News Hawks Team Notes

[Atlanta Hawks]

25 in 25: No. 5 Josh Smith

This is a series that looks at the best Atlanta Hawks of the past 25 seasons dating back to the 2000-01 season. No. 6 Jeff Teague can be found here.

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Even though Josh Childress was the higher selection in the 2004 NBA Draft, the selection of Josh Smith at 17th overall ultimately became the turning point for a franchise that was careening toward rock bottom. After a 13-win season in 2004-05 in Smith’s rookie season, the Hawks slowly grew into being a consistent playoff team by the end of the decade.

‘J-Smoove’ is from nearby Powder Springs, GA, and after graduating from McEachern High School, he went to Oak Hill Academy — a preparatory academy that has seen many NBA players come through their doors over the years like then teammate Rajon Rondo. Smith decided to enter the draft, bypassing college when it was still fairly common and easy to do so, and the Hawks pounced with one of their two first-round picks.

Very quickly, it was easy to see how physically mature the 6-foot-9 forward was despite entering the NBA at 18 years old. His acceleration and agility let him fly 94-feet down the court for lob finishes or chase-down blocks, and his long wingspan quickly became an obstacle for opposing players.

His rookie season, Smith averaged 9.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.9 blocks and 0.8 steals per game. His 3.7 blocks per 100 possessions (minimum 2000 minutes) as a rookie are the second-best mark of any non-center (per Stathead/basketball-reference), trailing only Andrei Kirilenko.

He also made his mark in the dunk contest during All-Star Weekend in 2005, recording three dunks with perfect score en route to taking home the title. With every lefty windmill jam, almost overnight Smoove went from just a local Atlanta kid to a household name.

Smith played both forward spots over the next few years, developing into a force as a downhill finisher at the rim, intelligent passer, and one of the best defenders on the planet as the Hawks built up their team towards their breakthrough in 2008.

Josh Smith signed an offer sheet with the Memphis Grizzlies during his restricted free agency in the summer of 2008, but the Hawks matched the five-year offer to keep him in Atlanta. While his production plateaued alongside the Hawks’ performances over the years, he remained a perennial fringe All-Star during the heart of his career, and in my opinion is one of the best players in league history never to earn that honor.

One persistent knock was Smith’s penchant for shooting medium to long mid-range jumpers despite no track record of being a good jump shooter. When Smoove was left alone near the elbow, a roar came over crowds in then Philips Arena pleading him not to shoot.

And yet he did. A lot.

Across his nine-year career in Atlanta, Smith took 32% of his shots from 10-feet out to the three-point line per basketball-reference’s shot tracking. He hit 33% of those for his Hawks career. 0.66 points per shot for those inclined towards math. Ew.

His three-point shooting during his nine-season career here was rather bad as well (28.3%). Not good, but at least that worked out to 0.85 points per shot.

As the league trended towards smaller, more skilled forwards who can handle and space the floor in the mid 2010s, Smith’s skillset wasn’t quite a fit for this new era.

The Detroit Pistons, however, didn’t get this memo.

When Smith reached unrestricted free agency in 2013, the Pistons inked him to a four-year deal to play the 3 alongside Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond. Smith only lasted one and a half of those seasons before his contract was amnestied (essentially stretched and waived for salary cap relief). He then bounced around the league until his last season in 2017-18.

2009 Josh Smith explosive athleticism pic.twitter.com/eBps6ltxv3

— Pitless (@pitlessball) December 9, 2025

For his Hawks career from 2004 to 2013, Smith averaged 15.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.1 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game. His standing in the franchise leaderboard is undeniable:

• 676 games — ninth all-time
• 23,078 minutes — fifth all-time
• 10,371 points — ninth all-time
• 4,030 field goals — seventh all-time
• 5,407 rebounds — seventh all-time
• 857 steals — fifth all-time
• 1,440 blocks — second all-time to Tree Rollins

The accolades shelf looks a little light for a top five Hawk of the past 25 years, but in reality, Smith should have one or two All-Star appearances and multiple more All-Defensive Team appearances. Every season from 2006-07 to 2011-12, he received votes for Defensive Player of the Year. But somehow, he only landed on a single All-Defensive Second Team in 2009-10 — a year in which he finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting behind Dwight Howard.

Ultimately, Smith made an underrated impact for this franchise. He was a key piece of six straight playoff teams. And while it’s sad that his game never quite matched up with his talent level — and that his playstyle quickly went the way of the dinosaur — the hometown kid is still remembered fondly.

Let’s take one last trip down memory lane:

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1.

