The Highest Points Scored Against the Atlanta Hawks In NBA History

Throughout NBA history, the Atlanta Hawks have found themselves on the wrong end of some truly legendary offensive performances. From Wilt's dominance in the early '60s to modern-day shooters torching the mesh, these five performances stand as moments of individual dominance.

In arguably his greatest game as a member of the Mavericks, Luka Dončić posted the most points in a game versus the Hawks with 73 points on January 26, 2024, becoming the fourth person to drop 72 points or more. The Slovenian guard shot an amazing 25–33 from the field and 8–13 from three-point range, adding 10 rebounds and 7 assists in just 45 minutes. Of the 73 points, 41 came in the first half of the Mavs' 148–143 victory. 

As a member of the Philadelphia Warriors, Chamberlain owned the St. Louis Hawks (among many others during his career) throughout the 1961–62 season, recording three of the top seven performances against the franchise. On January 17, 1962, Wilt put up 62 points and 23 rebounds. A month later, his best performance against the Hawks came on February 17, 1962, when he finished the night with 67 points and 28 rebounds in a surprising 128–121 loss. Ten days later, he followed up with 65 points and 23 boards. *Chamberlain would add in a pair of 61-point games, one on February 22 and one the following season on December 18. 

On April 16, 1987, Jordan delivered a playoff-caliber performance with 61 points for the Chicago Bulls, shooting 22–38 from the field. MJ added 10 rebounds, 4 steals, and a block in 41 minutes. Unfortunately, aside from Charles Oakley’s 19 points, Jordan didn’t have much help in terms of scoring as the Bulls fell to the Hawks, 117–114. The Bulls would struggle throughout the regular season, finishing 17 games behind the Hawks in the Central Division, finishing eighth in the Eastern Conference with a 40–42 record. 

There are many nights in which Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry takes over the SportsCenter highlight reels, with February 3, 2024, being one of those nights. Curry was on fire, cooking up 60 points for the Warriors, going 22–38 from the field, and draining 10 three-pointers. Curry's scoring explosion came in just 41 minutes with perfect free-throw shooting (6–6). Unlike Dončić's effort, which came just a week earlier, Curry's Warriors fell 141–134. 

On November 30, 2019, James Harden torched Atlanta with 60 points for the Houston Rockets in only 31 minutes, shooting 16–24 from the field, 8–14 from deep, and 20–23 from the line. Harden’s efficient shooting percentages and +50 plus-minus made this one of the most dominant performances ever.