The Atlanta Hawks notched their 2d victory in their preseason ended their Abu Dhabi trip with a 118-109 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday afternoon.
Trae Young led the manner with 31 issues in 19 mins — in the back of seven three-pointers — whilst De’Andre Hunter added 21 issues. For the Bucks, Lindell Wigginton scored 16 issues.
Heading into this recreation, we knew that the Hawks’ major starters weren’t going to play as widely as they did on Thursday, and then prior to the sport Hawks head trainer Nate McMillan published that Dejounte Murray would no longer play due to again spasms. The Bucks, in the meantime, rested Giannis Antetokounmpo.
This recreation was once a story of 2 halves in the sense that the starters performed actual mins in the primary part and many of the camp invitations would get a run in the second one part. Trae Young was once one such participant who didn’t function in the second one part however he made certain to placed on a show sooner than he departed.
Young had gotten off to a powerful get started in the primary quarter however it was once his paintings from past the arc in the second one quarter that were given the group going.
He first were given going with this pull-up 3 in transition and as shooters in the NBA will let you know: whenever you get one to pass the remaining opens up:
Young was once in a position to do critical harm to the Bucks off of switches in the second one quarter and this was once the start of that development as Jevon Carter switches off Young and Young wishes little or no sunlight to pull the cause and he does so with just right impact right here:
On the transfer from Bobby Portis this time, Young dances at the perimeter sooner than hitting the contested 3:
With Portis once more guarding him, Young presentations off his limitless vary:
There was once no postgame availability from the Hawks as they’re straight away returning to Atlanta but when McMillan was once talking postgame I’m certain he would have mentioned how unsurprised he was once at a taking pictures sanatorium like this from Young, who shot 11-of-15 from the sphere and 7-of-9 from 3. He was once incredible offensively and gave the Abu Dhabi crowd the show the NBA would have wanted for.
When Young exited the sport prior to the top of the primary part, it was once necessarily a lock that he would no longer play in the second one part however in his position we were given a glimpse of what was once to come in the hole section of the second one part via De’Andre Hunter, who was once the Hawks’ different standout in this recreation.
This play to finish the primary part was once a hallmark of what was once to come as Hunter drives to the rim and finishes impressively on the rim in site visitors:
In transition, Hunter drives from the fringe, absorbs the touch and finishes on the rim, plus the foul:
Guarded by way of Pat Connaughton at the wing, Hunter zips by way of at the pressure and finishes on the rim once more:
Hunter hasn’t all the time been this easy on his drives together with his care for and it’s one thing he sought after to — and has — labored on over the summer season and you’ll be able to see some early returns on that paintings to this point.
I wouldn’t get too a ways forward presently however I’ve loved Hunter’s paintings to this point in the preseason. He’s in a position to get to his spots and is easy on his makes an attempt.
Here, Hunter comes off the Clint Capela display and rises into the jumpshot as Brook Lopez drops again:
Again coming off the Capela display, Hunter will get to the loose throw line and sinks this floater:
Rinse and repeat, best this shot was once extra contested than the primary and Hunter attracts the foul at the made shot:
Hunter completed with 21 issues on 9-of-13 taking pictures from the sphere and 2-of-3 from in the back of the arc in 20 mins of motion. Hunter has regarded easy offensively and he’s had two sturdy video games in Abu Dhabi and there will have to be some optimism surrounding his play because the Hawks go back to Atlanta.
The different major sure from the Hawks’ viewpoint was once that of AJ Griffin who after all noticed some prolonged courtroom time, scoring 13 issues on 4-of-8 taking pictures from the sphere and 3-of-5 from 3 in 24 mins.
Griffin was once a little bit messy throughout the arc and defensively however he shone at the perimeter and the principle takeaway was once simply being in a position to see Griffin play prolonged mins and show off why the Hawks decided on him at No. 16 total.
This 3 was once most definitely the select of the bunch in phrases of a spotlight as Vit Krejci whips a behind-the-back cross to Onyeka Okongwu at the pressure, who then kicks the ball out to Griffin who hits the 3:
Since Tyrese Martin performed in 8 mins on Thursday and were given some run in with the starters in the primary part, it kind of feels he’s forward of Griffin for now in the way-too-early Hawks’ rookie wing rotation. Martin didn’t specifically have a powerful recreation and the Hawks may glance to see a bit of extra motion of Griffin with the rotation avid gamers going ahead in the preseason.
Aaron Holiday, in the meantime, stepped into the beginning lineup for Murray however didn’t acquit himself as smartly in this recreation as he did on Thursday. In reality, most of the Hawks who performed in the second one part didn’t play particularly smartly and this made the fourth quarter particularly tricky viewing.
Touching on some facets from the sport, the Hawks did a greater process restricting the Bucks at the offensive glass (one thing McMillan mentioned on Thursday) and dedicated simply 8 turnovers at the recreation. Even for it simply being preseason, with what number of avid gamers who featured in the second one part who’ve no longer performed in combination it was once an outstanding quantity from the Hawks in that regard.
There’s no longer a lot else to say about this recreation in truth — the second one part was once particularly tough with out a actual standouts from the camp invitations. But all-in-all, the Hawks will have to come away feeling happy from their trip.
Their major rotation avid gamers (minus Murray from the second one recreation and Bogdan Bogdanovic in fact) regarded wholesome and spry and performed smartly, Murray were given on smartly in his first recreation with the Hawks and AJ Griffin were given some just right run-time in the second one recreation. Other than the disgruntlement of no longer getting Jalen Johnson and Trent Forrest out to Abu Dhabi, the Hawks are in a cast spot to this point in their preseason marketing campaign — a lot better than they have been twelve months in the past.
The Hawks (2-0) are again in motion on Wednesday towards the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Should be amusing. Until subsequent time…