2.

3.

4.

5. Josh Smith

6. Jeff Teague

7. Kyle Korver

8. Clint Capela

9. John Collins

10. Jalen Johnson

11. Jason Terry

12. Bogdan Bogdanović

13. Dejounte Murray

14. Shareef Abdur-Rahim

15. Marvin Williams

16. Kevin Huerter

17. Dennis Schröder

18. Onyeka Okongwu

19. Lou Williams

20. Zaza Pachulia

21. De’Andre Hunter

22. Kent Bazemore

23. Mike Bibby

24. DeMarre Carroll

25. Jamal Crawford

Honorable mentions

Source: https://www.peachtreehoops.com/atla...ta-hawks-history-nba-video-stats-notes-review

 

[Atlanta Hawks]

Charting the early season Atlanta Hawks (part 2)

Giannis rumblings aside, it’s been a quiet week for the Atlanta Hawks (14-11), who are enjoying a few days off as part of an unofficial quarter-of-the-season break thanks to the NBA Cup schedule — and boy have they needed a rest.

As of last Saturday’s win in Washington, the Hawks were tied with three other teams for the most games played this season (25). Through seven weeks, they are tied with Portland and Golden State for the most road games played this season (15). While they haven’t faced the toughest opponents – they’re 20th in strength of schedule so far – the travel has been relentless, meaning that a few days off to rest and recharge the batteries is just what the doctor ordered.

Last week, I made some charts to help visualize Atlanta’s performance through the first quarter (ish) of the season. This week, I’m back to talk about a few more early season trends.

Here’s an updated look at where the Hawks stack up relative to the rest of the league in offensive and defensive rating (good lord, OKC).

Through seven weeks, Atlanta ranks 15th in offensive rating and 11th in defensive rating. They are 16th in net rating.

Let’s take a look at some intriguing Hawks numbers!

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Rebounding Woes​

The first trend is an obvious one that’s been quite apparent when watching the Hawks early on this season, but to put it in writing: they have been one of the worst rebounding teams in the league – ranking 24th in offensive rebounding percentage, and 22nd in defensive rebounding percentage thus far.

Rebounding wasn’t a problem area for this team last season, as they ranked 11th in both offensive and defensive rebounding percentage in 2024-25, and while I’m not all that concerned about the drop-off on the offensive glass (more on this below), the team’s struggles on the defensive glass have been a major worry. Atlanta’s inability to consistently close out defensive possessions with a rebound has been one of the biggest factors dragging their 11th ranked defense closer to the league average. The Hawks are 22nd in second chance points allowed this season (16.0 per game), giving up 2.3 more points per game off second-chance opportunities than they were last season (12th, 13.7).

Head coach Quin Snyder spoke about the team’s defensive rebounding issues prior to the Nuggets game, saying that they understand that the possession battle is ‘incredibly important’.

“We just have to keep grinding.” said Snyder, “There’s times where we’re not 7’2”, 6’11”, 6’8” across the front line. Even when we are big, the question there is competing physically. If you’re giving up height, or you’re giving up weight, we have to rebound as a ‘pack’ and we have to get it done together. That means everybody’s got a job to do. But when you miss an assignment, the quarterback gets sacked.”

Snyder also noted that they are trying to study officiating tendencies to try and gain an edge on the glass, saying:

“The defensive glass gets called a lot of different ways in various games, and it’s something to me that we’re trying to study and understand what we can do. You can’t face guard a guy like an offensive lineman, but what can you do to be effective in those situations? We’re studying it a lot and trying to figure out how to get better. We’ll just keep doing that.”

As observers, we’ll get a chance to see if the team has made any breakthroughs in this area against Detroit (second in the league in offensive rebounding percentage) tomorrow night.

One note on the offensive rebounding before moving on to the next section. While the Hawks have seen a decline in their offensive rebounding percentage this season, this appears to have been a calculated decision in an attempt to improve their transition defense – and the math is working out in their favor thus far.

Looking at Atlanta’s second chance points numbers, they are scoring 13.8 second chance points per game this season – one of the lowest figures in the league, however it’s only slightly below their mark from last season (14.6 second-chance points per game). A difference of 0.8 points per game.

On the defensive end, the Hawks are conceding the lowest frequency of opponent transition possessions (15.5%) and rank fifth in transition points allowed per game (21.0) – a significant improvement from last season when they ranked seventh in opponent transition frequency (17.8%) and 18th in transition points allowed per game (23.5). A difference of 2.5 points per game.

