WhyTheyWon
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FINALOct 26Toyota Center (Houston)
Atlanta Hawks logo
ATLAtlanta Hawks
110
Houston Rockets logo
HOUHouston Rockets
120Winner
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Final
ATL35311925110
HOU32312829120

Game analysis: Atlanta Hawks at Houston Rockets

How the Rockets Beat the Hawks

Houston's control of the glass powered its second-half takeover against Atlanta. The Rockets entered halftime down three, then seized the lead for good with a 9–0 third-quarter run that turned a one-point deficit into an eight-point advantage. Atlanta fought back within two early in the fourth, but Houston answered with a 14–0 burst that created decisive separation. Alperen Sengun led the response with 29 points, nine assists and six steals, while Kevin Durant and Jabari Smith Jr. helped Houston overcome nine more turnovers.

The biggest reason

Rebounding

ReboundsHOU 40vsATL 22

Also mattered

  • +10%Field-goal shooting
  • +8Points in the paint
  • +13Points off turnovers

Game flow

When the lead changed

ATL (away)HOU (home)

ATL's biggest lead was 6 points · HOU's was 22 points · 20 lead changes

-250+25Q1 11:43 · ATL 0–HOU 2Q1 11:19 · ATL 0–HOU 4Q1 11:04 · ATL 2–HOU 4Q1 10:44 · ATL 2–HOU 7Q1 10:23 · ATL 4–HOU 7Q1 9:59 · ATL 6–HOU 7Q1 9:44 · ATL 6–HOU 8Q1 9:44 · ATL 6–HOU 9Q1 8:54 · ATL 7–HOU 9Q1 8:54 · ATL 8–HOU 9Q1 8:35 · ATL 8–HOU 11Q1 8:25 · ATL 10–HOU 11Q1 8:11 · ATL 12–HOU 11Q1 7:47 · ATL 12–HOU 13Q1 7:43 · ATL 15–HOU 13Q1 7:08 · ATL 15–HOU 15Q1 6:51 · ATL 18–HOU 15Q1 6:31 · ATL 18–HOU 17Q1 6:17 · ATL 20–HOU 17Q1 6:03 · ATL 20–HOU 19Q1 5:39 · ATL 21–HOU 19Q1 5:39 · ATL 22–HOU 19Q1 5:07 · ATL 22–HOU 21Q1 4:55 · ATL 23–HOU 21Q1 4:55 · ATL 24–HOU 21Q1 4:39 · ATL 24–HOU 23Q1 4:05 · ATL 24–HOU 25Q1 4:05 · ATL 24–HOU 26Q1 3:55 · ATL 26–HOU 26Q1 3:23 · ATL 26–HOU 27Q1 3:23 · ATL 26–HOU 28Q1 2:43 · ATL 28–HOU 28Q1 2:06 · ATL 31–HOU 28Q1 1:48 · ATL 31–HOU 30Q1 1:09 · ATL 31–HOU 32Q1 57.0 · ATL 33–HOU 32Q1 31.2 · ATL 35–HOU 32Q2 11:25 · ATL 37–HOU 32Q2 11:25 · ATL 38–HOU 32Q2 10:56 · ATL 38–HOU 34Q2 10:30 · ATL 38–HOU 35Q2 10:30 · ATL 38–HOU 36Q2 10:13 · ATL 38–HOU 38Q2 9:27 · ATL 41–HOU 38Q2 9:01 · ATL 41–HOU 40Q2 8:41 · ATL 41–HOU 42Q2 8:41 · ATL 41–HOU 43Q2 8:30 · ATL 41–HOU 44Q2 8:09 · ATL 41–HOU 46Q2 7:45 · ATL 43–HOU 46Q2 7:15 · ATL 46–HOU 46Q2 6:52 · ATL 46–HOU 48Q2 6:31 · ATL 48–HOU 48Q2 6:15 · ATL 48–HOU 50Q2 5:47 · ATL 48–HOU 52Q2 5:37 · ATL 50–HOU 52Q2 4:51 · ATL 53–HOU 52Q2 4:24 · ATL 55–HOU 52Q2 3:33 · ATL 55–HOU 53Q2 3:33 · ATL 55–HOU 54Q2 3:11 · ATL 55–HOU 57Q2 2:31 · ATL 56–HOU 57Q2 2:12 · ATL 59–HOU 57Q2 1:46 · ATL 59–HOU 60Q2 1:38 · ATL 60–HOU 60Q2 1:38 · ATL 61–HOU 60Q2 1:18 · ATL 61–HOU 63Q2 1:11 · ATL 64–HOU 63Q2 4.9 · ATL 66–HOU 63Q3 10:59 · ATL 66–HOU 65Q3 10:06 · ATL 66–HOU 66Q3 10:06 · ATL 66–HOU 67Q3 9:57 · ATL 68–HOU 67Q3 9:28 · ATL 70–HOU 67Q3 9:14 · ATL 70–HOU 68Q3 8:41 · ATL 70–HOU 70Q3 8:27 · ATL 72–HOU 70Q3 7:56 · ATL 74–HOU 70Q3 7:37 · ATL 74–HOU 72Q3 7:15 · ATL 74–HOU 73Q3 6:48 · ATL 74–HOU 75Q3 6:21 · ATL 76–HOU 75Q3 6:06 · ATL 76–HOU 77Q3 6:06 · ATL 76–HOU 78Q3 4:47 · ATL 76–HOU 80Q3 4:27 · ATL 76–HOU 81Q3 4:27 · ATL 76–HOU 82Q3 3:44 · ATL 76–HOU 84Q3 3:00 · ATL 78–HOU 84Q3 2:42 · ATL 78–HOU 87Q3 2:10 · ATL 78–HOU 88Q3 2:10 · ATL 78–HOU 89Q3 1:59 · ATL 80–HOU 89Q3 1:40 · ATL 82–HOU 89Q3 1:40 · ATL 83–HOU 89Q3 1:12 · ATL 85–HOU 89Q3 40.8 · ATL 85–HOU 91Q4 11:47 · ATL 85–HOU 92Q4 11:47 · ATL 85–HOU 93Q4 11:34 · ATL 86–HOU 93Q4 11:01 · ATL 86–HOU 95Q4 10:46 · ATL 88–HOU 95Q4 10:08 · ATL 90–HOU 95Q4 9:39 · ATL 93–HOU 95Q4 9:03 · ATL 93–HOU 98Q4 8:28 · ATL 93–HOU 100Q4 8:28 · ATL 93–HOU 101Q4 8:09 · ATL 93–HOU 103Q4 7:48 · ATL 93–HOU 106Q4 7:26 · ATL 93–HOU 107Q4 6:52 · ATL 93–HOU 109Q4 6:34 · ATL 95–HOU 109Q4 5:45 · ATL 95–HOU 111Q4 5:45 · ATL 95–HOU 112Q4 5:09 · ATL 95–HOU 115Q4 4:44 · ATL 95–HOU 117Q4 4:36 · ATL 98–HOU 117Q4 4:13 · ATL 99–HOU 117Q4 3:48 · ATL 100–HOU 117Q4 3:48 · ATL 101–HOU 117Q4 3:20 · ATL 103–HOU 117Q4 2:56 · ATL 103–HOU 118Q4 1:22 · ATL 103–HOU 120Q4 1:12 · ATL 105–HOU 120Q4 42.9 · ATL 107–HOU 120Q4 17.7 · ATL 110–HOU 120Q4 0:00 · ATL 110–HOU 120Q1Q2Q3Q4

Quarter-by-quarter momentum

Quarter winners and scoring margin
  1. Q1
    Atlanta Hawks logoATL35
    Houston Rockets logoHOU32
    ATL won by 3
  2. Q2
    Atlanta Hawks logoATL31
    Houston Rockets logoHOU31
    Quarter tied
  3. Q3Biggest margin
    Atlanta Hawks logoATL19
    Houston Rockets logoHOU28
    HOU won by 9
  4. Q4
    Atlanta Hawks logoATL25
    Houston Rockets logoHOU29
    HOU won by 4

Game turning points

Moments identified from the scoring timeline
  1. Final lead changeQ3 · 6:06

    Houston Rockets went ahead and did not trail again.

