atlarehmann

The young Hawks are ready to take off in Las Vegas, even though one of their leaders himself is just a teenager.

Nineteen-year-old AJ Griffin is, by comparison, the grizzled NBA veteran ready to lead the Hawks' draftees through NBA 2K24 Summer League 2023. The Hawks will face Sacramento, Denver, Minnesota and Philadelphia as Hawks fans get their first chance to see Kobe Bufkin, Mouhamed Gueye, and Seth Lundy in a Hawks uniform.

"They're joking around," Griffin said of the rookies. "They're saying stuff like, 'You're a young vet. You're a young vet!' It's crazy to hear that in your second year, but it's just crazy to see how time is really and truly fast."

Griffin also noted that he wants to get extra repetitions of three things during his time in Vegas: being more vocal, ball-handling, and defense. Ball-handling may be a duty that Bufkin, a 6-foot-4 guard whom the Hawks picked with the 15th overall pick in the 2023 Draft, shares with Griffin on the trip.

"I think I'll be doing a bit of both: on- and off-the-ball," Bufkin said. "We have guys like AJ that can play on the ball, and I'm looking forward to seeing what those guys can do."

Even as Griffin fine-tunes his skills, running the offense should be a new wrinkle for him, as he spent most of his rookie season as a shooting guard. For his part, Bufkin only took over running the University of Michigan's offense midway through his second and final season, but Griffin and Lundy both noted the pace with which he plays when the ball is in his hands.

"Kobe's change-of-pace is incredible," Lundy said. "His versatility, his defense – all of the above."

For the rookies, a number of adaptations await. The rules, and the styles and the level of competition all change when the Hawks hit the floor Friday.

Bufkin is going to get to try out his pace-changing skills with the longer three-point line and more spacing.&nbsp;

"You could feel the spacing in some situations, but obviously the people are bigger on this level, so they cover a little bit more of the space," Bufkin said of the Hawks' practices this week. "But you can definitely tell the difference in some situations."

Lundy, whom the Hawks selected in the second round (46th overall), finished sixth all-time in school history at Penn State with 229 career three-pointers while making 40.0 percent of his attempts as a senior. He will be adjusting to bigger, faster defenders, new terminology and even things like the basketball itself.

"The NBA ball definitely feels lighter, and the newer balls don't have any grip, honestly. They get more grip the older that they get," Lundy said. "As soon as the season ended, I started using the NBA ball to get used to it."

Gueye, the 6-foot-11 forward whom the Hawks acquired by trade after the Boston Celtics chose him with the 39th overall pick, brings a little bit of everything to the court: size, shooting, playmaking, defense, and at the same time, that versatility means that he also has learn a lot of things all at once.

"My position, first of all," Gueye said of the adjustments. "The strength, the level of basketball, and the shooting. In college, I was – and I'm still – a great defender, but here you're required to have your hands up all the time, know your closeouts and know everything. It's a different level, for sure."

Griffin had some strong praise for his rookie teammates.

"They all work hard, so that's perfect for the dynamic of our team, just being able to work hard and come here with that mindset of wanting to get better and do extra stuff."

And even though he is the veteran on this trip, he isn't yet sending out his rookies on quests for things like doughnuts and chicken sandwiches.

"I'm going to wait until the other veterans get here," Griffin quipped with a laugh. "The real vets."

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Taking Flight: The Young Hawks Soar in Las Vegas

K L Chouinard

The Hawks practiced yesterday in preparation for tonight's Play-In Game in Miami a year after meeting the Heat in the 2022 postseason.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"We've got a lot of new moving&nbsp;pieces," forward John Collins said after practice, "but I feel like everybody is behind Coach Quin and I'm just excited for him to lead us going into this new postseason.&nbsp;I feel like the guys are ready to go. The energy feels good today."

After the Hawks advanced from last year's Play-In Tournament with wins over Cleveland and Charlotte, they met the Heat in a first-round series that Miami won in five games. The two&nbsp; rivals have occupied the top two spots in the Southeast Division for three consecutive seasons and that success breeds a certain familiarity.

"Four times every year – and one in the preseason just for good measure," Collins said. "We see them a lot. Obviously, they've seen us a lot. It's going to be a dogfight."

One aspect to this series that is new for the Hawks this season: they traded for Dejounte Murray in the offseason. Murray averaged 20.5 points, 6.1 assists and 1.5 steals while setting career-best shooting marks from both the field and the free-throw line. He and Trae Young became the second pair of teammates&nbsp;ever to average 20 or more points and 6 or more assists each (min. 70 games played). Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen were the first.&nbsp;

Head Coach Quin Snyder just wants Trae and Dejounte to be the best versions of Trae and Dejounte that they can be.

