Takeaways from the Atlanta Hawks win against the Cleveland Cavaliers

The Atlanta Hawks had a much-improved outing in their preseason game against the Cavaliers, as Mike Budenholzer drew plenty of pros and cons from the contest.

The Atlanta Hawks, now 1-1 in preseason after beating the Cavaliers 109-93 at the Quicken Loans Arena, are quickly finding an identity as they get ready for the regular season. Coach Bud and the coaching staff will have drawn many positives from the game, but there are still areas that need improvements before the regular season tips off.

Coach Bud put out the same starting 5 as before, and it’s fully expected that Dennis Schroder, Kent Bazemore, Taurean Prince, Ersan Ilyasova, and Dewayne Dedmon will be the first line for the Hawks at least for the start of the season. Each of the starters, barring Bazemore, and several of the bench brigade had moments of revelation on Wednesday night.

Dedmon was once again exceptional on the offensive side of the ball. Screens, pick and rolls to the basket, a brilliant two-man game, oh, and he hit his first ever 3-point field goal. The 7-footer defines athleticism, as he owned the paint and was active on the glass, finishing up with a final box score of 13 points and 4 boards in 20 minutes.

He will cause problems for teams on the offensive end no doubt, but his defense is a far cry from his offensive acumen. During his matchup against Kevin Love to start the game, he was completely outclassed as Love showed his range and then switched it up to drive to the hoop. Dedmon found it hard to stay in front of the newly converted center and really protect the rim, so that might be something for Budenholzer to attend to moving forward.

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Schroder also had a productive night going for 18 points of 7/15 shooting, 2/8 from behind the arc. He drove down the lane well and either dashed and dished to an open man for three (see Dewayne Dedmon’s 3-point conversion), or found his way to the rim to do what he does best. He let it go a lot more often from range, and Hawk fans should hope that is something he can incorporate in his repertoire which will make him a serious offensive threat.

Prince had the chance to bounce back, and boy did he. 23 minutes on the court saw him put up 15 points (5/7) and grab 8 boards while primarily guarding Dwyane Wade. Prince took the King’s Land by storm and came out on top with his Hawks. This performance should boost his morale heading into the next game where he will look to maintain the rhythm.

Ilyasova and Bazemore both had quiet nights for the most part, recording 5 and 7 points, respectively, in about 20 minutes of action. Ilyasova was tasked with guarding Jae Crowder while Bazemore took on J.R. Smith. Although neither of them were able to make significant defensive stops, they showed signs of promise alongside the others’ stellar performances.

From featured bench play, John Collins was on pace to have another solid night filling in at the 5 with 4 points and 3 boards in 14 minutes before having to retire early to the locker room after he got entangled with Richard Jefferson under the hoop in the third quarter. He suffered a right shoulder sprain, but it’s not believed to be too serious as of now.

Both Tyler Dorsey and Malcolm Delaney seemed much more comfortable this go around. It is important for both to find their groove by mid-October so that Coach Bud knows he can rely on them in the rotation and as he experiments with who plays where and when.

Quinn Cook also looked nice and lively at the end of the game again and will definitely make an impression if he continues to show that kind of play at every opportunity he gets. And we would be remiss if we didn’t mention the spectacular night that Mr. Luke Babbitt had at stretch 4.

Actually, forget stretch 4, he was playing more of a streeeeetch 4. Going 3/5 from downtown, Babs caught fire and poured in 9 quick points, and was often wide open for more chances while the point guard drove down the lane. It was evident that he liked to get to his spots and shoot the rock at every opportunity.

Budenholzer will love that type of play from the new #8, and should Babbitt keep it up, he might be looking at a nod to the starting lineup ahead of Ilyasova. Coach Bud isn’t afraid to bench his expected starters if another player is showing more promise, and he will be quick to make an adjustment if Babbitt lives up to his full potential.

With positive narratives aplenty, there is always room for improvement. For one, the Hawks are still very poor in defensive transition and at times the Cavaliers seemed to cut through the Hawks like a sharp knife through soft cheese. The defense in rotation also needs to improve. The Cavaliers ball movement, much like the Heat’s, proved to be the Hawks’ undoing at times.

Next: What the first preseason game told us about the Hawks offense

But of course, who wants to end on a sour note? The Hawks took their first preseason victory and the players will feel good about their outings and look forward to doing it again on Oct. 6 at 7:00pm EST against the Detroit Pistons (0-1) at the Little Caesars Arena.