The Atlanta Hawks lost their second game of the season to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday night, 109-117, moving to 3-4 on the season. This was the team’s second game without Trae Young, who sprained his MCL last Wednesday. The Cavaliers were also shorthanded, playing without Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen.
The Cavaliers’ complete lack of offensive identity without Donovan Mitchell on the floor allowed the Hawks to stay in the game. Still, the Hawks’ weaknesses without Young were too much to overcome.
The Hawks experienced a slow offensive start to the game, committing an abysmally high nine turnovers in the first quarter. Many of these turnovers were just foolish mistakes, including slipping on the floor and embarrassingly lazy passes. Cleveland capitalized on this opportunity, dropping 27 fastbreak points as Atlanta’s transition defense struggled yet again.
Shooting woes also bit the team in the tail, as they shot just 26.1% from three point range and 71.7% from the free throw line. These marks were good for 9.0% and 23.0% less than Cleveland’s respective totals. When you’re getting outshot to this extent, it is nearly impossible to grind out a win.
This game was still a positive sign for Atlanta’s brief stint without Young
Unlike some of the Hawks’ losses, however, the team showed a real identity and a clear path to winning games. Atlanta dominated in the paint and on the glass, putting up 60 points in the paint and 59 rebounds compared to Cleveland’s totals of 34 and 48, respectively.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker was the only player who looked somewhat comfortable in Young’s role as he continues his incredible start to the season. His stat line didn’t jump off the page, tallying a modest 16 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists. This understates his value to the team, though; Alexander-Walker has been an essential part of the offense by developing into a shockingly strong creator.
His night wasn’t perfect, as he shot 3-11 from the field and 0-4 from three-point range, while also committing five turnovers. Alexander-Walker will have to polish these mistakes, but the path to improvement seems fairly straightforward.
Jalen Johnson, as expected, was Atlanta’s clear best player, dropping 23 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists, and one steal as the clear dominant scoring threat. His ability to draw the defense and finish and create while drawing the attention of multiple defenders will be the crux of Atlanta’s offense without Trae.