The Atlanta Hawks’ third straight loss came with a silver lining Wednesday night, and it came from an unlikely place. In a 129-117 defeat to the Miami Heat, rookie Kingston Flemings gave Atlanta a burst of energy off the bench and a glimpse of what he could become.
Flemings posted a career-high 23 points to go with five rebounds, five assists and two combined steals and blocks. Even with the Hawks struggling to find any rhythm for much of the game, he gave them a chance to hang around.
What made the outing stand out was the way Flemings scored. He didn’t just pile up points one way. He kept pressure on Miami by attacking the basket with speed and quickness, and he also showed comfort working in the mid-range, an area where he has already shown confidence in his development.
The biggest surprise may have been what he did from deep. Flemings knocked down three of five three-point attempts, giving Atlanta a needed perimeter spark when the offense was looking for answers. Add in the five assists, and the rookie showed more than just scoring punch - he flashed the kind of playmaking that can make him more than a one-dimensional option.
For Quin Snyder, that kind of night could complicate the rotation picture. Atlanta has veterans in the mix, but performances like this force a coach to pay attention. Flemings has already shown defensive upside with on-ball pressure, quickness and physicality, and now he paired that with an offensive showing that hinted at a more complete game.
It’s still just one game, and there will be bumps as Flemings adjusts to NBA defenses and learns how to stay efficient against higher-level competition. But confidence matters for a young player, and this was the kind of night that can change how he sees himself.
The Hawks still have plenty to clean up after their third consecutive defeat. Still, Flemings gave them something useful: a reason to believe there’s more coming, and perhaps a tougher decision ahead for Snyder on how much run the rookie deserves.
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