    Atlanta Hawks logoATL 76HOU 77Houston Rockets logo

Momentum swings

Key stretches

6 stretches · runs and momentum swings
  1. Q1 · 10:44–6:51
    Atlanta Hawks logoAtlanta Hawks16–8stretch

    ATL 2 – HOU 7ATL 18 – HOU 15

  2. Q2 · 11:25–8:09
    Houston Rockets logoHouston Rockets14–3stretch

    ATL 38 – HOU 32ATL 41 – HOU 46

  3. Q2 · 8:09–4:24
    Atlanta Hawks logoAtlanta Hawks14–6stretch

    ATL 41 – HOU 46ATL 55 – HOU 52

  4. Q3 · 7:56–2:10
    Houston Rockets logoHouston Rockets19–4stretch

    ATL 74 – HOU 70ATL 78 – HOU 89

  5. Q4 · 9:39–4:44Biggest stretch
    Houston Rockets logoHouston Rockets22–2stretch

    ATL 93 – HOU 95ATL 95 – HOU 117

  6. Q4 · 4:44–17.7
    Atlanta Hawks logoAtlanta Hawks15–3stretch

    ATL 95 – HOU 117ATL 110 – HOU 120

Players who shaped the game

Player impact

From the box score
Atlanta Hawks logo

Atlanta Hawks

ATL
  1. Leading scorerJalen Johnson
    21PTS9REB4AST2STL2BLK
  2. Impact contributorCJ McCollum
    20PTS1REB3AST3STL0BLK
  3. Impact contributorOnyeka Okongwu
    11PTS9REB1AST2STL1BLK
Houston Rockets logo

Houston Rockets

HOU
  1. Leading scorerAlperen Sengun
    29PTS9REB9AST6STL1BLK
  2. Impact contributorKevin Durant
    22PTS9REB3AST1STL4BLK
  3. Impact contributorJabari Smith Jr.
    16PTS12REB5AST1STL1BLK

Team performance

Biggest advantages and setbacks

What the winner did best—and what it overcame

Advantages

  1. Total reboundsWinner edge

    Houston Rockets had a 17 edge in total rebounds.

    ATL 35HOU 52
  2. Field-goal shootingWinner edge

    Houston Rockets had a 10 percentage points edge in field-goal shooting.

    ATL 43%HOU 53%
  3. BlocksWinner edge

    Houston Rockets had a 5 edge in blocks.

    ATL 4HOU 9

Setbacks

  1. TurnoversOpponent edge

    Houston Rockets committed 9 more turnovers than Atlanta Hawks.

    ATL 13HOU 22

The numbers behind the win

Evidence

6 signals

Control of the glass

Houston owned the overall rebounding battle even though Atlanta collected one more offensive rebound.

Atlanta Hawks logoATL35
Houston Rockets logoHOU52

Defensive rebounding

The Rockets' overwhelming edge came on the defensive glass, where they consistently secured Atlanta's misses.

Atlanta Hawks logoATL22
Houston Rockets logoHOU40

Shooting efficiency

Houston paired its possession control with a major advantage in converting shots from the field.

Atlanta Hawks logoATL43%
Houston Rockets logoHOU53%

Paint scoring

The Rockets generated more interior scoring while shooting more efficiently overall.

Atlanta Hawks logoATL56
Houston Rockets logoHOU64

Points off turnovers

Despite committing more turnovers themselves, the Rockets extracted substantially more scoring from the turnovers they forced.

Atlanta Hawks logoATL19
Houston Rockets logoHOU32
Editorial turning point

Houston's 9-0 run from 6:06 to 3:44 in the third quarter

The Rockets turned a one-point deficit into an eight-point lead, took control for good and never allowed Atlanta back in front.

This game’s Winning DNA

How Houston Rockets got it done.

The winning formula behind this game.

Houston Rockets logo

Houston Rockets

Rebounding
35%
Superstar Performance
25%
Paint Dominance
20%
Defense
20%

Editorial weights for this game — not fan-vote percentages or official NBA statistics.

Team Comparison

Atlanta Hawks logoAtlanta Hawks110 PTSVSToyota Center (Houston)Houston Rockets logoHouston Rockets120 PTS
42-98FG43-81
11-393PT8-27
15-21FT26-32
35REB52
26AST31
10STL11
4BLK9
13TO22

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