Atlanta Hawks studs and duds as defense, three-ball fail at home

Atlanta Hawks stud as three-ball fails at home: Onyeka Okongwu played early and rather often in return

Second-year big man Onyeka Okongwu was greeted with a standing ovation as he took the floor for the first time this season. The former sixth-overall pick in the NBA Draft finished last season’s playoff run strong but missed the first 28 games of this year while recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.

He ended the night with 10 points while going 4-for-4 from the floor and notching two rebounds and a steal. His energy, which the Hawks have certainly been missing this season, was evident from the start.

Okongwu did, however, also get whistled for five fouls in under 14 minutes of action. That will certainly have to change.

This was still an overall successful night for Okongwu in his first game back.

He finished with a 33.3 defended field goal percentage, second-best on the team behind Gorgui Dieng who played fewer than two minutes in this one. Perhaps even more importantly, he finished the game healthy and saw his most action in the fourth quarter, getting over eight minutes in the loss.

Being on the wrong side of a blowout can have its benefits.

In a game where few players looked like they even wanted to participate the entire night, Okongwu’s modest first step this season could pay off in a big way later on in the season.

We saw how he came on in the postseason and, if things continue on the path they are currently on, the Hawks could be sellers at the trade deadline and could move some of their vets like Danilo Gallinari which would open up some minutes at the four.