 2021. A win over the Reeling Bucks would mark the Hawks’ best performance since a 19-game winning streak in the 2014-15 season.
The Hawks are 9-1 since the All-Star break, but are still two and a half games behind the fifth-place Orlando Magic and sixth-place Miami Heat, who have won six and seven games in a row, respectively.
Inching closer to the seventh-place Toronto Raptors, Atlanta continued to take advantage of its generous schedule with a 108-97 win over the lowly Brooklyn Nets on Thursday.
After falling behind briefly in the fourth quarter, Atlanta shot only 39.3% from the field and 30% from 3-point shots.
“We really made some defensive plays to turn over the offensive glass and (Brooklyn), which gave us more opportunities because we obviously didn’t shoot the ball well,” said coach Quin Snyder, who has a 17-4 edge in offensive rebounds.
“This is the type of game you need to win, and it’s important to me to win that way.”
With 16 games remaining in the regular season, Atlanta would like to see continued production from 2024 No. 1 overall draft pick Zaccharie Risacher. The 20-year-old poured in 19 points off the bench Thursday, although his scoring average has dropped from 12.6 to 10.2 in his second season.
Risacher, who transitioned to a bench role after the All-Star break, said fellow reserve Gabe Vincent contributed to his confidence.
“It was really fun playing with (Vincent),” Risacher said. “He’s a really smart player, a really good player. It’s good as a young player to have someone you can talk to and ask questions to.”
All-Star Jalen Johnson leads Atlanta with 22.9 points, 10.4 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game. Nickel Alexander-Walker adds 20 points per game.
Milwaukee has dropped seven of its last eight games, including Thursday’s 112-105 decision over the Heat, further falling out of play-in contention. The 10th-place Charlotte Hornets are six games ahead in the standings.
In what has been a disappointing year for Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Bucks, who nearly missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016, the final months will be about trying to carry the momentum into next season.
“If you develop bad habits, there is no growth,” Antetokounmpo said. “There will come a time when things turn around. When we turn into a better team, whether it’s this year or next year, you’re not going to be ready if you’re stuck in bad habits. We just have to keep playing the right way.”
Antetokounmpo appeared in 35 games and averaged 27.5 points and 9.7 rebounds. Kevin Porter Jr. added 17.2 points per game and Ryan Rollins added 16.6 points.
–Field level media
