Hawks Seek Season-Best Seventh Straight Win Against Struggling Mavericks

ATLANTA – The Atlanta Hawks aim to extend their season-high winning streak to seven games on Tuesday when they host the Dallas Mavericks, who have lost seven consecutive contests. This marks the first meeting between the two teams this season, with Dallas having won the previous four matchups. A rematch is scheduled for March 18 in Dallas.

Hawks Riding Momentum

Atlanta defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 125-116 on Saturday, securing their sixth straight victory. The Hawks have won seven of their last eight games, improving to two games above .500 and currently holding the ninth position in the Eastern Conference. As of Monday, Atlanta trailed the eighth-place 76ers by 1.5 games and the sixth-place Orlando Magic by 2.5 games.

“I signify, we can only really just keep winning games,” Atlanta guard Dyson Daniels said. “There’s probably four or five teams that could rotate in that No. 5 to 10 spot. So, we just have to keep winning games. We try not to focus on that too much, but it is in the back of our heads. We do want to get that playoff spot. We don’t really want to be in the play-in, so we’ve just got to keep winning games.”

Johnson Leads the Hawks

Jalen Johnson, averaging 22.9 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 7.9 assists, led the Hawks against the 76ers with 35 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists. He has recorded 39 double-doubles and 11 triple-doubles this season.

The Hawks are hopeful for the return of Jonathan Kuminga on Tuesday. Kuminga is averaging 21.3 points and 7.7 rebounds in three games with Atlanta since being acquired from the Golden State Warriors at the trade deadline. He has missed the last two games due to left knee inflammation.

Mavericks Facing Struggles

The Mavericks were defeated by the Toronto Raptors 122-92 on Sunday, extending their losing streak to seven games and their overall record to 17 losses in the last 19 games. Dallas currently sits at No. 12 in the Western Conference, 9.5 games out of play-in tournament qualification. Five of their last six losses have been by double digits, with four of those defeats being by at least 19 points.

Dallas coach Jason Kidd indicated that adjustments to the team’s lineup are likely. “We’ve got to look at some different combinations as we head forward,” Kidd said. “Maybe looking at the starting group. Maybe it’s different combinations there in the first quarter. We’ll look at that as we get to Atlanta. We didn’t shoot the ball well, nor did we take care of the ball. It’s hard to win in this league if you don’t do those two things well.”

Gafford and Flagg for the Mavericks

Daniel Gafford provided a bright spot for the Mavericks on Sunday, scoring 21 points on a perfect 10-for-10 shooting performance, along with 11 rebounds. He averages 8.6 points and 6.6 rebounds.

Cooper Flagg, the top pick in the 2025 draft, is expected to make his first appearance in Atlanta. Flagg has played three games after missing eight due to a left foot sprain, averaging 20.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists. He recently became the second-youngest player to reach 1,000 career points.

The Mavericks continue to rely on P.J. Washington (14.0 points, 6.9 rebounds) and have received a boost from veteran Khris Middleton, who was acquired at the trade deadline and is averaging 11.8 points in 12 games with the team.

–Field Level Media