The Atlanta Hawks didn’t flinch when the early numbers turned ugly in San Antonio. They kept firing, kept moving, and eventually let their offense do what it’s designed to do.
That approach mattered in Thursday night’s preseason win, because the first half looked rough for a long stretch. Atlanta spent much of it missing from deep, and by early in the second quarter the Hawks had connected on just one three-pointer. CJ McCollum drilled a logo three early in the opening period, and it took an entire quarter before anyone else on the roster followed him.
At that point, Atlanta was 1-15 from beyond the arc, and the game had already started to tilt heavily in San Antonio’s favor. But the Hawks didn’t abandon the style that carried them late last season. They stayed with the movement-heavy, three-point-driven attack, and once a few shots finally dropped, the whole thing flipped.
Asa Newell checked in and hit a three. Corey Kispert and Kingston Flemings followed soon after. McCollum added his second three of the night, and suddenly the Hawks had trimmed the Spurs’ lead to eight.
The second quarter was the turning point. Atlanta opened the first quarter 1-12 from deep, good for 8 percent. Then came the surge: 10-15 from three in the second.
That kind of swing is exactly why the Hawks’ offensive identity still matters, even with all the offseason attention on their defense. The system is built to keep creating clean looks, and Atlanta showed against San Antonio that it’s willing to trust it even when the shots aren’t falling. By sticking with it, the Hawks gave their end-of-rotation players a real chance to finish the job in the fourth and walked away with their first preseason victory.
In Other News...
Hawks Preseason Opener Vs Pacers Could Reveal A Lot Fast
The Hawks preseason opener against the Pacers arrives with more intrigue than your typical October tune-up, especially with both teams still looking to sort out where they stand in the East. Atlanta has added a new defensive piece in Lu Dort, and this game may offer the first look at how he fits into the mix, while the broader backdrop is a matchup between clubs that expect the regular season to matter.
Kingston Flemings is another reason to watch closely after flashing in San Antonio, where the rookie posted a strong all-around preseason line. Player availability on both sides is still unsettled, so the actual rotation could look different by tipoff, but that uncertainty is part of what makes this opener worth keeping an eye on - it may tell us more than the final score does. [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 🡒]