No. 2 takes Round 1: An inefficient night for Zaccharie Risacher

Zaccharie Risacher’s shooting stroke is more legend than reality at this point.

After four games, the Atlanta Hawks (2-2) rookie and No. 1 overall pick is averaging 7.3 points, 1.0 assists, 1.0 blocks, and nearly 1.0 steals per game. He is shooting 30.3% from the floor and 21.4% from beyond the arc, both disappointing marks for someone of his profile.

On Monday in the Hawks’ 121-119 loss to the Washington Wizards, he finished with 4 points on 1-for-8 shooting and a 1-for-4 mark from downtown.

This was one night after he was the second-best starter versus the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Risacher did pitch in 3 boards, 2 blocks, 2 steals, and 1 dime. But he was also outplayed by No. 2 pick Alex Sarr, who stuffed the stat sheet with 7 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks, 1 assist, and 1 steal.

Alex Sarr takes Round 1 versus Zaccharie Risacher as Hawks lose to Wizards

This is far from a referendum on either player. Sarr was inefficient too, shooting 27.3% from the floor and going 1-for-5 from deep.

He benefitted greatly from teammates Bilal Coulibaly, Jordan Poole, and Kyle Kuzma.

The Hawks did not need Risacher to be their second-best player on the night. That was actually Trae Young with Jalen Johnson stepping up in a big way, dropping a career-high 29 points in the loss.

What the Hawks did and will need from Risacher is for him to knock down open shots. He has not down that yet.

He remains aggressive and fearless in his approach.

But the rookie surely could stand to see some shots fall. The Hawks need someone else to emerge alongside Young on a nightly basis. Tonight that was Johnson. But with Young shooting 13.3% overall and 2-for-10 from the outside, Johnson needed help.

Risacher was not the only Hawk to struggle with his shot/selection.

Young took just five shots that were not from three-point range, essentially negating his ability to leave defenders frozen with indecision on his drives to the basket.

Young’s final look, the last shot attempt of the game, was a one-legged prayer with the clock winding down and the Hawks trailing by the final margin. The ball never left Young’s hands or crossed inside the arc until his takeoff carried him over on the final shot.

The Hawks were down several key bodies in this game.

Injuries catching up to Hawks early

Bogdan Bogdanovic missed his third straight game with a hamstring injury. De’Andre Hunter was scratched with knee inflammation. Onyeka Okongwu sat on the backend of a back-to-back.

Perhaps it is a different game if all three play. The burden on Risacher, Johnson, and Young would certainly have been lessened. But that is not the reality. The reality is the Hawks need to get healthy so they can know for certain if they have the personnel and talent they believe.

Fortunately, Risacher and the Hawks will see the Wizards in Washington on Wednesday.