"I think that has been consistent all season: those guys playing together and learning to play to one another's strengths," Snyder said. "Obviously, this is a flashpoint because of last year. I think the key for those two – as it is for our team – is to play to our strengths as best we can given some different circumstances, but I don't think philosophically that it really changes anything.

Since Snyder took over on Feb. 26, the Hawks have had the 4th-most efficient offense in the league at 119.5 points per 100 possessions, but they will have their hands full against a strong Heat defense.&nbsp;

"They're one of the best-coached teams in the league," Snyder said. "They have an identity. Obviously, they're the best defensive team in the league, so it presents a lot of challenges for us, but I think everybody is excited to be in the postseason."

Snyder also said the Hawks need to be alert to the versatility of Miami's defense, as the Heat will often change what they are doing multiple times in the same game.

"Their base defense is very good, and one of the things that they are also good at is adjusting out of it," Snyder said. "We have to be prepared to react and to read. That's what the postseason is about."

One of the defensive setups that helped the Heat was one where they walled off the paint from the top of the key with two defenders guarding Trae's pick-and-rolls and another two defenders pulled in much farther than usual to help.

"They were showing a lot of help and showing a lot of bodies when I was at the top of the key," Trae said, "so maybe being behind the defense a little bit more (will help). Quin has obviously put in some sets and stuff for me to be behind the defense. We'll see if it helps. I think it will."

Additionally, Trae is elite when it comes to setting up his teammates for success when the bulk of the defensive attention comes his way. He led the NBA in total assists for a second-consecutive season with 741. Collins said that the other Hawks need to be prepared for situations where they are called on to score.

"Everybody has to be ready, going back to being held accountable," Collins said. "Everybody has to be ready to flash when they double, to hit open shots when they overhelp and to make plays."

Then Collins slowed down a beat to reiterate his key thesis.

"Just be ready to make plays," he said. "That's what Miami's defense sort of allows guys to do a little bit in that sense is to make plays. Be ready to step up, earn your keep, do your job on this team and try to win. I feel like that is the biggest part because we can play basketball."

Last season, Collins and the Hawks struggled against the Heat in part to injury. Collins had to deal with plantar fasciitis and finger injury on his shooting hand, while losing Clint Capela in the Cleveland Play-In Game to a hyperextended knee left them shorthanded in the middle at the start of the Heat series.

This season, the Hawks are experiencing better health, and they had no injuries to report leading into tonight's game.

Collins said that ultimately, this game boils down to the want-to factor of who has a bigger desire to succeed.

"I could go on for days with the big words, right? But it comes down to who wants it more," he said. "Who wants to guard? Who wants to win? Who wants to see the Larry O'Brien Trophy? Who wants that ring on their finger? That's all it really takes is that want and that drive to win. I could talk about how many strong guys and big guys (we have) and how versatile we&nbsp;are, but who wants to win?"

Tonight's winner advances to a playoff series against the Boston Celtics. The loser gets one more chance to advance to the postseason Friday against the winner of Wednesday's Chicago-Toronto matchup, and that game's winner advances to a playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks.

To hear Collins say it, the Hawks want to seal their fate tonight and not Friday.

the-hawks-prepare-to-face-the-miami-heat-in-the-2023-nba-play-in-tournament

The Hawks Prepare to Face the Miami Heat in the 2023 NBA Play-In Tournament

Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks made two trades Thursday on the day of the NBA Trade Deadline.&nbsp;

In one four-team trade, the&nbsp;Hawks acquired Saddiq Bey from the Detroit Pistons, sending Detroit a 2023 second-round draft pick (the second-most favorable of Atlanta, Brooklyn, and Charlotte), its own 2024 second-round draft pick (provided such pick is among 31-55 in the 2024 NBA Draft) and its own 2025 second round draft pick (provided such pick is among 31-40 in the 2025 NBA Draft) to Portland. Atlanta also sent its 2026 and 2028 second-round draft picks to Golden State.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Hawks General Manager Landry Fields liked the prospect of deepening the rotation with the addition of the&nbsp;6-8 forward.

"(Saddiq) is a&nbsp;young guy who is up-and-coming who gives us a lot of that depth at the wing with the versatility that he has," Fields said.

In 52 games for the Pistons this season, the third-year swingman averaged 14.8 points and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 34.5 percent from three.

"He's a guy who can put the ball in the basket, who can help spread the floor for you," head coach Nate McMillan said of Bey.

In another move, the Hawks&nbsp;acquired center Bruno Fernando, who previously played two seasons in Atlanta, and guard Garrison Mathews from the Houston Rockets, in exchange for Justin Holiday, Frank Kaminsky and the 2024 and 2025 second-round draft picks that the Hawks acquired in a previous trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Fernando's arrival gives the Hawks an extra rim protector – he has averaged 1.0 block per game while playing just 11.5 minutes – and in Mathews, the Hawks get a career 36.6 percent three-point shooter who can both shoot with volume and shoot after moving without the ball.

