Atlanta HawksOpen full analysis
Oklahoma City ThunderOpen full analysis
The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Atlanta Hawks 140–129 on December 29 at Paycom Center, staying well below the Vegas total of 232.5 points. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 39 points, supported by Chet Holmgren's 24, as Oklahoma City shot 54.1% from the field and made 12 three-pointers while committing just 13 turnovers. The Hawks countered with Nick Alexander-Walker's 30 points and Onyeka Okongwu's 26, but Atlanta's 47.4% shooting and 25 three-pointers weren't enough to overcome Oklahoma City's third-quarter dominance—the Thunder outscored Atlanta 43–29 in that frame to seize control. Despite the Hawks' 32 assists and 11 steals, they struggled defensively, allowing the Thunder to post a 126.0 offensive rating while Oklahoma City held them to 116.8. The loss keeps Atlanta searching for consistency as the Thunder continue their strong positioning in the Western Conference.