While the relationship between offensive rebounds and opponent transition possessions is not perfect (live-ball turnovers typically lead to transition opportunities as well), I’d be willing to wager that a fair amount of the decline in opponent transition frequency is a result of the Hawks eschewing the offensive glass in favor of bolstering their defense. Given that they’re coming out a net-positive relative to last year, I’d say the strategy is working out so far.

Quin Snyder talked about the offensive glass on Friday as well, noting that the frequency at which the Hawks drive to the basket is another reason for the low offensive rebounding numbers:

“We have to be careful because we have a lot of guys that are driving to the rim. It’s very difficult to crash the offensive glass without putting yourself in a very difficult possession to defend. But there are times, particularly on three-point shots where we crash and try to get extra possessions. That’s been something that I’ve talked about.”

Friendly Opponent 3P-Shooting Numbers​

One more trend we’ve seen take shape through the first seven weeks of the season has been the drop in opponent three-point shooting percentage – something I noted in last week’s article as well. Per nba.com/stats, Atlanta ranks ninth in the league in overall opponent three-point accuracy, with their opponents shooting just 34.8% from beyond the arc. This is a massive improvement from last season when they ranked 28th in opponent three-point accuracy (37.7%), and a difference that ranks as the fourth biggest year-to-year improvement in the NBA through the first seven weeks of the season.

While there is certainly some luck involved when it comes to opponent shooting, given how drastic this improvement is, I figured I would dig a little deeper into the data to try to find an explanation. The charts below plot NBA team’s opponent three-point shooting frequency and accuracy, sorted by defender proximity. The ‘x axis’ shows the percentage of the opponent’s overall shot attempts that the shot type makes up – naturally, teams shoot fewer ‘contested’ threes than ‘open’ ones.

A few things jump out from this plot. First, the Hawks are doing a good job on closeouts — with their opponents taking the fourth-highest frequency of ‘contested’ three-pointers in the league – though they are getting rather unlucky as their opponents are converting these looks at a 36.1% clip, the fifth-highest opponent accuracy on this shot type this season.

Second, while the Hawks are allowing the 10th lowest frequency of ‘open’ threes, their opponents are shooting just 35% on these looks – the fourth lowest mark in the NBA. Last season, Atlanta allowed a similar frequency of ‘open’ threes, though their opponents converted them at a 39.7% clip, the eighth highest accuracy on this shot type in 2024-25. With these shots making up over 20% of their opponent’s overall attempts, it’s safe to say there is some luck involved in this area this season.

Atlanta rank in the middle of the pack in both opponent frequency and accuracy on ‘semi-contested’ looks this season, though they’ve seen a significant drop in their opponent’s accuracy on these attempts, with their opponents shooting 34.2% through the first seven weeks after shooting 37.2% (the highest mark in the NBA) last season.

Overall, while I do believe the Hawks have been slightly better at defending the three-point line this season, their opponent’s three-point shooting numbers are somewhat deflated as Atlanta have gotten fortunate with some of their opponent’s misses.

The Importance of Turnover Creation and Prevention​

One more area I wanted to discuss today is how important turnover creation (on defense) and turnover prevention (on offense) has been to the Hawks success this season.

Per cleaningtheglass, Atlanta are fourth in the league in defensive turnover rate (16.3%) and rank fourth in points scored off turnovers (21.4). On the other end, despite losing their All-Star point guard just five games into the season, the Hawks haven’t seen a significant difference in this category from last season to this season, ranking 15th in offensive turnover rate and 20th in points allowed off of turnovers (18.9).

Leading the charge for Atlanta on the defensive end is none other than Dyson Daniels. After leading the league in steals last season, ‘The Great Barrier Thief’ ranks second* in the league in steals so far this season with 2.2 swipes per game. Jalen Johnson is second on the team in steals at 1.6 per game.

*Cason Wallace is the league leader

As you can see in the plot below, the battle in ‘points off of turnovers’ has been a pretty strong indicator of Atlanta’s success from game to game this season, as they are 12-4 in games where they’ve outscored their opponents in ‘points off turnovers’, and just 2-7 in games where they’ve been outscored by their opponents in this category.

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That’s all for this piece! The Hawks return to action on Friday, taking on the Detroit Pistons on the road in what should be a hard-fought matchup. Atlanta have lost both of their games against the Pistons this season with their most recent matchup being decided by a single point.

Tipoff for that one is at 7 PM EST on FanDuel Sports Network.

Until next time!

Source: https://www.peachtreehoops.com/anal...ta-hawks-analysis-stats-figures-dyson-daniels

 

[Atlanta Hawks]

Hawks get dominated after mini-break, lose 142-115 to Pistons

The Atlanta Hawks were in Detroit on Friday evening to face the Pistons. It was a much-needed break for the Hawks, as they haven’t played since last Saturday against the Washington Wizards. They had a lot of time this week to practice, something they haven’t had much time to do so far this season because of the schedule.

Unfortunately, even though the Hawks had a long break, Kristaps Porzingis was ruled out a day before the game with an illness.

The Hawks came out pretty efficient, and it started at the three-point line. Nickeil Alexander-Walker knocked down three of them early, while Zaccharie Risacher added one.

Nickeil has drained 3 threes in less than 5 minutes pic.twitter.com/2TTivSW3sI

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 13, 2025

Later in the quarter, Mouhamed Gueye joined in on the fun and knocked down a triple in the corner.

Dyson offensive board Mo corner triple pic.twitter.com/NnKRO4w1F1

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 13, 2025

There was a lot of nice shotmaking in the first by both teams, and Jalen Johnson was able to get this turnaround jumper to go.

Jalen that is too pretty pic.twitter.com/MhqkLXSNMI

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 13, 2025

It was a tight game in the first, with neither team breaking away by as much as a five-point lead. The shots were falling for both, and going into the second quarter, the Hawks trailed 34-33.

The Pistons started the second quarter with more energy, and they were able to knock down a few shots to extend their lead. On the other hand, the Hawks had a few miscommunications early and some shots that didn’t go in, which led to them staying stagnant to start the quarter.

Johnson kept the Hawks afloat in the quarter, knocking down this three-pointer.

Top of the key JJ pic.twitter.com/VZhi8l8j4A

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 13, 2025

After that shot, the Hawks went into an offensive slump, and the Pistons used that to their advantage, extending their lead to double-digits. Alexander-Walker did his best to get the Hawks back in it down the stretch of the first half, and he was hitting shots from anywhere.

Nickeil connects on the tough runner pic.twitter.com/zLOgsA6dmZ

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 13, 2025

He used the glass to his advantage on this one.

Always use the glass pic.twitter.com/kjP35ewnzb

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 13, 2025

In the final minute heading into halftime, the Hawks were able to cut their deficit to single digits after Johnson was able to find Dyson Daniels for a dunk down the lane. Going into the second half, the Hawks trailed the Pistons 69-60.

JJ to DD!

We trim it to 9 at the half pic.twitter.com/EmSHHRKFXa

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 13, 2025

The Hawks didn’t start the third quarter the way they wanted, as the Pistons went on a 10-2 run to extend their lead to double digits again. Turnovers and missed shots continued to hurt the Hawks, which made it hard for them to get any momentum.

Things didn’t get much better for the Hawks as the quarter continued, and they found themselves down as much as 23 points. Daniels tried to lighten the blow for the Hawks, getting to the rim for an easy dunk.

Dyson right to the rack pic.twitter.com/QWPqIr87xU

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 13, 2025

Going into the fourth quarter, the Hawks trailed 104-79.

Much of the same happened in the fourth for the Hawks, and they just could not dig themselves out of the hole. In fact, the hole got much deeper, and the Pistons extended their lead to as much as 30 points.

On a brighter note, Johnson was able to record his third triple-double in a row.

Jalen Johnson has recorded his 3rd triple-double in a row! pic.twitter.com/jwN3KjorOY

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 13, 2025

Quin Snyder cleared the bench with about four minutes left in the quarter, but it really wasn’t much of a clearing with the Hawks only having ten players available.

Johnson finished with 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists, Alexander-Walker finished with 22 points, and Daniels finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists.

The Hawks will be back in action on Sunday against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Source: https://www.peachtreehoops.com/reca...ated-after-mini-break-lose-142-115-to-pistons

 

[Atlanta Hawks]

Defensive breakdowns and turnovers doom Hawks in road loss to Pistons

The Atlanta Hawks’ road trip encountered a significant setback on Friday night at Little Caesars Arena, as the Detroit Pistons secured a decisive 142–115 victory over Atlanta. Detroit’s balanced offensive approach and sustained tempo overwhelmed the Hawks across all phases of the game, preventing Atlanta from maintaining early momentum.

Atlanta began the contest with noticeable energy despite the road environment. The Hawks moved the ball effectively and generated early offense through Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who attacked off the dribble and converted jump shots to keep pace with Detroit.

Atlanta traded baskets with the Pistons for much of the opening quarter and briefly held a lead midway through the period. Although defensive lapses were evident, the Hawks’ spacing and effort allowed them to remain competitive early.

