Dejounte Murray scores 34 points as Hawks send Rockets to 4th straight loss, 122-113

ATLANTA (AP) — Dejounte Murray had 34 points and the Atlanta Hawks overcame a sluggish start to beat the Houston Rockets 122-113 on Saturday night.

The Hawks, who reportedly considered trading Murray before Thursday's deadline, won for the sixth time in eight games.

Trae Young had 18 points and eight assists, Saddiq Bey scored 24 and Jalen Johnson added 21 for the Hawks.

Jalen Green had 20 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists for the Rockets, who lost all four games on their road trip. Jeff Green scored a season-high 19. Aaron Holiday had 18 points against the team he played for last season.

Bey's 3-pointer from the corner with just under two minutes to play gave the Hawks a 118-109 lead, and Atlanta closed it out from there.

Johnson closed the first half with a putback dunk to give the Hawks a 57-49 lead. The athletic big man had six dunks in the game.

Atlanta outscored the Rockets 38-18 in the second quarter after missing its final eight field goal attempts and shooting 29% from the floor in the first.

Both teams were shorthanded.

The Rockets were without leading scorer and rebounder Alperen Sengun, who sat out with lower back pain. Sengun had started all 51 games. Starting guard Fred VanVleet missed his third straight game with a left adductor strain. Rookie wing Cam Whitmore (11.9 ppg) sprained his ankle Friday and also sat out.

The Hawks were missing starters De'Andre Hunter (right knee) and center Clint Capela (adductor strain). Hawks first-round draft pick Kobe Bufkin saw the first meaningful action of his rookie season, hitting a 3 and finishing with three points and three rebounds in 15 minutes.

UP NEXT

Rockets: Host the New York Knicks on Monday.

Hawks: At home against the Chicago Bulls on Monday.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA