The Atlanta Hawks remained perfect in NBA Summer League play on Monday afternoon, earning a 111-108 decision over the Houston Rockets. Atlanta was neck and neck with Houston through one half of play, but fell behind by four points at halftime.
After the break, Houston continued their momentum and led by as many as 16 points in the third quarter. Kennedy Chandler and Adonis Arms, who scored over 20 points apiece, took advantage of stagnant Atlanta offense. The Rockets began the period with an 11-0 run, strengthening their grip on the game.
On both sides, the game had a Summer League feel to it. 32 combined turnovers and the frantic pace made for a contest that quickly got away from the Hawks.
But once again, the team didn’t quit.
Kobe Bufkin and Jack McVeigh were at the center of Atlanta’s comeback
Despite a cold start from the field, Kobe Bufkin didn’t dwell on it. He got in the second half, finishing with 25 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. Time and time again, Atlanta’s offense bogged down in the half-court, but the third-year pro created his own shot and filled up the stat sheet. That skillset could be valuable as a potent bench player for Atlanta.
For McVeigh, the former NBL champion showed his chops as a pick-and-pop threat, scoring 21 points on 4-for-6 shooting from three.
Fellow forward Asa Newell felt some growing pains, but chipped in 14 points of his own. A clutch three-pointer from the left corner tied the game in the final minute of regulation. Newell, who was not known as a marksman shooter from his time at Georgia, has pulled up with confidence so far in July. Even when he’s missed several attempts in a row, the future rotation piece is showing self-belief.
Atlanta’s top rotation player from the first three games has been Jacob Toppin, who was limited to 15 minutes played on Monday afternoon. He went down with an apparent non-contact injury late in the second quarter, before re-entering the game after halftime.
The Hawks didn’t want to take any chances with the injury, though. They removed him from the game in the third quarter, citing a left hip injury.
Atlanta will look to continue their momentum in their final Summer League game on Thursday night when they take on Memphis. The Hawks and Grizzlies are set for a 6:00 p.m. ET tipoff at Cox Pavilion. Should the Hawks earn another victory, they would have an excellent chance to qualify for the four-team playoff field.