The game began to shift during the second quarter as Detroit increased its defensive pressure. The Pistons forced turnovers and capitalized on missed Hawks field goals by converting in transition.

As a result, Atlanta’s offense stagnated for extended stretches, struggling to produce efficient looks in the half court. Detroit used a decisive run, fueled by ball movement and perimeter shooting, to extend its lead into double digits by halftime. Despite continued efforts from Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels, Atlanta was unable to disrupt Detroit’s offensive rhythm.

Detroit further separated itself in the third quarter, extending the lead beyond 20 points. The Pistons combined efficient three-point shooting, physical defense, and consistent ball movement to maintain control. Atlanta continued to compete but remained unable to string together defensive stops or sustained scoring runs.

Turnovers proved to be a critical factor in the outcome. Atlanta committed 20 turnovers, many of which resulted in immediate scoring opportunities for Detroit, limiting the Hawks’ ability to regain momentum.

Detroit’s offensive efficiency compounded the issue, as the Pistons shot approximately 58% from the field and 41% from three-point range, while Atlanta connected on roughly 46% of its field-goal attempts and 31% from beyond the arc.

Despite the loss, several Hawks delivered encouraging individual performances. Jalen Johnson emerged as the team’s most consistent contributor, recording his third consecutive triple-double with 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists, demonstrating the two-way impact Atlanta hopes he can provide.

Alexander-Walker led the Hawks in scoring with 22 points, supplying early offensive sparks, while Dyson Daniels contributed a well-rounded performance with 18 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists.

Source: https://www.peachtreehoops.com/anal...ers-doom-hawks-atlanta-pistons-recap-analysis

 

[Atlanta Hawks]

Hawks at Pistons: start time, TV, streaming, radio, game thread

The Atlanta Hawks (14-11) face the Detroit Pistons (19-5) for the third time already in the young season.

Please join in the comments below as you follow along.

Where, When, and How to Watch and Listen​

Location: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI

Start Time: 7:00 PM EDT

TV: FanDuel Sports Network Southeast (FDSNSE)

Radio: Sports Radio 92.9 the Game (WZGC-FM)

Streaming: FanDuel Sports Network app, Fubo (out of market), NBA League Pass (out of market), Youtube TV (NBA League Pass out of market)

Source: https://www.peachtreehoops.com/atla...oit-start-time-tv-streaming-radio-game-thread

 

[Atlanta Hawks]

Hawks rely on fast start and balanced effort to edge 76ers

The Atlanta Hawks secured a 120–117 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday night at State Farm Arena, improving their record and sweeping the season series against Philadelphia to date. The contest featured multiple lead changes and sustained intensity, with Atlanta relying on a dominant first quarter and balanced scoring to hold off a late push by the 76ers.

Atlanta set the tone early, jumping out to a fast start behind efficient scoring from Dyson Daniels and Vit Krejci. The Hawks’ defensive pressure forced several turnovers, which translated into transition opportunities and helped them build a double-digit advantage by the end of the first quarter, leading 39–29. Philadelphia responded in the second quarter by tightening its half-court defense and increasing offensive efficiency. Despite the push, Atlanta maintained control and entered halftime with a four-point advantage, supported by consistent contributions from both the starting lineup and the bench.

The third quarter remained highly competitive, as both teams traded baskets. Joel Embiid and Paul George anchored the 76ers’ offense, keeping Philadelphia within striking distance. George led all scorers with 35 points, while Embiid added 22 points and 14 rebounds, continuing to apply pressure inside. Nevertheless, Atlanta preserved a narrow lead heading into the final period.

The game was decided in the closing moments of the fourth quarter. With the score tight in the final minute, Nickeil Alexander-Walker converted two critical free throws to extend Atlanta’s lead. Philadelphia had a final opportunity to force overtime, but Quentin Grimes’ potential game-tying attempt rimmed out as time expired, sealing the Hawks’ win.

Daniels led Atlanta with a standout performance, recording 27 points and 10 rebounds while impacting the game on both ends of the floor. His defensive intensity set the tone early, and his offensive versatility proved decisive. Reflecting on the performance, Daniels emphasized the team’s competitive mindset following a previous loss, noting his effectiveness attacking the rim and highlighting Krejci’s second-half scoring surge along with the team’s defensive execution.

Onyeka Okongwu provided a strong interior presence, finishing with 20 points and 15 rebounds and generating key second-chance opportunities. Jalen Johnson recorded another triple-double, posting 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists, which helped stabilize the Hawks’ offensive flow. Krejci contributed 19 points, including several timely three-pointers that stretched Philadelphia’s defense.

