The Atlanta Hawks came into December riding a wave of optimism. After outperforming expectations early in the season, they looked like a team starting to find its identity-balanced, versatile, and tough on both ends of the floor. But now, sitting at 2-7 this month, that early-season promise is starting to unravel.
Let’s be clear: this slide wasn’t supposed to happen like this. Kristaps Porzingis’ availability has been a lingering question mark, but outside of that, the Hawks have been getting healthier.
Most notably, Trae Young is back. The All-Star guard missed 22 straight games with a right MCL sprain, but his return was expected to give Atlanta a major boost.
Instead, the team has stumbled, and the timing has fans and analysts alike raising eyebrows.
But it would be oversimplifying things to pin this downturn on Young’s return. He’s only played in two of the seven losses this month.
The truth is, the cracks had already started to show. Even before Young stepped back on the court, the Hawks’ defense-the very thing that kept them afloat during his absence-was beginning to slip.
When Young was sidelined, Atlanta leaned into its size and switchability. They weren’t locking teams down, but they were making life difficult.
The defense had bite, and it gave the Hawks a real chance to compete with top-tier opponents. That edge started to fade as December rolled in.
The Hawks opened the month chasing a third straight win, but even in those victories, the signs were there. Games turned into shootouts.
Defensive rotations lagged. The effort that had defined their recent stretch of success was getting harder to spot.
And now, with Young back in the fold, the offense has exploded-but the defense has cratered.
Sunday night against the Bulls was a perfect example of the duality this team is dealing with. Atlanta dropped 150 points in regulation.
That’s not a typo. Trae Young and Jalen Johnson combined for 71 of them, putting on a clinic in scoring and playmaking.
Young, still on a minutes restriction, posted a wildly efficient 35 points and 9 assists. Johnson was one assist shy of a 36-point triple-double.
That’s elite-level production from your two most dynamic offensive players.
But they lost.
That’s the problem. The offense is humming-maybe even peaking-but it’s not translating into wins. And that’s because the defense, which once gave this team its backbone, has fallen off a cliff.
What makes this even more frustrating is that the Hawks aren’t lacking defensive talent. The front office has made a concerted effort in recent years to build a roster that can support Young on that end.
Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker were brought in specifically for their perimeter defense. Zaccharie Risacher has taken a real leap as a defender, showing flashes of elite potential.
Onyeka Okongwu remains one of the most mobile and switchable bigs in the league.
It’s not a personnel issue. It’s about execution, consistency, and effort.
Jalen Johnson is a perfect case study. He was expected to be one of Atlanta’s key two-way contributors this season.
And while his offensive growth has been nothing short of spectacular, it’s come at a cost. With a larger playmaking role, Johnson’s defensive impact has taken a hit.
That’s not uncommon for young stars who are asked to do more on offense, but it’s something the Hawks need to manage if they want to get back on track.
There’s no question this team has sky-high potential. The Young-Johnson duo has the makings of something special.
They’re dynamic, explosive, and capable of taking over games. But until the Hawks can reestablish their defensive identity, they’ll continue to fall short in games they should be winning.
The blueprint is there. The pieces are in place.
Now it’s on the players and coaching staff to figure out how to bring both ends of the floor together. Because in the NBA, scoring 150 doesn’t mean much if you can’t get a stop when it counts.