Hunter helps Hawks clip Pelicans' wings

De'Andre Hunter celebrated his 27th birthday by scoring 22 points to lead Atlanta past the visiting New Orleans Pelicans, 124-112, on Monday, extending the Hawks' season-best winning streak to four games.

Hunter shot 8-for-14 from the field, and made 4 of 7 3-point attempts to help the Hawks reach the .500 mark for the first time since Oct 28, when they were 2-2. The Hawks swept the two-game season series with New Orleans. Atlanta's Jalen Johnson added 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Dyson Daniels scored 19 points and made four steals. Trae Young had 12 points and 15 assists, and Clint Capela grabbed 17 rebounds.

New Orleans got 29 points from CJ McCollum, and Yves Missi added 23 points and 12 rebounds. Brandon Boston Jr came off the bench to score 19 points. Dejounte Murray, who played the previous two seasons for Atlanta, made only 2 of 15 shots from the floor and wound up with seven points, 10 assists and five steals.

The Pelicans have lost nine straight games and 15 of their past 16.

New Orleans led 28-26 after the first quarter. The Pelicans' points total matched New Orleans' tally for the whole first half on Sunday in a 118-85 defeat against the New York Knicks.

Aided by 11 first-half turnovers by Atlanta, and 14 points off the bench from Boston Jr, New Orleans held a 59-58 halftime advantage. The Pelicans led by as many as nine points over the first 24 minutes of action, going up 46-37 on a jumper by Boston Jr with 5:13 to go before the break.

The Pelicans played without Zion Williamson (hamstring), Brandon Ingram (leg), Jose Alvarado (hamstring), Herbert Jones (shoulder) and Jordan Hawkins (back).

The Hawks next play on Wednesday at Milwaukee. The Pelicans return home on Thursday to face the Phoenix Suns.

REUTERS