Atlanta’s performance was particularly notable given the absence of two key scorers. Kristaps Porzingis is expected to miss the next two weeks while recovering from illness, and Trae Young has resumed practice as he works toward rejoining the lineup. Despite these challenges, the Hawks demonstrated depth and resilience, securing a hard-fought victory.

Source: https://www.peachtreehoops.com/reca...a-stats-recap-notes-latest-news-jalen-johnson

 

[Atlanta Hawks]

Hawks finish off 76ers in the clutch, win 120-117

The Atlanta Hawks were back at home Sunday evening to face the Philadelphia 76ers. After a rough loss against the Detroit Pistons following their mini-break, the Hawks were looking to get back on track.

The last time these two teams saw each other, the game went into overtime, with the Hawks coming out on top. This time around, the 76ers were without Tyrese Maxey, as he deals with an illness.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker seemed to have hurt his ankle on the first play of the game, but came back out after the timeout and knocked down a three-pointer. A signal that all was well.

Nickeil is all good pic.twitter.com/gkgZozw3tj

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 14, 2025

Dyson Daniels knocked a three-pointer a few minutes after.

Dyson triple it pic.twitter.com/CN6cREZ2W7

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 14, 2025

The Hawks were able to force the 76ers into some turnovers early in the game, and the Hawks were able to capitalize, whether it was in transition or at the free-throw line. They were able to maintain the lead throughout the quarter, even with the 76ers knocking down some threes.

Vit Krejci started feeling it down the stretch of the first, and he knocked down two three-pointers, and he got fouled while shooting another one. He finished the quarter with 11 points and helped the Hawks go into the second quarter with a 39-29 lead.

The Hawks let go of the lead in the second quarter, with not much coming offensively from the group that was in. They were to hold their own a little on defense, but the 76ers were able to take the lead. It wasn’t for long, because the Hawks fought back, and it became a back-and-forth contest from there.

Late in the quarter, Daniels showed off his defensive prowess and met Quentin Grimes at the rim for an impressive dunk.

Dyson DENIAL pic.twitter.com/piXlegw4Mh

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 15, 2025

Right after that play, Krejci hit a wide-open three-pointer.

Viiiit feed him and fan him pic.twitter.com/FW9LvsVbsy

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 15, 2025

Things got a little testy down the stretch, as Joel Embiid elbowed Onyeka Okongwu in the chin going up for a shot. Okongwu hit the ground, and Jalen Johnson came over and gave Embiid a slight push, which got both teams tangled up. Embiid was called for a flagrant, and Okongwu knocked down 1 of his 2 free throws.

The Hawks were able to keep the lead going into halftime, as they led 59-55.

To start the third quarter, Okongwu and Daniels got to their bread and butter for an easy bucket in the paint.

Dyson & O rock a beautiful give & go pic.twitter.com/ytegF7gPIt

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 15, 2025

Zaccharie Risacher got things going in the third, knocking down two three-pointers.

Three-sacher pic.twitter.com/hh7LLQ5FmH

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 15, 2025

The Hawks had a lot of success getting to the rim, more specifically, Daniels, who got a few floaters and layups to go in the third.

Spin-o-rama pic.twitter.com/EqMihoNXJy

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 15, 2025

Krejci continued his hot night from the perimeter, knocking down another three-pointer to add to his scoring total.

Vit is on one tonight baby

He's up to 19 points pic.twitter.com/ROFxfDMja4

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 15, 2025

Asa Newell came in toward the end of the third and scored five points for the Hawks, keeping them afloat and helping them maintain their lead going into the fourth.

Asa is WORKING pic.twitter.com/ivdewoMUyK

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 15, 2025

The Hawks continued to use ball movement to their advantage, getting easy shots in the paint and out on the perimeter. The 76ers kept themselves in the game, but the Hawks did everything in their power to break away. Risacher continued playing well in the second half, and knocked down a big three-pointer in transition.

Zacch clutch pull-up jumper pic.twitter.com/Gf8EA6P4Oi

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 15, 2025

Okongwu knocked down a three late to give the Hawks a five-point lead.

Triple O! pic.twitter.com/6TJZ8ZVP0k

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 15, 2025

The 76ers stayed in it, and with less than a minute remaining, they made it a one-point game. The Hawks were not able to convert a shot on the other end, and the 76ers had a chance to take the lead. After several chances, they were not able to knock down a shot, and the Hawks got possession with 2.5 seconds left in the game.

