Atlanta Hawks: 5 Expectations for 1st Game of 2018-19 Regular Season
By Chris Guest
Big Men Will Frequent the Perimeter
Much like the modern NBA in general, the Atlanta Hawks big man rotation will spend a lot of time on the perimeter in their first game of the season — and for the rest of the season for that matter.
Like Dewayne Dedmon before him, fill-in starting center Alex Len made 7 three-pointers in the preseason, which is 1 more than he’s made in his entire regular season career (which spans 5 seasons) at this point.
When Dedmon returns, fans can expect him to continue to showcase a newfound focus on the three-point stroke as well.
Rookie Omari Spellman, on the other hand, is known for his springy athleticism and rock-solid longe-range jumper, which was likely the reason why he was drafted at 30th overall by the Hawks — a move that was seen as a stretch by many experts.
As such, you can expect all Atlanta Hawks big men to spread the floor in the 2018-19 season, as the Hawks have fully embraced the modern NBA’s fascination with small ball at this juncture – especially since NBA legend Vince Carter is now solely a power forward.
PSA for everyone that hasn't seen the Hawks in the preseason.
— Brad Rowland (@BTRowland) October 15, 2018
Vince Carter is now exclusively a power forward.
What a time to be alive.