The Atlanta Hawks went back on the road Tuesday night after a two-day rest, where they defeated the Miami Heat 127-115.
Every season, the final game before the trade deadline always holds more weight. In recent years, it’s been more active than ever, and half of the league is typically unsure where they’ll be come Thursday.
Well, the Hawks and Heat are both among the teams expected to be active in trade discussions over the next 48 hours, and the lineups that were on the floor Tuesday could look entirely different the next time they see each other.
All of the outside factors aside, a game was still to be played, and the teams needed to put their focus on what was directly in front of them. A matchup between two division rivals, no matter the point in the season, comes with plenty of storylines to follow.
Through 51 games, entering Tuesday night’s Eastern Conference showdown, the Hawks and Heat had only met once. In that late-2025 matchup, Miami capitalized on Atlanta’s struggling defense, putting together a strong all-around performance and securing an important victory.
The Hawks were intent on getting revenge. Regardless of who’s in or out of the lineup, picking up a win right before the deadline often serves as a huge morale boost.
That's especially the case when the player most likely to be dealt is out of the lineup. It wasn't expected, either. Kristaps Porzingis, Atlanta's center who's missed the previous 12 games with achilles tendinitis, was set to make his long-awaited return to action against the Heat.
Right before tip-off, however, Porzingis was downgraded to out with an illness. Already without Onyeka Okongwu, who's been out of the lineup ever since taking a brutal elbow to the face from Jaylen Brown, the Hawks were forced to rely on their very thin frontcourt to establish dominance and anchor a win.
The young Hawks excelled, raising speculation about KP's availability.
They've looked solid on both ends of the floor when Porzingis has played, no doubt, but this stretch without him has helped the young bigs blossom into their current roles.
Christian Koloko, Mo Gueye, and Asa Newell were all thrown into the fire Tuesday night in Miami, each given an opportunity to showcase their underrated abilities against a proven Heat interior.
Bam Adebayo and Kel'el Ware are tough covers, but the young Hawks never gave them a chance to get started. Despite both of them seeing most of their looks come from the inside, they shot a combined 8-26 from the field.
Putting it simply, the Hawks dominated this one. Inside and out, Atlanta was able to score with ease and physically outmatch their opponent.
As the trade deadline rapidly approaches, they'll be met with many questions, with the most consistent one revolving around what they should do with Kristaps Porzingis. Him getting moved isn't a certainty, but the timing of him being ruled out should definitely raise eyebrows.
Atlanta's dominance inside the arc, which led to a big win over a division rival, may have been the last thing the organization needed to see before shipping him off.