Called for Vit on the switch and got NOTHING pic.twitter.com/0sIhwT56ah

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 15, 2025

The 76ers played the foul game, and Alexander-Walker knocked down both free throws to give the Hawks a three-point lead with 1.5 seconds left. Grimes got a shot off, but it did not go in, and the Hawks walked away with the win.

Daniels finished with 27 points and 10 rebounds, Okongwu finished with 20 points and 15 rebounds, Johnson finished with 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists, and Krejci finished with 19 points.

The Hawks will be back in action on Thursday against the Charlotte Hornets.

Source: https://www.peachtreehoops.com/recaps/67003/hawks-finish-off-76ers-in-the-clutch-win-120-117

 

[Atlanta Hawks]

76ers at Hawks: start time, TV, streaming, radio, game thread

The Atlanta Hawks (14-12) look to flush their previous effort against the Philadelphia 76ers (14-10).

Please join in the comments below as you follow along.

Where, When, and How to Watch and Listen​

Location: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA

Start Time: 6:00 PM EDT

TV: FanDuel Sports Network Southeast (FDSNSE)

Radio: Sports Radio 92.9 the Game (WZGC-FM)

Streaming: FanDuel Sports Network app, Fubo (out of market), NBA League Pass (out of market), Youtube TV (NBA League Pass out of market)

Source: https://www.peachtreehoops.com/atla...wks-start-time-tv-streaming-radio-game-thread

 

[Atlanta Hawks]

Rumor Roundup: Trade SZN. Trae back? Porzingis gone?

We have reached December 16th, one day after players who were signed in free agency can be included in trade and 52 days until the trade deadline on February 5th.

For the Hawks, they have two players who meet the former criterium: Nickeil Alexander-Walker (highly unlikely to be traded given his production and contract length) and Luke Kennard (an expiring contract who very well could be on the move).

The Hawks don’t play again until Thursday, so let’s take a moment to delve into the recent rumors and pertinent updates on injured players.

Trade candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo​

I talked here about the Giannis Antetokounmpo saga recently in regard to what happens if a trade with the Hawks or Knicks goes down between now and the trade deadline. There has been some recent sourcing from connected people around the NBA on this ongoing melodrama in the past few weeks.

Eric Nehm of The Athletic just yesterday shed some light on the idea that Milwaukee still wants to appease Antetokounmpo. Instead of entertaining trades for him, they may instead add to their team this trade season:

Five months after the Bucks’ stunning decision to waive Damian Lillard en route to adding big man Myles Turner on a four-year, $107 million deal, it appears they aren’t waving the white flag on Antetokounmpo’s future in Milwaukee just yet. Instead, league sources said they’re considering making yet another significant addition that might aid their chances of convincing him to stay.

Additionally, there’s little smoke connecting Antetokounmpo to the Hawks despite the picks they own. Per Chris Haynes of the NBA on Prime and NBA TV:

I think the Knicks have interest in Giannis—strong interest. The Miami Heat have interest in Giannis. The Golden State Warriors have had interest in Giannis for a long time. The San Antonio Spurs. The Minnesota Timberwolves. The list goes on and on. Ultimately, for Giannis, wherever he lands, I think he’d prefer some sun, probably a big market. Outside of that, he wants to be on a team that can contend for a championship. He’s been very clear that this is a top priority for him throughout his career

There is a little less than two months between now and the trade deadline, and so circumstances can quickly change in that time period. But for now, with an extension in the offseason absolutely imperative for any team trading for the two-time MVP, it seems Atlanta will merely monitor the situation from the sidelines for now.

Trade candidate Anthony Davis​

Anthony Davis is the most recent star linked with the Atlanta Hawks this trade season. After the (immediately) ill-fated Luka Doncic trade and the Mavs’ slow start this season, it seems a shakeup is in store in Dallas.

League sources indicated to Shams Charania of ESPN that the Atlanta Hawks are among the teams expected to be a suitor for Davis. ‘AD’ is still a premier defensive force in this league and skilled scoring big, but his injury history, age, and salary (including an extension opportunity in the near future) should give teams like the Hawks a bit of pause.

Davis makes $54.1 million this season, $58.5 million next season, and has a player option for $62.8 million in 2027-28. Do the Hawks really want to give up assets for a 32-year-old player with their young roster? Or will the asking price from the Mavericks be so low as to entice a team like Atlanta? Who knows, but it’s an interesting wrinkle to watch for going forward.

