Hawks’ Nickeil Alexander-Walker drops ‘partner in crime’ line on Jalen Johnson connection

ATLANTA – Sound the alarm if this one sounds familiar: Jalen Johnson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker closed out the game for the Atlanta Hawks in the fourth quarter. That noise is probably ringing, because that’s what the duo did once again, this time to defeat the Sacramento Kings 123-113.

The game was tied at 97 midway through the fourth, and from there, Johnson and Alexander-Walker either scored or assisted on all of the Hawks’ points for the remainder of the game. The two have shown growth in their roles over the course of this season, and they’ve learned how to play off of each other while not stepping on any toes.

“Him and I talk all the time,” Alexander-Walker said after the game. “It’s been cool to band together and really try to figure out how to win. For both of us, it’s our first time in this position, and I think we’ve been leaning on each other to grow. 

“Sometimes it feels like we want that other person to go be aggressive, which is cool to have someone who’s in your corner. Telling you to go get it, telling you to be aggressive. Having a partner in crime with him, I’m enjoying it. I’m learning a lot, we’re growing together. It’s fun.”

NAW and Jalen scored or assisted on every bucket down the stretch from when the game was tied at 97. I asked NAW how it’s been playing alongside Jalen:

“Him and I talk all the time. It’s been cool to band together and really try to figure out how to win. For both of us, it’s… pic.twitter.com/oOBwR7HHOJ

— Malik Brown (@_MalikATL) March 29, 2026

Johnson started the run with five straight points, then Alexander-Walker hit back-t0-back three-pointers to give the Hawks an 11-point lead. Nickeil got an-and one, Johnson made a three-pointer, and then he had two assists to Jock Landale and CJ McCollum.

To seal the deal, Alexander-Walker assisted Johnson on a three-pointer that led them to victory.

“We have a number of guys that are attacking late in the game,” Quin Snyder said. “Sometimes it requires a lot of communication on their part. They’re all so unselfish, and they just want the right result. Both of those guys’ confidence is really high as far as making a play, whether it’s a shot or they’re finding each other. I think that’s the best part about it.”

The Hawks came into this game with a few injuries to their key players, as Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu, and Jonathan Kuminga all were sidelined. That meant it was next man up mentality, and guys stepped up where they needed to.

“We knew guys were hurt. We were undermanned tonight,” Alexander-Walker said. “But it was a great opportunity for our reserves and our guys that don’t really get as much time to build a rhythm. I think it’s important that everyone has some sense of game reps. You never know what you’re going to need. You never know the adjustments. For me, being able to go into some deep runs, I’ve learned that it can be the most random guy who can just save a game.”

For the Hawks, that random guy may have been Jock Landale, who started in place of Okongwu and finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds. Landale didn’t play against the Boston Celtics because of a shoulder impingement, but he noted that it’s an injury that he’ll just have to play through.

“I think that we’ve done a really good job of just figuring out our identity and our play style as a first and second unit,” Landale said. “That has definitely translated into the win column, and at home, that’s been a big benefit. We’ve definitely played a lot of teams at the bottom of the table in the East and West, and we got some tough ones coming up. So hopefully, we can continue that streak against some of the better teams in the NBA.”

 The Hawks will be up to one of those tests again in two days, as they face the Boston Celtics in a rematch. 

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