"(The ability to) equip our team with guys we really like – and still maintain core pieces – was really important to us," Fields said.

In a way, maintaining core pieces may be the most notable aspect of the Hawks' trade deadline, where they neither added to nor subtracted from a starting five of Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, De'Andre Hunter, John Collins and Clint Capela.&nbsp;

The Hawks' current 29-30 record puts them an arm's reach from McMillan's stated goal of finishing in the top-6 seed of the Eastern Conference Playoffs, but the Hawks' regular starting five has done exceedingly well when healthy. In fact, they have outscored their opposition by more points than any other&nbsp;5-player lineup&nbsp;in the East through games played Friday. In 30 games together, the quintet has outscored its opponents by 128 points in 500 minutes together.&nbsp;

In grouping two great rim protectors, two elite creators and a lockdown point-of-attack defender (who also shoots threes well), the Hawks' regular starting five offers a lot of versatility on both ends. These trade deadline moves should only add to the depth of bench behind them and give McMillan additional options if or when an injury should arise.

With 23 games remaining in the regular season, the Hawks now have a ready-to-rumble rotation&nbsp;that should enable them to make a push toward the Eastern Conference Playoffs.

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The Hawks Acquire Saddiq Bey and Bruno Fernando on NBA Trade Deadline

atlmrose

John Collins put up 23 points and grabs 14 rebounds in tonight's game against the Miami Heat.

collins-puts-up-23-in-game-vs-heat

Collins Puts Up 23 Points vs Heat

Trae Young's second clutch assist of the evening came in the locker room when he passed a medallion onto rookie AJ Griffin.

After one of Trae's most efficient games of the season – a 33-point, 12-assist effort in which he made 12 of 21 shots – he took the&nbsp;medallion&nbsp;that Nate McMillan gave him for being the Hawks' best offensive player and handed it over to the rookie after Griffin hit the game-winning alley-oop layup as overtime expired.

Trae's&nbsp;first clutch assist&nbsp;was the bit of passing perfection that set up the layup.&nbsp;

On a play that resembled a hook-and-lateral in football, De'Andre Hunter inbounded the ball with 3.8 seconds left. The Raptors fronted Trae to deny him a catch of that inbound pass, but that meant Trae could steam toward the basket without the ball at top velocity. Hunter passed to Dejounte Murray, Murray tossed a short pass back to a streaking Trae, and his speed propelled him into a 2-on-1 break.

If Trae threw it any earlier, Toronto's OG Anunoby may have backpedaled to break up the lob. If Trae threw it any later, time might have expired. If Trae had put the ball in any other spot, Griffin may have needed more time to shoot, and the clock could have expired with the ball in his hands.

"It's this thing where he looks like he's about to shoot it, but then he just passes it at the last second," Griffin said of&nbsp;the assist. "I just saw the&nbsp;look in his eye. Once I saw that, then I knew it was 'game'."

Trae downplayed the pass and focused on the finish.

"(OG Anunoby) just chose early," Trae said, "and I just threw it over his head – and AJ went and made a play. I was happy for him."

Griffin had 8 points and 2 offensive rebounds in the five minutes of overtime, scoring the session's&nbsp;first basket&nbsp;on a play where he split two defenders by dribbling behind his back and forward once again between his legs. He finished with a&nbsp;tear-dropped floater over a third defender.

Four minutes later, Griffin hit the first game-winner of his NBA career.

"I was in the right spot at the right time," Griffin said. "I had a feeling that they were going to pressure up. I knew it. I saw it developing early, so I was just like, 'Let me sneak up behind them.' "

The Hawks got strong performances from a number of players. John Collins had 11 rebounds and a season-high 4 assists. De'Andre Hunter attempted a career-high 14 free throws. Clint Capela had 18 points, 14 rebounds and 3 blocks. He anchored the help defense all game long, and when the Hawks began to play a switching defense in the final minutes of regulation, he repeatedly&nbsp;got one-on-one stops&nbsp;on a Raptor ballhandler in space.

But the night belonged to AJ Griffin, and his 17-point performance was made all the sweeter by the fact that he got to do it in front of his father, former NBA player and current Raptors assistant coach Adrian Griffin.

"Even if (AJ) won't say it," Trae said, "it may mean a little more to him because it was against his dad. It's always exciting to see people's success. I'm just happy that AJ got to have a night like tonight."