Trae Young​

Trae Young has only played five games this season due to a knee sprain he picked up in a game against the Brooklyn Nets. Young has been re-evaluated a couple of times since that incident, and the breadcrumbs are indicating that he is close to returning to action.

Could we see him in the lineup for the next game on Thursday against the Charlotte Hornets?

On Saturday, December 13, the Atlanta Hawks issued this statement regarding Young:

Guard Trae Young sustained a right knee MCL sprain on Oct. 29 at Brooklyn. He continues to increase his reconditioning activities and is expected to return to practice next week. His status will be updated as appropriate.

If all things go as expected, he’ll re-join practice with the Hawks — although no word on his actual status for games yet. So, if his injury designation changes from “out” to “questionable” for Charlotte when the report is released tomorrow afternoon at 5 PM EST, that could be a really good sign on this front.

Young has documented his rehabilitation process in a vlog series on his Youtube channel, if you’re interested in a behind-the-scenes look at the progress.

Kristaps Porzingis​

Porzingis opened up about his fight with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), something that hindered his performances with the Celtics in the past two seasons. The hope was that the Latvian international was over this ailment when the Hawks acquired him this summer, but with him missing some recent games officially with “illness”, it has quickly become clear that those hopes have faded into the ether.

To date, Porzingis has only played 13 out of a possible 26 games this season — and unfortunately, that ratio is about to get a lot worse. On Sunday, the Hawks released the following statement:

Center Kristaps Porzingis has missed multiple games while dealing with a recent illness. To ensure he continues to make progress toward a full recovery, he will continue this period of limited basketball activities and evaluation for two weeks, after which time his status will be updated.

What does that mean for his status with the team going beyond that? Well, Marc Stein shines a bit of light on his Substack blog the Stein Line on Sunday saying, “any significant trade business that Atlanta does in-season is expected to include the $30.7 million expiring contract held by Kristaps Porziņģis.”

If you ask me, it sounds like the Hawks simply can’t count on his availability anymore, and his expiring deal would then be a great way to grease the wheels of any big trade executed. We’ll have to stay tuned on this front.

Jacob Toppin​

Toppin is someone that impressed in Summer League, and he was looking to use that momentum to crack the rotation for the Hawks on a two-way contract.

Unfortunately, while playing with the College Park Skyhawks, he suffered a torn labrum in his right shoulder a couple of weeks ago — something that will cause him to miss the remainder of the season.

Now, on Monday, the Hawks waived him from his two-way contract to allow them to sign someone else to that open roster spot.

All the best for Jacob Toppin going forward.

Source: https://www.peachtreehoops.com/atla...nis-antetokounmpo-anthony-davis-atlanta-hawks

 

[Atlanta Hawks]

Injury report is big news for Trae Young’s return

As of today, Trae Young has missed the last 22 games after suffering an MCL sprain in the fifth game of the season. The Hawks have gone 13-9 without him, but there’s no question his return will be a big boost to a team looking to push their way up towards the top of the Eastern Conference standings.

I talked about Young’s rehabilitation timeline previously, but in the past 24 hours things have trended upwards toward a welcoming back to play.

Yesterday, Trae Young was assigned to the Hawks’ G League affiliate, the College Park Skyhawks, in order for Young to practice in a professional setting:

The Atlanta Hawks announced today that guard Trae Young and center N’Faly Dante have been assigned to the College Park Skyhawks from the Hawks.

— Hawks PR (@HawksPR) December 16, 2025

Then, earlier today, the Hawks recalled him to the senior team:

The Atlanta Hawks announced today that guard Trae Young has been recalled to the Hawks from the College Park Skyhawks.

— Hawks PR (@HawksPR) December 17, 2025

Trae Young got in a practice with the Hawks this morning at the practice facility in advance of their next game, and he even won a shooting contest that Luke Kennard often dominates.

Does that mean Young’s return is imminent? Well, after being listed as ‘out’ on every injury report since the beginning of November, his designation changed for the better this afternoon:

An @emoryhealthcare injury report for tomorrow’s game at Charlotte:

Trae Young (right knee MCL sprain): Questionable

Kristaps Porzingis (illness): Out pic.twitter.com/oI0UigUJeK

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 17, 2025

The Hawks face off against the Charlotte Hornets in Charlotte tomorrow, and Young is expected to make the trip given his ’questionable’ designation. It will likely be a game-time decision. Stay tuned to see if he truly is welcomed back to action Thursday evening.

Source: https://www.peachtreehoops.com/late...ws-trae-youngs-return-atlanta-hawks-nba-rumor