Hawks edge Thunder in tight finish, Southeast Division roundup

Hawks hold on for narrow win and first place

The lone Southeast Division team in action on Monday made its game count. The Atlanta Hawks squeezed past the Oklahoma City Thunder 113-110, pushing their record to 3-1 in the division standings.

That close win keeps Atlanta as the only Southeast team to reach three victories at this early stage of the season. In a division where the pack is tightly bunched, every cross-conference matchup can matter, and this one breaks in the Hawks’ favor to solidify their grip on first place.

Hornets, Heat, Magic and Wizards stay idle

The Charlotte Hornets had the night off and remain at 1-1. Their start is perfectly balanced through two games. Off the court, Hoops Rumors notes the Hornets among the topics in its latest "Eastern Notes" column, which touches on several Eastern Conference storylines, though the summary provided doesn’t spell out the specifics for Charlotte.

The Miami Heat were also idle and stay at 2-1, keeping them within one win of Atlanta at the top of the division and in solid early-season position.

The Orlando Magic, still 1-1, and the Washington Wizards, at 2-1, were similarly off the schedule. Orlando continues its split start, while Washington remains tied with Miami in the win column, just behind the Hawks. With none of those three teams playing in the last 24 hours, the Southeast Division picture behind Atlanta holds steady for at least another day.