Atlanta Hawks pregame against preseason opponent Miami Heat
The Atlanta Hawks tip off their preseason action today at 6pm against the Miami Heat, and all eyes will be on the key matchup of both teams’ new rookies.
Standing at 6’10”, 236lbs from Wake Forest University, in the red corner we have the representative from the ATL, one of the faces of the future, John Collins. And in the blue corner, standing at 6’10” and 245lbs from the University of Kentucky, representing South Beach, Edrice “Bam” Adebayo.
If you are not excited about this matchup, you should be. The hype surrounding these two young men is no joke, and tonight’s game will allow both of them their first experiences against vetted NBA caliber players. It will be up to both to outshine one another and prove they can ball with the best.
Related Story: Dennis Schroder arrested for misdemeanor battery
Adebayo put on a clinic at the Orlando Summer League, while Collins lit up the highlight reel in Las Vegas. Although we don’t know if Mike Budenholzer and Erik Spoelstra will match the two up against one another, fans will still be hopeful of getting a glimpse of both young talents.
The Hawks traveled to Miami yesterday after finishing their training camp at the University of Georgia in Athens. Most notably, Dennis Schroder also went down to Florida with the team following his altercation over the weekend. The fact that he was able to travel means that there is likely no legal implication regarding the incident, but the Hawks may handle any other business regarding it internally.
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Schroder will go head to head with fellow EuroBasket standout Goran Dragic as both floor generals will look to get their team into a rhythm quickly. The Hawks will have a few faces making their debuts this evening and Coach Bud will get his first real look at what he’s working with heading into the season.
A fully healthy Kent Bazemore is also ready to get back to the grind as he will face up against Dion Waiters. Waiters caught fire in the second half of the season last year; Bazemore will have his hands full on the defensive end and will need to have a productive outing on offense to match.
The outcome of the game will be of little importance to Coach Bud and company, as he and his staff will take this valuable opportunity to gauge his players’ abilities and how he might be planning on using them.
Will John Collins make the power forward role his? Will he slot into the 5 in a small ball lineup? Will Taurean Prince be able to stretch the floor while also being able to play bully ball inside? Will DeAndre’ Bembry get a more expanded role at both the 2 and the 1? All of these and more will be talking points for the skipper during and after the game.
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The action will be televised on NBATV at 6pm, followed by the Los Angeles Clippers going up against the Toronto Raptors at 10pm. Grab your popcorn and drinks ladies and gentlemen, because the Atlanta Hawks are back!