On Monday night in Atlanta, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reminded everyone why he is one of the league’s most unstoppable guards. He poured in 39 points and steered the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 140-129 win over a short-handed Hawks team that would not go away. It was the Thunder’s 24th victory of the season, and it handed Atlanta its seventh straight loss, dropping the Hawks to 15-19.

This game had two clear stories: the Thunder’s power in the paint and the Hawks’ hot shooting from deep. The difference came after halftime, when Oklahoma City flipped the tempo, tightened up, and blitzed Atlanta with a dominant third quarter.

How the night unfolded: early sparks, late separation

Atlanta started fast and fearless, even with three key starters out. The Hawks led 38-35 after the first quarter thanks to a deep, buzzer-beating 45-footer from Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who was on fire all night and finished with 30 points.

At the break, the Hawks still held a 74-70 edge after an 8-foot jumper from Dyson Daniels. Oklahoma City felt the urgency. The Thunder came out of the locker room with purpose and force, and that changed everything.

“How do you hit 25 threes and still lose? Two words: paint pressure.”

SGA sets the tone, again

Gilgeous-Alexander scored 15 in the first quarter to keep Oklahoma City close and then chipped in nine more during the game’s key run in the third. He mixed stops and starts with tough finishes, getting to his spots with ease. When he plays at this pace and with this patience, he turns the game into a simple read-and-react exercise for his teammates.

SGA’s control shows up in the numbers that matter most. Oklahoma City won the paint 70-36. That pressure bent Atlanta’s defense and kept the Thunder in front even as the Hawks rained threes.

The third-quarter blitz: 30-11 burst breaks it open

The Thunder outscored the Hawks 43-29 in the third. The heart of it was a 30-11 rush that shoved the lead to 100-85. Gilgeous-Alexander drove it, and Lu Dort added timely punch with six points in that stretch. Oklahoma City found better balance, moved the ball, and pounded the rim. Atlanta, missing creators like Trae Young and size up front, could not slow the tide.

Even so, the Hawks refused to fold. They cut the lead to 106-103 at one point and later to 129-125, but the Thunder closed the door with steady half-court execution in the final minutes.

“SGA is a closer. Every time Atlanta made a push, he answered with pace and poise.”

Hawks short-handed, but not short on fight

Atlanta played without Trae Young (quad), Jalen Johnson (illness), and Kristaps Porzingis (illness). That is a lot of missing shot creation and rim protection. Still, the Hawks found energy and shot-making from their depth.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker caught fire from the jump, and his 45-foot heave to end the first quarter set a tone. Onyeka Okongwu battled all night in the paint, finishing with 26 points and 14 rebounds. He kept possessions alive and gave the Hawks a target around the rim when the threes cooled, even a little.

Shooting was the lifeline. Atlanta hit 25 of 54 from three (46.3%). The two teams combined to let fly 86 times from deep. Yet, the Hawks managed only five fast-break points, and that slow pace favored the more physical, more balanced Thunder in the half court.

Perimeter vs. paint: the math problem that decided it

Atlanta’s threes were loud, but Oklahoma City’s paint points were louder. The Thunder’s 70-36 edge inside was the cleanest read of the game. It came from drives, cuts, and second-chance touches that wore down a thin Hawks front line. When OKC needed a basket, it rarely settled. That decision-making is winning basketball.

Meanwhile, the Hawks leaned on jumpers. It kept them close, but it also meant every miss had more weight. A few empty trips during the Thunder’s third-quarter sprint created separation that Atlanta could not erase, no matter how many deep shots fell.

“Okongwu earned a game ball. But without rim help, those Thunder drives were a flood.”

Closing time: poise wins out

Give the Hawks credit. They chopped a 15-point hole down to three at 106-103, and they were within four at 129-125 late. But Oklahoma City outlasted them. The Thunder edged the fourth 27-26, hit the shots they needed, and controlled the glass enough to limit second chances. Gilgeous-Alexander’s calm reads and Dort’s two-way play steadied the group.

For a young Thunder team, this is exactly the type of road win that travels into spring. It was not perfect. It did not need to be. When they locked in, they dictated the terms of play.

Numbers that tell the story

• Final: Thunder 140, Hawks 129.
• SGA: 39 points, including 15 in the first quarter and nine during the third-quarter surge.
• Nickeil Alexander-Walker: 30 points, including a 45-foot bomb to end the first.
• Onyeka Okongwu: 26 points, 14 rebounds.
• Third quarter: Thunder 43, Hawks 29; 30-11 run to a 100-85 lead.
• From deep: Hawks 25/54 (46.3%), Thunder 12/32 (37.5%); 86 combined attempts.
• In the paint: Thunder 70, Hawks 36.
• Halftime: Hawks 74-70 after Dyson Daniels’ 8-footer.

What it means and what’s next

For Oklahoma City, this was win No. 24 and another reminder that their formula plays anywhere: defend, drive, and trust SGA to make the right read. When the Thunder own the paint and keep their turnover count in check, they look like a top-tier team in the West.

For Atlanta, there is toughness here even in a seventh straight loss. The shooting was real, and Okongwu’s night was a bright spot. But without Trae Young and the rest of the missing starters, the margin for error is thin. They will need more paint resistance and more easy points in transition to stop the slide.

The schedule turns quickly. The Hawks host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, a test for their defense and their defensive glass. The Thunder return home the same night to face the Portland Trail Blazers, aiming to stack another win and keep building momentum.

On a cold December night, the Thunder found heat where it counts most — right at the rim — and their star shined brightest when the game tilted. That is a winning mix, and it traveled well in Atlanta.