The Hawks are back home tonight after a quick trip to Texas, and the assignment gets no easier with a divisional date against the Miami Heat. It’s already the third divisional matchup of the season for Atlanta, and even this early in the year, those games matter for playoff positioning.
The biggest pressure, though, is sitting on Miami’s side of the floor. The Heat have opened the season 0-4, and another loss would only make the chatter around the team louder.
The expectation, at least in theory, is that Miami will straighten things out eventually, even if the group doesn’t look like the NBA Finals contender some projected. Right now, though, the fit between Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo “could not look worse,” and the playmaking around them has been “a disaster to start the year.”
That gives Atlanta a real chance to make this one uncomfortable for the visitors. The Hawks’ defense has been solid so far, and they should have enough to keep Miami’s offense in check even if Antetokounmpo posts his usual numbers. With the Heat staring at 0-5, a desperate response feels likely.
There’s also the shooting battle to keep an eye on. Atlanta’s three-point percentage has been below the mark it wants through four games, but the Rockets defense likely had plenty to do with that after the Hawks’ recent trip to Houston. As things stand, Atlanta is 16th in three-point percentage, and Jalen Johnson, Onyeka Okongwu, and Lu Dort have all had rough starts from deep.
Miami’s perimeter defense has been shaky on the other end. The Heat are 27th in three-point percentage allowed and last in the league in three-point attempts allowed, which raises the question of whether Atlanta can take advantage at home and get cleaner looks from outside.
Then there’s the Antetokounmpo problem itself. He remains one of the most unstoppable players in the NBA, and when he lowers his shoulder and attacks the rim, most teams can only hope to survive the possession.
Jalen Johnson or Okongwu will likely get the first crack at him, though the Hawks could also turn to Dyson Daniels for some defensive possessions, as they have before. No matter who draws the assignment, Antetokounmpo has a size edge over everyone on Atlanta’s roster, and the Hawks’ rim protection has not been a strength to this point.
Antetokounmpo is going to get his. The real question is how Atlanta handles the rest of the matchup, and how the Hawks decide to build their plan around a player that tough to stop.
In Other News...
Hawks Could Catch A Break If Cavs Lose Two Key Rotation Pieces
Clevelands injury report has given Atlanta a small opening ahead of a matchup that could matter in the early standings. Jaylon Tyson and Meleek Thomas are both listed as questionable for the Cavaliers because of a cervical strain and right foot soreness, and both have been part of the rotation in the seasons opening stretch.
For the Hawks, the timing is worth watching because Cleveland is still chasing a fourth straight win and expects its starters to be available. If those two rotation pieces cannot go, the Cavaliers would have a thinner bench and a little less flexibility in a game Atlanta could use to test a team trying to keep its momentum rolling. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Frontcourt Issues Are Putting Real Pressure On Quin Snyder
The Hawks have kept things tight through their first five games, leaning on a strict nine-player rotation while the frontcourt has begun to look a little vulnerable. Rebounding and interior defense have been recurring issues in recent games, and that has pushed some attention toward Asa Newell and Zuby Ejiofor, two young bigs whose presence could give Quin Snyder another way to address the physical problems inside.
Newell and Ejiofor have barely seen the floor so far, with their only action coming in a lopsided win over Charlotte, but both were first-round picks for a reason. Newell brings the more polished offensive game, while Ejiofor is viewed as the stronger defender, which gives Atlanta a couple of different options if Snyder decides the rotation needs to grow. [Read more 🡒]
CJ McCollum May Be Shaping A Hawks Backcourt Change Already
Kingston Flemings made a strong case for a larger role in Atlantas home loss to Miami, turning a bench opportunity into the kind of performance that tends to linger with a coaching staff. The young guard put up a career-high 23 points in 28 minutes, giving the Hawks a jolt while working alongside a backcourt that has been shifting in real time.
CJ McCollums presence still looms over that conversation, even with the veteran not on the floor to finish the game as the staff went with the hotter hand. Flemings was quick to point to McCollums guidance and the way the veteran has helped him grow, which adds another layer to a situation that already feels like it could influence Atlantas backcourt mix before long. [Read more 🡒]