The 2026-27 NBA season is officially here. No more speculation. The time is now.
The Atlanta Hawks couldn't have begun their season in a better way. They stormed into Orlando, taking down the Magic in a triumphant 132-125 victory. Of the many key takeaways from their season's first victory - the rotation was what stood out most.
In Atlanta's final preseason game - a win over the Dallas Mavericks - they seemed to opt for a dress rehearsal. However, anything can change. Even though the Hawks ran a strict nine-man rotation in the game that they treated as a regular season battle, there was no promise they'd keep it the same once the real action got started.
Atlanta left no doubt in who they're prioritizing nightly
That same nine-man rotation remained in Orlando. Nobody saw the opportunity for garbage-time action, as it was a nail-biting, down to the wire finish that saw Atlanta escaping with a victory.
The first substitution off the bench was, to absolutely no surprise, Lu Dort.
Dort entered play earlier than originally anticipated, though, as Nickeil Alexander-Walker getting into foul trouble just minutes into the game forced an alteration. With just under eight minutes to play in the first quarter, Dort checked in for his Hawks debut.
Just minutes later, Jock Landale and rookie Kingston Flemings entered the game.
This marked the NBA debut for Flemings - the 19-year-old point guard out of Houston. All he needed to do was go out there and display flashes of excellence, and he did. Landale, however, had a different mentality entering the night.
The last time he suited up against the Magic resulted in a season-ending injury for him. A dirty play under the rim from Goga Bitadze forced an awkward landing. It was good to see Landale get an early sub and chance at redemption.
It was their ninth-man, however, that made all the difference
It's extremely rare that the final player to enter the rotation ends up playing more minutes than any other bench player, but Aaron Wiggins did exactly that.
In all fairness, Snyder had little reason to take him out.
Once he subbed in for his second-half stint midway through the third quarter, he never saw the bench again. He played the final 17 minutes for the Hawks, anchoring a victory with his two-way brilliance. Thanks, OKC!
Atlanta has a clear nine-man rotation, and while it could get shaken up due to an incoming back-to-back, it'll undoubtedly return to form once rest is given. It's too elite for it not to.
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