Onieka Okongwu becomes the first NBA player since 1991’s Moses Malone to accomplish the unreal feat
Atlanta The Hawks went to Boston once more this season as big underdogs and defeated the Celtics in overtime 119-115. Much like the last time they met, Onieka Okongwu was a big part of the win, finishing the game with 19 points and 13 rebounds.
Okongwu generally had a big week, like him recorded three consecutive double-doubles coming off the bench, and he is the first Hawk player to accomplish the feat since Moses Malone in 1991, according to NBA statistics.
Okongwu opened the week with 22 points and 21 rebounds against the Phoenix Suns. With that stat, he became the first Hawks bench player to record at least 20 points and 20 boards in a single game. After that game, Okongwu spoke about his performance and what made him dominate the boards.
“I was just being aggressive,” Okongwu said. “We were short some guys, so my team needed me to be more aggressive and I was able to do enough to help the team win.”
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“He’s strong, so he’s got room,” Quinn Snyder said. “When he doesn’t have an angle, he has a great touch. It shoots a little buoy and is hard to stop. He shoots fast, he’s sure of that shot, and we’re sure he’ll make it. Another thing is that he has great hands. He has a lot of advice. He may not be able to get the rebound, but he is able to put it in.”
The next day, The Hawks defeated the Chicago Bullsand Okongwu finished with 14 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists. Okongwu once again went all out for the Hawks, but this time he found ways to get his teammates involved.
Okongwu has shown his versatility on both sides of the ball throughout his career, and it’s no surprise that he does.
2025-01-19 16:47:00
