As group play for the Emirates NBA Cup began, the majority of the public did not believe the Atlanta Hawks would be able to win their Group after seeing who the competition they would face.
The group consisted of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards, and the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks were scheduled to face the defending NBA Champions in their first game on November 12th. Trae Young was ruled out with an Achilles injury, and the Hawks became even bigger underdogs than they were initially.
Regardless of the betting odds, the Hawks played great and upset the Celtics in a 117-116 victory at TD Garden to begin their run in the tournament. Co-star Jalen Johnson ran the offense in Young’s absence, finishing with ten assists, 18 points, and 13 rebounds. Dyson Daniels finished with 28 points, 7 assists, and 6 steals. The upset win showed they can defeat high-level competition without Young due to their depth
After defeating the Wizards in their second NBA Cup game, the Hawks walked into the Quicken Loans arena 8-11 after suffering many ups and downs due to their injuries at the beginning of the season. Luckily, all of their core players were healthy enough to compete, and they decimated the No.1 seeded 17-1 Cleveland Cavaliers two games in a row, ruining their historic beginning to the season with two consecutive losses. Little did they know that these wins would cause a paradigm shift in the Hawks' culture and franchise.
Four more wins followed against the Charlotte Hornets, New Orleans Pelicans, Milwaukee Bucks, and Los Angeles Lakers. Future Hall of Famers Lebron James, Giannis Antentokoumpo, Damian Lillard, and Anthony Davis provided many challenges for the Hawks. James & Davis combined for 77 points in an overtime thriller, while the Bucks’ dynamic duo combined for 56 points, all in losing efforts.
ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins noticed the Hawks’ recent performances and expressed his thoughts via X.
These damn Hawks out here preying on these Top dogs in the Eastern Conference. First the Knicks, then the Celtics and Cavs and now the Bucks?!!!
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) December 5, 2024
Unfortunately, Jalen Johnson and Bogdan Bogdanovic reaggravated minor injuries in the Lakers game, causing them to miss their next match against the reigning MVP, Nikola Jokic, and the Denver Nuggets. The Hawks lost 141-111, ending their win streak, but their confidence was still at an all-time high as they prepared to rematch the Knicks for a chance to go to Las Vegas.
What The In-Season Tournament Taught Us About The Atlanta Hawks?
Young performed like he always does in Madison Square Garden, but the world witnessed the new version of the Atlanta Hawks instead of a one-person show this time. Jalen Johnson solidified himself as a legitimate co-star on a massive stage after finishing with 21 points, 15 rebounds, and seven assists. Dyson Daniels lived up to his reputation as a top-five defender in the league after making superstar point guard Jalen Brunson shoot 5-15 from the field (33%). It was an impressive 108-100 victory over the Knicks, and the entire league seemed thrilled by the Hawks’ potential.
NBA Media pundit Zach Lowe has always believed in the Hawks, and he praised the team via X.
Trae's passing has been sensational. Not a sea change in his offensive game, but just enough rebalancing that the ecosystem feels right. ATL has done well to surround him w/ smart cutters -- Johnson, Daniels, ZR, Bogie. One trend feeds the other, and so on. Hunter has been… https://t.co/GkB9OqIEBR
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) December 12, 2024
The young roster gained respect from the league after their win in New York, and some NBA legends, like Shaquille O’Neal, even chose the Hawks to defeat the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Cup semifinals. The Hawks lost in a competitive affair 110-102 after Giannis Antetokoumpo took over. He finished with 32 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists.
Even though the Hawks returned from Las Vegas without the NBA Cup, they came home with something far more important: whole team unity. Their win streak and tournament run were marked by whole-team comeback victories in enemy territories and having to defend some of the league's best talent in the final moments of close games.
The experience built character for the young core, and we are finally starting to see an adequate young supporting cast around Trae Young after years of roster construction. This team, with an average age of 25, can potentially be a strong fifth—or sixth-seed. Their newfound success has given them the confidence they’ve needed for so long, and they will only improve as time goes on.