The Atlanta Hawks are preparing to host the Detroit Pistons coming off of a disappointing loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers. It was a game that saw no Hawks starters shoot crack 42 percent shooting and the team shoot a combined 10-of-34 from beyond the arc. This was also their second loss to the Cavs this month.
Of course, the first was just a preseason contest in which the Hawks were without Trae Young as he dealt with a quad contusion.
They had their full complement of starters this time around. But not everyone played up to snuff. Big money forward John Collins earned the ‘dud’ of the game. That was mostly due to heightened expectations that come with his new financial status.
There was another starter, however, that deserves just as much, if not more, criticism for their performance on Saturday.
One that should respond well on Monday against Detroit.
Atlanta Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic should be in for a solid outing against the Pistons
Bogdan Bogdanovic had an okay night in the season-opening win against the Dallas Mavericks. He had 11 points on 50 percent shooting and was 3-of-5 from downtown. Bogi also had three rebounds, two assists, and a steal in a well-rounded performance. That was not the case in the Hawks second game of the season.
The five-year NBA veteran had just five points, two rebounds, and two assists against the Cavs.
He shot 28.6 percent from the floor and1-of-3 from deep. It was just his fifth time with five or fewer points in a Hawks uniform and 12 with fewer than 10 points in the regular season.
There were some positives for Bogdanovic, however, and they came on the defensive end. Opponents were just 1-of-9 shooting which may come as a surprise as he sported the worst net rating on the team.
Another reason for optimism is Bogdaovic’s history. While it is a very small sample size — two games to be exact — he did follow his last single-digit outing as a starter in the regular season with a 22-point, six-assist performance against the Phoenix Suns that also saw him record four boards and four steals.
Finally is his track record against the Pistons.
In seven career games (three starts), he’s averaged 13.7 points on 44.2 percent shooting from the floor and 41.0 percent from three to go with 3.6 assists and 2.9 rebounds. Last season Bogdanovic averaged 17.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists in two games.
Detroit is 0-2 with both losses coming against the Chicago Bulls. In those games, Bulls starting shooting guard Zach LaVine went for 34 points in their opener and then 14 the second time.
Bogdanovic only had two 30-point outings last season and the Hawks are even healthier to start this season. So his ceiling is likely somewhere in between those of LaVine. That would still be a welcomed bounce-back performance.