Good, bad, ugly: Late-game execution fails Hawks in loss to Thunder

December hasn’t been a good month for the Hawks.

They ended November at 13-8, a season-best mark of five games over .500. Since then, they’ve gone 2-11, and they’re in the midst of a seven-game losing streak ahead of their final game of 2025, on Wednesday against the Timberwolves.

They can’t seem to figure it out defensively, giving up more than 120 points for the seventh consecutive game, and the eighth time in nine contests.

The Hawks just have not had the rim protection necessary to withstand the onslaught of scoring from opponents, despite generating enough offense that would win games on most nights.

Here’s the good, the bad and the ugly from Monday’s 140-129 loss to the Thunder.

The good

The Hawks knew heading into Monday’s game that Thunder center Chet Holmgren, as well as their myriad lengthy defenders, would challenge them at the rim. So, the Hawks had a plan to attempt at least 50 3-pointers to have a chance at generating enough offense.

“We wanted to shoot 50 3’s. We felt like they’re so good defensively,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder said on the FanDuel Sports broadcast after the game. “As you mentioned, during that stretch where we struggled, we didn’t have our eyes out, and we tried to challenge Holmgren and those guys at the rim, and that’s just a lower-percentage play. And again, we got through that. The ball changed sides, and we were able to drive again. And then we did have our eyes out, and that’s what generates those 3’s, that and running.”

They attempted 54, a season-high in 3-pointers attempted in a game. The Hawks’ franchise record for 3-point attempts is 61, set on March 31, 2019, against the Bucks.

Not only did the Hawks attempt a season-high in 3s, but they also put up one of their most efficient nights from the perimeter. The Hawks shot 46.3% from deep, with five different players making at least three 3-pointers, despite missing three of their top perimeter scorers.

The bad

The Hawks had gotten to within 129-125 with 4:36 to play in the game. But a Dyson Daniels out-of-bounds turnover turned into an Alex Caruso 3-pointer out of a timeout. Zaccharie Risacher missed a 3 in response to one from Holmgren. Nickeil Alexander-Walker split a pair of free throws and then the Hawks gave up five unanswered points to the Thunder.

In the final four minutes of action Monday, the Hawks shot 1-of-5 from the floor and gave up four turnovers, allowing the Thunder to end the night on an 11-4 run.

The ugly

Like Saturday’s loss to the Knicks, the Hawks looked much closer to the team they were at the beginning of the season. They moved the ball around the perimeter, allowing for every player a touch.