SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On Monday evening, the Atlanta Hawks secured a thrilling 109-108 victory against the undermanned Sacramento Kings, largely thanks to De’Andre Hunter’s impressive 24-point performance and Dyson Daniels’ pivotal four blocks, including a crucial stop in the dying seconds of the game.

Daniels’ late-game defensive effort against Kings’ star player De’Aaron Fox was key to the Hawks’ win, which saw them narrowly edge out their opponents after a series of lead changes in the closing minutes. Trae Young provided a significant playmaking presence with 19 assists, while Clint Capela contributed with a double-double of 14 points and 14 rebounds, capping off the scoring for Atlanta with the final three points to give them a critical 109-106 lead with under two minutes remaining.

On the other side, Keon Ellis shone for Sacramento, putting up a career-high 33 points, including nine successful shots from beyond the arc, showcasing an exceptional scoring performance. However, the Kings were playing without several key players, including Domantas Sabonis (back injury), DeMar DeRozan (also dealing with back issues), and Malik Monk (right ankle sprain). Sacramento held a 66-64 advantage at halftime despite having started the game sluggishly, finding themselves trailing 22-6 early on.

For the Hawks, it was a welcome boost to have some of their rotational players back on the court, with both Bogdan Bogdanovic and Kobe Bufkin making their season debuts. Bogdanovic, who had missed time due to a right hamstring injury, came off the bench to score six points, while Bufkin contributed five points to the team’s efforts.

One notable moment in the game was when Daniels managed to strip Fox of the ball as he attempted a shot from the left wing in the frantic final moments, sealing the game for the Hawks. The young player, who has consistently disrupted opposing offenses this season with steals in 12 straight games, rounded off his performance with 14 points and eight rebounds.

Interestingly, the Hawks were able to secure the win even with Trae Young scoring only seven points, as he focused on facilitating plays, finishing just one assist away from tying his career high while taking only seven shots in the match.

Looking ahead, the Kings will face the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday, while the Hawks are set to visit the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday.