ATLANTA — The last time the Utah Jazz played the Atlanta Hawks in the Peach State in March, they lost by three points and helped the Hawks ignite what would become a three-game win streak. When they met again on Thursday night at State Farm Arena, the Jazz were working on their own string of three straight victories, looking to make it four in a row at the expense of the team in Eastern Conference with the worst record.
“I was happy to see us stabilize in the second half, defend and play with more force on offense.” — Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder
Despite their dismal 6-22 record coming into the game, the Hawks outplayed the Jazz in the first half taking a four-point lead into halftime, but Utah came out in the second half playing with the requisite intensity and effort that would eventually prove to be enough to extend their winning streak as they beat Atlanta 111-106. Donovan Mitchell scored a team-high 30 points, while Rudy Gobert added 20 points to go along with 13 rebounds for his 20th double-double of the season as well as swatting three blocks.
“(The Hawks) were really aggressive and physical with us offensively, which impacted us early, but our determination and force … I was happy to see us stabilize in the second half, defend and play with more force on offense,” said Jazz head coach Quin Snyder after the game.













The teams played evenly through the third period with neither squad able to break out on a typical scoring run that is the hallmark of so many games in the NBA today. Instead, Utah and Atlanta traded baskets that kept the game within striking distance for either club.
Atlanta second-year guard Trae Young matched Mitchell’s 30 points, with forward Jabari Parker adding 23 points off the bench for the Hawks in a losing effort. Snyder praised the effort and tenacity the young, talented Hawks team showed during the hard-fought contest even they didn’t win the game.
“(Atlanta) played really hard tonight, and they were aggressive defensively. I thought they attacked, they knocked us back on the defensive end particularly early in the game,” he said. “Those young players did play hard. Those guys — they’ll just get better and obviously Trae Young’s just a really hard to guard, (and) Jabari had a good night attacking off the dribble. You know, they’ve got a lot of guys that are capable making plays.”
While the game may have been a bit of a moral victory for the Hawks, the fact that the Jazz weren’t able to pull away from a team that has won just a half-dozen contests all season was not something they would be particularly proud of, but it still was one fo the win column.
“I think it shapes and shows what we are made, especially late. We showed who’s going to step up — on both ends offensively and defensively,” explained Mitchell. “Like I said after (the) Orlando (game), we can’t keep getting into this spot. We got to a six-point lead or whatever and then we let them right back in and that can’t happen. We’ve got to continue to find ways to step on the throat and keep going.”
Utah moved out to a 107-101 lead with over just over a minute to play in regulation, but Atlanta drew within three points with under 20 seconds to play before Mitchell made two free throws to make the lead 111-106 with 13 seconds left. The Hawks missed on two scoring chances in the final eight seconds, but the Jazz held on to win by a five-point margin. Gobert made two big blocks at the rim to help preserve Utah’s tenuous lead in the closing minutes.
“I know if we want to win games, I have to do what I do best, which is to make plays defensively for my teammates and for my team,” Gobert said. “I thought I tried to my best tonight and I was able to get the blocks at the end. It was a team effort; they did a great job on the perimeter to make them drive and (funnel) to me and I had to finish the job.”
Next up for the Jazz (17-11) are the Charlotte Hornets (13-18) on Dec. 21 in the Queen City, which should be another opponent Utah is able to compete favorably against given their superior talent and current momentum. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. MST.