Onyeka Okongwu becomes first NBA player since 1991 Moses Malone to complete unreal feat
01/19/2025 11:47 AM
The Atlanta Hawks once again went into Boston this season as big underdogs and defeated the Celtics in overtime 119-115. Similar to the last time they faced each other, Onyeka Okongwu was a big part of the win, and he finished the game with 19 points and 13 rebounds.
Okongwu has had a big week in general, as he’s recorded three consecutive double-doubles coming off the bench, and he’s the first Hawk player to achieve this feat since Moses Malone in 1991, according to NBA stats.
Okongwu started the week off with 22 points and 21 rebounds against the Phoenix Suns. With that stat line, 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 led him to dominate on the boards.
"I was just being aggressive," Okongwu said. "We were down some guys so my team needed me to be more aggressive out there and I was able to do enough to help the team win."
"He's strong, so he's got space," Quin Snyder said. "When he doesn't have an angle, he has a great touch. He shoots a little floater and it's hard to stop. He shoots it quickly, he's confident in that shot, and we're confident in him taking it. The other thing is that he's got great hands. He comes up with a lot of tip-ins. Maybe he can't secure the rebound, but he's able to tip it in."
The next day, the Hawks defeated the Chicago Bulls, and Okongwu finished with 14 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists. Okongwu once again did it all for the Hawks, but this time, he found ways to get his teammates involved.
Okongwu has shown flashes over his career of the versatility that he provides on both sides of the ball, and it doesn’t feel like a surprise that he’s doing this.
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