The Atlanta Hawks are back in action in Indiana, and even in preseason, this one has some real intrigue baked into it. Both teams are expected to be in the mix for playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference, and neither took the loud, headline-grabbing route this offseason. That makes this a useful early look at how they stack up against one another before the games start counting.
The biggest wrinkle, as always in October, is availability. Preseason can be a guessing game right up until tipoff, so the first thing to watch is simply who actually gets on the floor for either side.
Atlanta’s rookie Kingston Flemings has already given Hawks fans something to talk about. He turned heads in San Antonio with 15 points, five assists, and three steals, a strong all-around showing that fit the buzz around the 2026 NBA Draft Class.
The next question is whether he can back it up again here. Indiana won’t be as stiff defensively as San Antonio, but it still offers a worthwhile test if Flemings is available.
There’s also plenty to track on the Hawks’ side beyond the rookie spotlight. Lu Dort has yet to appear for Atlanta, and he’s the summer addition expected to give this defense a major boost.
His preseason debut is one of the main items on the checklist tonight. Jalen Johnson and Keshon Gilbert were both out of the last game as well, so Atlanta’s approach to minutes will be worth watching too.
Will the Hawks keep anybody on ice, or will they lean into a fuller workload against the Pacers?
On the other side, if Indiana rolls out its regular group for a meaningful stretch, the Hawks will get a tough assignment. Tyrese Haliburton drives the action, but the supporting cast matters too, and the frontcourt pairing of Pascal Siakam and Ivica Zubac gives opponents plenty to sort through. If Atlanta has its full group available, the defensive plan against that mix becomes one of the more interesting parts of the night.
In Other News...
Hawks Stuck With Their New Identity Even When It Looked Rough Early
The Hawks got a useful early look at what this new version of the roster is supposed to be in a preseason win over the Spurs, and it was not always pretty. Atlanta came out flat from the perimeter, but the group kept its poise long enough to steady itself and turn the game around before the night was over.
CJ McCollum was part of the mix as the Hawks found better rhythm, and the energy shifted once the second quarter opened things up. Asa Newell, Corey Kispert and Kingston Flemings all had a hand in the swing, giving Atlanta the kind of balanced push it will be looking for when shots are not falling cleanly at the start. [Read more 🡒]
Dream Just Raised The Standard For What Hawks Fans Expect
Atlanta sports has a new benchmark now, and it came from across the womens side of the city. The Dreams run to the 2026 WNBA Finals has put a spotlight on how far a defense-first blueprint can go when it is built with purpose, especially after the roster addition of Angel Reese, the leagues 2026 Defensive Player of the Year. For Hawks fans, it is hard not to notice the parallel: the Dream have shown what a clear identity can look like when it is supported by the right personnel.
That matters because the Hawks have spent the offseason pushing in a similar direction, trying to become tougher and more disruptive on that end of the floor. The comparison does not mean the outcomes will match, but it does raise the bar for what a successful reset can look like in Atlanta. If the Hawks are serious about joining the citys teams in that conversation, the next step is not just adding defense-minded pieces, but proving they can turn the plan into something just as unmistakable as the Dreams. [Read more 🡒]