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Hawks Must Fix Their Slow Starts To Beat A Battered Pacers Team
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- Hawks Must Fix Their Slow Starts To Beat A Battered Pacers Team
Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
Both the Atlanta Hawks and Indiana Pacers are limping into Monday night with their worst losses of the season. The Hawks got crushed on the road 121-99 by the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday, while the Pacers fell 98-90 to a winless Brooklyn Nets team on Sunday. This matchup is a battle between two teams trying to snap skids, but the Hawks have a specific problem that must be fixed before tipoff.
Johnson's ankle and a thin frontcourt
The biggest story is whether All-Star forward Jalen Johnson will play. He is listed as questionable with a left ankle sprain after exiting the game against New Orleans in the third quarter. If Johnson sits, the Hawks lose their best player and their frontcourt becomes dangerously thin. Per Sports Illustrated , Jock Landale is already ruled out with a left hip strain, and rookie Asa Newell would have to step into a larger role. Newell scored 13 points and grabbed four rebounds in his last outing, but he is not a proven starter yet.
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Atlanta is also missing rookie Kingston Flemings, who was suspended for one game after elbowing Bryce McGowens. The team needs Johnson to be the consistent "top guy" they currently lack. Through seven games, his field goal percentage stands at 42.1 percent from the field and 25.8 percent from three. A lower-body injury makes breaking out of that funk much harder. The Pacers are not feeling sorry for Atlanta, as they have also missed several key players over the last few games.
Execution issues and a tough opponent
Hawks coach Quin Snyder knows his team has a major flaw. "We haven't started the game well from an execution standpoint," Snyder said. The team committed a season-high 19 turnovers against New Orleans, which led to 34 points for the opponent. Atlanta shot a ghastly 17.4 percent from the 3-point range in that loss. They need better production from beyond the arc, especially from center Onyeka Okongwu. Okongwu is shooting 25.8 percent from deep this season after hitting 37.6 percent last year.
The Pacers are not healthy either. Tyrese Haliburton, the star point guard, misses time due to a hamstring strain, and Ivica Zubac sits out because of an ankle injury. Andrew Nembhard scored 23 points against Brooklyn to fill the void. Even if Obi Toppin returns from back soreness, Indiana coach Rick Carlisle knows the road ahead is steep. "There's a lot of challenges right now, but that's what this whole thing is about," Carlisle said. "It's the NBA. Stuff is hard. We've all just got to work even harder at finding answers, finding ways."
The Hawks have a chance to bounce back on the road, but only if they start fast. They fell behind 35-18 in the first quarter against New Orleans and could not recover.
