Instant Takeaways From The Atlanta Hawks Loss Against The Charlotte Hornets

The Atlanta Hawks lose a nail-biter against the rival Charlotte Hornets.

Dec 18, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) drives past Charlotte Hornets forward Koa Knueppel (7) during the first half at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images | Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images

Coming into this game, the Atlanta Hawks were coming off a nice win from a few days prior, where they took a 2-0 season series lead against the Philadelphia 76ers and were looking to do the same in this one tonight against the Charlotte Hornets. Although things didn't exactly end as many predicted, the Hawks did put up a fight and made things enjoyable towards the end, but ultimately fell short in the clutch against an offensively hot Hornets team.

Fought til the end pic.twitter.com/Uk91NNpwS8

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 19, 2025

1. Defense struggles again

Dec 3, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) drives against New York Knicks guard Miles McBride (2) in the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

While this was one of the more winnable games on the Hawks' schedule, it sure didn't look like it, as the Hawks were giving up way too many open three-pointers. In the first half, they allowed the Hornets to make 18 three-pointers and shoot 59% from the field and 58% from three-point range. This would continue into the second half, as the Hornets would finish making 24 three-pointers with Lamelo Ball scoring 21 first-half points and closing the game on a solo seven-point scoring spree to finish with 28 points and 13 assists.

2. Trae Young looks decent his first game back

Atlanta's Trae Young – out since Oct. 29 with a sprained MCL – will make his return tonight against the Charlotte Hornets, sources tell ESPN. The Hawks went 13-9 without Young and now get their starting point guard back.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 18, 2025

The biggest news coming into this game was that the Hawks' All-Star point guard was coming back into the lineup after missing nearly two months of action. Young was on a minutes restriction tonight, as he was coming off an MCL sprain, and finished playing 20 minutes to go along with a near double-double of eight points and 10 assists, but could have been better as Young went 0-5 from three-point range.

3. Nickeil Alexander-Walker

Nickeil Alexander-Walker tonight:

28 Points
8 Rebounds
2 Assists
11/18 FGM
4/9 3PM
2/2 FTM
+23 +/-
34 Minutes pic.twitter.com/P7DY0KqpoQ

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) December 19, 2025

One of Atlanta's more consistent bright spots this season, and tonight, was Alexander-Walker, as he helped get things going offensively. In the first half, Alexander-Walker scored 18 points and grabbed five rebounds, which continued into the second half as he scored 10 more points to finish with an efficient stat line of 28 points, eight rebounds, and two assists on shooting splits of 61/100/44%.

4. Near 4th quarter comeback and Jalen Johnson

Dec 18, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) passes against Charlotte Hornets forward Moussa Diabate (14) during the second half at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images | Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images

Even though Atlanta got off to a weak start, they would find a way to answer back when it mattered most in the fourth quarter, as the Hawks would go on a 15-7 run in the fourth quarter and would eventually cut the lead to one point, but fell short. Johnson, however, finished the game with nearly his fifth straight triple-double this month alone, as he scored 41 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and dished out nine assists, with one steal and one block on efficient shooting splits of 59/44/100%.