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Trae Young's Clutch Assists vs Raptors

atlnbell

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New Look Hawks Open Training Camp

ATLANTA - The Atlanta Hawks begin the 2020-21 home season on Monday, Dec. 28 at State Farm Arena against the Detroit Pistons on Opening Night Presented by State Farm, the National Basketball Association announced today as the first half of the schedule was released. Atlanta opens on the road at Chicago on Dec. 23 before traveling to Memphis on Dec. 26 prior to the home opener.

Atlanta’s roster has been reshaped over the last month, as the club has supplemented its youthful core of Trae Young, John Collins, Kevin Huerter, De’Andre Hunter, Cam Reddish and young veteran Clint Capela with significant free agent acquisitions Bogdan Bogdanovic, Danilo Gallinari, Rajon Rondo, Kris Dunn and Solomon Hill. In last month’s NBA Draft, Atlanta selected Onyeka Okongwu from USC sixth overall.

Some of the notable stretches in the Hawks’ first 37 games include consecutive road games at Brooklyn Dec. 30 and Jan. 1, a West Coast trip in mid-January (Phoenix Jan. 13, Utah Jan. 15 and Portland Jan. 16), four consecutive home games at the start of February vs. LA Lakers (Feb. 1), Dallas (Feb. 3), Utah (Feb. 4) and Toronto (Feb. 6), a second matchup at Dallas on ESPN (Feb. 10) and consecutive road games at Boston (Feb. 17 and Feb. 19).

One of the marquee days of the NBA season is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, Jan. 18 when Atlanta will host the Minnesota Timberwolves at 2:30 pm on NBA TV, as the Hawks will wear their new MLK Nike City Edition uniforms and display the MLK City Edition Court for the first time in-game action.

Today’s schedule announcement features 17 games at State Farm Arena and 20 contests on the road. After four games in December (three road and one home), Atlanta has 16 games in January (eight home and eight road), 15 contests in February (eight home, seven road) and two road games in March to wrap up the first half.

The Hawks play seven sets of back-to-backs in the first 37 contests, including three home/home, two road/home and two road/road sets. Atlanta has four nationally-televised games in the first half.

All regionally available games will be televised on FOX Sports Southeast and FOX Sports GO anchored by the network’s flagship pre- and postgame show, Hawks LIVE. All games will also air on the Hawks’ radio flagship 92-9 The Game and the Hawks Radio Network, with “Voice of the Hawks” Steve Holman and pregame, halftime and postgame host Mike Conti.

See the Hawks schedule release with Atlanta comedy show 85 South. 

atlanta-hawks-to-host-detroit-pistons-in-2020-21-home-opener-at-state-farm-arena-on-monday-dec-28

ATLANTA HAWKS TO HOST DETROIT PISTONS IN 2020-21 HOME OPENER AT STATE FARM ARENA ON MONDAY, DEC. 28

NEW YORK, Oct. 1, 2020 – NBA players have selected Vince Carter as the recipient of the 2019-20 NBA Sportsmanship Award, the NBA announced today. 

Carter, who spent the 2019-20 season with the Atlanta Hawks, announced his retirement from the NBA in June after playing a league-record 22 seasons.  He receives the Joe Dumars Trophy as the winner of the NBA Sportsmanship Award.  Dumars, a two-time NBA champion and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer, played 14 NBA seasons and won the inaugural Sportsmanship Award in the 1995-96 season.

Each NBA team nominated one of its players for the NBA Sportsmanship Award, which is designed to honor a player who best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court.  From the list of 30 team nominees, a panel of league executives selected one finalist from each of the NBA’s six divisions.  Current NBA players selected the winner from the list of six finalists, with more than 250 players submitting their votes through confidential balloting conducted by the league office. 

In addition to Carter (Southeast Division), the other finalists were Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams (Northwest), Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes (Pacific), Detroit Pistons guard Langston Galloway (Central), Memphis Grizzlies guard Tyus Jones (Southwest) and Brooklyn Nets guard Garrett Temple (Atlantic).  

Carter received 143 of 266 first-place votes and 2,520 total points in balloting of NBA players.  Temple (1,746 points) and Adams (1,632 points) finished in second and third place, respectively.  The six finalists were awarded 11 points for each first-place vote, nine points for each second-place vote, seven points for each third-place vote, five points for each fourth-place vote, three points for each fifth-place vote and one point for each sixth-place vote.   

During his 22-year career, Carter earned eight NBA All-Star selections, was named to the All-NBA Team twice and won the 1998-99 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year Award.  He also received the 2015-16 Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award, which honors selfless play, on- and off-court leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players, and commitment and dedication to team.

Carter, 43, has played the third-most games in NBA history (1,541) and is the only player to appear in a game in four different decades.  He ranks 19th on the NBA’s all-time points list (25,728) and sixth in three-pointers made (2,290).

NBA