The Atlanta Hawks are on the board with their first win of the season after an incredible fourth quarter comeback against the Orlando Magic. The game was a tale of two halves: the Hawks shot 2/14 (14%) beyond the arc in the first half and 6/15 (40%) in the second.
The squad was on fire in the fourth, shooting a scorching 6/8 (75%) from deep and 6/9 (66.7%) from two point range. As you would expect, the team was comfortably behind while the three point shot struggled, only to come back when the shots fell.
This performance came in spite of early foul trouble that plagued the team, as Onyeka Okongwu and Jalen Johnson would each reach two fouls in just over 1.5 and 6 minutes, respectively. This forced Quin Snyder to make an early pivot from his game plan, as Mouhamed Gueye would receive extended playing time against the Magic’s starters, beginning with 10:19 left in the first quarter.
This game was enlightening for Hawks fans, as they got to see the good, bad, and ugly of this team.
Three takeaways from this game
The first major takeaway from the game was that the Hawks need to find ways to get Gueye involved. He impressed across all the areas fans are accustomed to seeing, with strong rebounding, a consistent three point stroke, and an electrifying help-side block.
He saw an extended run due to Kristaps Porzingis’s absence and Okongwu’s foul trouble, but his performance demands a regular rotation spot. Quin Snyder should consider moving Johnson to power forward for brief stretches to accommodate Gueye.
The second noteworthy occurrence in this game was Asa Newell's debut, and his first career points could not have come at a better time. Newell cashed in a corner three assisted by a quietly impressive one-handed pass from Trae Young to bring the game within four points in the fourth quarter, then caught a lob to tie the game.
The Hawks wouldn’t look back, refusing to give Orlando the lead again. While Newell has strides to make as an NBA player, his first regular season appearance gave reason to be optimistic about the Hawks’ first-round pick.
Finally, the Hawks won the transition battle and remained close on the glass today. While this would normally be a minor occurrence, the Hawks were beaten so badly in transition and on the boards in Wednesday’s season opener that the world began to give up hope on the team.
Even more critical, this performance came against the Magic, who are favored above the Hawks in preseason projections. If the Hawks can continue to replicate this success and improve their deep shot, the league will be in trouble.