Hawks defeat Warriors, secure playoff position in East

The Atlanta Hawks defeated the Golden State Warriors 124-115 on Saturday, earning a split in their season series. Trae Young led the Hawks with 25 points and recorded his 41st double-double of the season. He also had 10 assists and shot 9-for-15 from the field. The Warriors played without their star player, Stephen Curry, who is out due to a left pelvic contusion. Curry suffered the injury during a game against Toronto on Thursday. Despite his absence, Jimmy Butler III led Golden State with 25 points. Georges Niang contributed 23 points off the bench for the Hawks, while Onyeka Okongwu added a double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds. The Hawks are currently on a hot streak, winning six of their last eight games and holding a 1.5-game lead over Orlando for the No. 7 spot in the Eastern Conference. Golden State's two-game winning streak was snapped with this loss. The Warriors remain in a close race for playoff positioning, holding a half-game lead over both the L.A. Clippers and the Minnesota Timberwolves for the No. 6 spot in the Western Conference. Atlanta had a strong start, shooting 65.4 percent in the first quarter and building a 20-point lead early on. They maintained control throughout the game, although the Warriors managed to narrow the gap at times. In addition, the Hawks announced that backup center Clint Capela will be out for 3-4 weeks due to ligament damage in his left hand.