Atlanta returned to preseason action last night at home against the Miami Heat, where they picked up their second win, 119-118. This game gave the Hawks a good look at the opponent they will be facing several times this upcoming season. Tyler Herro was out with an injury that will keep him sidelined for the early part of the season, but Miami still ran out most of their regular rotation last night.
The Hawks, however, did not do the same. After playing their top eight players for the first two preseason matchups, they decided to rest everyone in their home opener. Some fans were disappointed with this decision, but others were excited to see the younger guys get some extended run.
Atlanta's starting lineup included two of their current two-way players: Keaton Wallace and Jacob Toppin. Through three preseason games, Wallace seems to be heading towards a standard contract. He played a vital role as the ninth man in the first two, and only played 13 minutes in last night's game where the tail end of the roster got significant minutes.
After a summer of blockbuster moves, Atlanta has two standard roster spots open as the regular season inches closer. Assuming Keaton Wallace, a guard, fills one of them, the final spot would need to be used on a forward or center.
Forward Jacob Toppin knew he had a huge opportunity in last night's win. If he performed well, the odds of his two-way contract getting converted into a standard one would increase.
Toppin outperformed expectations and led Atlanta to a win.
In 42 minutes, the third-year forward had a game-high 26 points, along with 9 rebounds and 5 assists. He also made a huge impact on the defensive end, racking up two blocks and a steal.
This volume was no coincidence. Head Coach Quin Snyder saw his immense impact on the floor and could not justify leaving him on the bench for too long. Of his 26 points, 15 of them came in the fourth quarter and overtime, showcasing a clutch gene that simply cannot be taught.
JACOB TOPPIN LEGACY GAME
— Zach Langley (@langleyatl) October 14, 2025
This was not the first time Hawks fans have seen Toppin outperform expectations. In this year's summer league, he averaged 15.3 points and 7.0 rebounds per game on excellent efficiency before going down with a hip injury.
Atlanta has one preseason game left against the Houston Rockets on Thursday. If Toppin gets the same extended run, expect him to perform just as well and deepen his case for one of the team's final two standard roster spots.