Losses are inevitable in the NBA, and for the Atlanta Hawks, they just suffered two of them back to back. Both came at the hands of Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets.
Along with his duo of rising stars in Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun, they answered two important questions about Atlanta’s new roster.
1. How good are the new Hawks in Coach Snyder’s system?
One key factor of the Hawks championships quest is if the new additions will make them competitive with true contenders.
The biggest contribution that Aaron Wiggins and Lu Dort will make to the Hawks is their championship experience come playoff time. So, it’s encouraging to see the two NBA champions are fitting into Head Coach Quin Snyder’s system this early.
Wiggins has taken the reins as the No.1 option off the bench and his aggression is already vital to the bench. He only had 12 points last game, but in just four games, he’s averaging 15.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists.
Not only are his averages pretty, but he also has a gorgeous 53.5% field goal percentage. On top of his FG percentage, he’s spreading the floor with a 48.0% percent from the three-point line.
The 27-year-old proved to be a reliable scorer for the Oklahoma City Thunder, so barring any injuries, he could maintain this consistency all season. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for his five-year running mate.
Dort has struggled from the field, shooting 37.9% percent, and his three-point shot has yet to come along, averaging 23.5% from beyond the arc. President of Basketball Operations Onsi Saleh was aware of his struggling shooting stroke when he traded for Lu, so he’ll receive a grace period to fix his jump shot.
Although his offense has failed to materialize, his defense has lived up to the hype, and it was one of the few bright spots during the losses to Houston. His defense helped the Hawks make both games relatively close, and it’s clear that the Hawks are closing their biggest hole.
2. Have the Hawks finally improved their defense?
One thing that’s been consistent through the Hawks’ 2-2 record is their defensive effort. Dyson Daniels is already looking like a candidate for Defensive Player Of The Year, and the rest of the team has followed his lead.
In the second game of the season, the Hawks defeated the Charlotte Hornets by 47 points after making the Hornets shoot 30/87 as a team. That same defense kept them in the matchups against the Rockets, so the Hawks are one step closer to becoming a solidified contender.
Ironically, their offense led to their first losing streak of the season. Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker shot 5-for-13 on Monday night, and Jalen Johnson shot 5-for-14.
It’s rare to see Atlanta’s top two options get only five shot attempts each, so once the Hawks perform on both ends of the floor, we’ll see this new roster's full potential.
The defense is finally improving, and it’s natural for new players to struggle as they adjust to a new system. Since the Hawks are an offensive-minded team, they’re on track for long-term stability once their shots start to fall.
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