50-point fourth quarter carries Hawks past Bulls
Dec 26, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward De'Andre Hunter (12) shoots past Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (0) in the second quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Jalen Johnson scored a career-high 30 points, including the go-ahead basket late in the fourth quarter, to help the Atlanta Hawks erase a 21-point deficit and defeat the visiting Chicago Bulls 141-133 on Thursday.
Johnson scored 11 of Atlanta's 50 points in the fourth quarter, and his basket with 2:44 remaining put the Hawks in the lead to stay. It was the highest-scoring fourth quarter for any NBA team this season.
Atlanta trailed 108-87 with 1:12 remaining in the third quarter and was down by 17 entering the fourth.
Johnson shot 11-for-16 from the field and added 15 rebounds and four assists. Trae Young produced 27 points, 16 in the fourth quarter, and 13 assists. He hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 126-126 with 3:03 to go. De'Andre Hunter scored 25 off the Atlanta bench.
Chicago's Zach LaVine scored a season-high 37 points, 22 in the third quarter, and dished seven assists. It was the second time this season that LaVine had 30-plus points and five-plus assists. Reserve Jevon Carter scored a season-high 26, and Coby White amassed 23 points and nine assists.
The Bulls hit 22 of 43 3-point shots (51.2 percent). It was their 31st consecutive game with at least 10 successful 3-pointers, extending the longest such streak in team history.
Atlanta picked up where it left off in a 13-point win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday when it grabbed a 9-2 lead. But the Bulls began hitting 3-pointers, took the lead and had a 33-21 advantage after one quarter. The charge was led by Carter, who had six treys and 19 points in the opening quarter.
The Bulls stretched the lead to 16 on a basket by Jalen Smith and withstood a Hawks surge that featured 10 points from Larry Nance Jr. to hold a 64-53 lead at the break.
Atlanta whittled the deficit to five points after Hunter's three-point play with 3:52 left in the third, only to have Chicago go on a 16-0 run to establish a 21-point lead. The Bulls scored 44 points in the period were ahead 108-91 going into the final quarter.
The Bulls were playing short-handed, as Josh Giddey (ankle), Ayo Dosunmu (Achilles) and Lonzo Ball (illness) were unavailable. Atlanta was without Bogdan Bogdanovic (leg) and Onyeka Okongwu (knee).
--Field Level Media
Way Too Early 2026 NFL Head Coaching Cycle Predictions
Senators vs. Rangers Wednesday January 14th Betting Pick
Zac Taylor Somehow Survived Insane AFC North Shake Up
How John Harbaugh Froze the 2026 NFL Coaching Carousel
- NBA Best Bets Monday: Jazz vs Cavaliers, Lakers vs Kings, Hornets vs Clippers
- Texans vs Steelers Wild Card Pick: Top Monday Night Football Playoff Predictions
- NBA Picks and Predictions for January 11th: Best Bets for Sunday
- NFL Playoff Sunday January 11th Picks: Top Wild Card Bets
- College Basketball Picks Today: Saturday January 10th Best Bets
- Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears NFL Playoffs Wild Card Betting Picks
- Washington Capitals vs. Chicago Blackhawks Betting Pick January 9th

