Takeaways and Player Grades: Hawks Secure Big Road Win vs 76ers

The Hawks return from All-Star break to get a much needed win on the road.

Feb 19, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) drives between Philadelphia 76ers guard Vj Edgecombe (77) and forward Dominick Barlow (25) during the first quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

With All-Star Weekend ending, it's time that we get back to the NBA Playoffs push to end the season, and tonight, the Hawks began that with a road trip to Philadelphia to play the Sixers. The Hawks would nearly dominate this one in its entirety before nearly blowing a fourth-quarter lead. Let's take a look at what transpired in a bounce-back win for Atlanta.

Hawks Win! pic.twitter.com/gpBIkX1YDK

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) February 20, 2026

1. Offense ran fluently

Zacch another follow dunk ‼️ pic.twitter.com/hzOKunwTmE

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) February 20, 2026

The Hawks' key to victory in this game was their team's offensive performance. In the first half, Johnson scored 17 of his 32 points, and the Hawks scored 64 points to go along with a season high 25 free throw attempts. McCollum, who came off the bench, scored 23 points, and Zaccharie Risacher also had a solid offensive showing, shooting 50% from the field and 50% from three-point range to score 10 points while grabbing seven rebounds. Atlanta would also do a good job of making the Sixers pay for their turnovers, as they score 22 points off their turnovers. The Hawks lead the season series against Philly 3-0.

2. Huge fourth quarter

Feb 19, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard CJ McCollum (3) dribbles the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The Hawks pushed the pace more in the fourth quarter and throughout the game, which, in turn, helped them get a much-needed win. In the first half, the Hawks matched a season high with 21 fast-break points, and then passed that in the second half, finishing with 25 fast-break points and making much of their damage off second-chance points, as they scored 27. Atlanta also made a statement tonight, scoring 54 points in the paint as Philly couldn't stop them from getting inside because of a lack of size.

3. Jalen Johnson dominates

Defense to Offense with JJ & DD ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/MjLF0sdycP

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) February 20, 2026

Johnson was a mismatch for the Sixers tonight, as he dominated them from the start, mainly because of his size; he was constantly switched on and took advantage of the Sixers' lack of size. Johnson nearly had a triple-double and dominated on both ends of the court as he finished with three steals and a block.

Player Grades

Feb 19, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) drives against Philadelphia 76ers guard Vj Edgecombe (77) during the first quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Jalen Johnson: B

Stats: 32 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and three steals

While Johnson had a solid performance overall, his main issue was his lack of three-point shooting: he went 0/5 from beyond the arc and turned the ball over four times. While this brought the teams close in the fourth quarter, the Hawks were able to win, and Johnson dominated for the most part.

CJ McCollum: A-

Stats: 23 points, five assists, two steals, and one block

McCollum turned in another high-scoring night off the bench, which is what Atlanta brought him in to do. He was wildly efficient and got to his spots with ease in both the mid range and three-point range.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker: C+

Stats: 14 points, four assists, three rebounds, three steals

Offensively, Alexander-Walker struggled with shooting the basketball as he 36% from the field and 28% from three-point range. However, he finished among the top five scorers for the Hawks and played a much-needed defensive role for them, despite his shot not falling as efficiently.

Onyeka Okongwu: C

Stats: eight points, nine rebounds, and two assists

Okongwu played a solid game for Atlanta, shooting the ball efficiently from the field. From three point range, he wasn't himself as he went 0/3 and nearly fouled out with five fouls.

Dyson Daniels: B-

Stats: 15 points, seven rebounds, two assists, one steal

Daniels made a huge impact tonight, in a way we don't usually see from him: offensively, scoring 15 points on 58% shooting from the field. His free-throw and three-point shooting, however, remain a problem, as he missed both three-point attempts and made one of his three free-throw attempts. Defensively, Daniels continues to dominate on that end as he made Maxey shoot 34% from the field and 36% from three-point range.