via ATLHawks IG
Hawks First Preseason Game
As a Hawks fan, it is officially time to overreact… just kidding. Last night marked the first time since Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals that we got to see Hawks’ Basketball again, and it had some good highs and some pretty bad lows. Keep in mind; this is just the preseason; anything can change between now and the season opener, and some players aren’t giving their full effort. From the start, you could see the difference in effort levels between the Hawks and the Heat, from players just allowing their man to run past them on the break to Tyler Herro becoming a reincarnation of Michael Jordan in the first quarter. Nothing like a nice preseason smacking to get everyone’s expectations back to reality. If anything, this game should be a stark reminder that teams are not coming to play the “Tanking Hawks” anymore, they are coming to play a team that was in the Eastern Conference Finals last year, and their level of play will adjust accordingly. At the same time, it’s the preseason. Just as with Summer League, almost everything in the NBA preseason should be taken with a grain of salt. This isn’t a “come out and prove yourself” type of occasion; preseason is about getting back into the flow of your team.
Observation 1: Get CC BACK
The most urgent issue the Hawks must solve before the season opener is getting Clint Capela back. His presence, or lack thereof, was abundantly clear on the defensive end of the floor. The typical, let your guy blow by you, and CC will handle the rest isn’t going to cut it with Dieng at the five. However, on the other end, we got a pretty good glimpse of how Nate would handle JC at the five. We saw him rolling to the rim a lot more and playing more in his comfort zone versus his typical role when Capela is on the floor.
Observation 2: Cam Reddish See-Saw
Cam’s performance was a bit of a disappointment as well; while he did have a couple of nice moves and some pretty good defense, we didn’t see the Reddish 45 point-bomb that we were all expecting. One of the more exciting plays was in the 1st Q when Cam hit his defender with a nice spin move, step back 2. The jumper hit nothing but net and it looked incredibly pretty. However, following up a few possessions later, Cam got blocked at the rim and then proceeded to turn it over after getting the rebound.. Not to say that this is how it will be all season, but Cam’s time to prove himself, earn a starting spot this season or get that big extension is running short. While a big game from Reddish would mean virtually nothing in the preseason, I think it could keep Schlenk’s hope in Reddish’s elite potential going.
Observation 3: Okafor Is Not Helping His Case To Make This Team
Journeyman Okafor, who is playing on his 5th team in 8 years, certainly did not make a great first impression in his Hawks debut. Simply put, he did his best traffic cone impression in the limited minutes he got. Barring 3 incredible games from him, I don’t see Okafor making the final 15 man roster.
Final Thoughts
I wouldn’t expect another low-effort performance again, as the veterans came and set the example. Both Lou and Gallo picked up right where they left off, finishing with an efficient 13 and 14, respectively. Besides a nice off-the-backboard pass from Sharife to Jalen Johnson, the rest of the game was uneventful for the Hawks, well, outside of our superstar player getting injured in a preseason game. While Trae’s injury is minor, the preseason is not the best time for your star player to get hurt regardless. Reports have said that Trae has suffered a right quad contusion and will likely be held out for the rest of the preseason, which is by far the best solution. I would also like to point out that Trae stated the injury was caused by contact with Heat guard Gabe Vincent’s leg brace. Contact injuries in basketball like these typically result in less severe injuries. The Hawks play again tomorrow night at 6:30pm EST against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Bally Sports Southeast.
