Brad Rowland here, the host of the daily Locked On Hawks podcast, with your daily Locked On Hawks newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Hawks and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
By the way, this newsletter is a bit later than usual, but we didn’t want you to miss out on today’s stories.
Third Quarter Unkind in Portland
Nov 17, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) and Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant (9) battle for the ball in the second half at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images|Jaime Valdez/Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images
The Atlanta Hawks faced a challenging night on Sunday in Portland, falling short due to a disastrous third quarter. Despite a promising start, leading by 16 points in the first quarter and maintaining an eight-point advantage at halftime, the Hawks couldn’t sustain their momentum. The third quarter proved to be their undoing, as they allowed a staggering 25-2 run by the Portland Trail Blazers, ultimately losing the quarter 38-17. This collapse left the Hawks with a significant deficit to overcome in the final stretch.
Turnover Troubles
Turnovers were a major issue throughout the game, with the Hawks committing 24 turnovers in the first three quarters alone. This was comfortably a season high for the team, and Atlanta’s 27 giveaways directly contributed to 32 points for Portland. The Hawks’ inability to protect the ball was a glaring problem, and it overshadowed their efforts in other areas. While they managed to reduce turnovers in the fourth quarter, the damage had already been done.
The Hawks were favored to win this game, and many expected them to capitalize on their early lead. However, the third quarter meltdown and turnover woes proved insurmountable. The Hawks’ inconsistency has been a recurring theme this season, with unexpected losses to teams like the Washington Wizards and Chicago Bulls, while also securing impressive victories against stronger opponents like the Boston Celtics.
Offensive Struggles and Defensive Bright Spots
Offensively, the Hawks struggled to find their rhythm, finishing with a 110 offensive rating. While not terrible, it wasn’t enough to secure a win. The team’s ball security issues were the primary culprit, as they failed to take care of the basketball consistently. Despite these challenges, there were some bright spots, with the Hawks running well offensively when given the opportunity and shooting reasonably well inside the arc.
Defensively, the Hawks showed promise, holding the Blazers to 20 points in the fourth quarter and maintaining a solid defensive rating overall. However, their struggles on the glass, allowing 27 second-chance points, were a significant factor in the loss. The Hawks’ defense was put in difficult positions due to their offensive turnovers, yet they managed to hold their ground for the most part.
The Hawks now face a tough road ahead, with a back-to-back game against the Sacramento Kings and a challenging matchup against the Golden State Warriors. The inconsistency in their performance highlights the need for improvement, particularly in ball security and maintaining focus throughout the game.
For more insights and a deeper dive into the Hawks’ performance, tune into the Locked On Hawks podcast for this and much more.
Other Topics in Today’s Locked On Hawks Podcast:
- Analysis of individual player performances and their impact on the game.
- A look at the Hawks’ upcoming schedule and key matchups.
- Discussion on the Hawks’ defensive strategies and areas for improvement.
- Insights into the team’s rotation and injury updates.
- Fan reactions and expectations for the rest of the season.
After historic back-to-back nights over the weekend I hope the Kings’ De’Aaron Fox is on your radar. Fox delivered a 60 point game against the Timberwolves on Friday (the Kings, after all that, could not wrestle away the win) and then 49 points against the Jazz in a winning game on Saturday. While these scoring numbers are certainly a touch more astronomical than Fox’s norm, he’s still an athlete who’s averaged 25 points per game in the last three seasons.
Beyond pure shooting, Fox is a pleasure to watch. I mean that in an artful sense, like taking your time in a gallery or museum and letting your eyes rove over every flourish and detail. Fox has a knack for hang time, able to lightly adjust his body mid-air to tweak the angle of his jumper just so. It’s a bane to defenders because it’s nearly impossible to pre-calculate where Fox will wind up releasing the ball, but it’s startling, and fun, to see.
His passing follows the same rules. Namely: his own. One hand flings and scoops to teammates running down the lane, or flashing out to the wing, dependent on the sort of timing it takes trust and seasons of practice to nail. It speaks to the cohesiveness of the Kings, a team many are still quick to dismiss from contention but who will prove a difficult team to match up against once their roster returns to full strength.
Cade Cunningham
Admittedly, I hadn’t been paying that close of attention to Cade Cunningham, even with my well documented dedication to the Detroit Pistons. I changed that last Friday when the team was in Toronto to face the Raptors, and I spent a good chunk of pregame warmups watching Cunningham run through his drills.
There’s a new level of patience to Cade, who’s been — by circumstance — forced into holding pattern since he entered the NBA. This new level filters through his game. There’s still the juddery, at times mesmerizing, stop-start motion of his handle and with it the ability to force the pace he wants in a game, but now Cade’s letting the game come to him. Where there simply isn’t time to draw out a possession, or altering one might upend his team’s momentum (momentum has been something Detroit is relying on this season, to their benefit), Cade instead adopts the rhythm of the floor in motion. Now into his forth season, his maturation is evident, and it’s winning games.
Jabari Smith
It’s felt a touch disingenuous, how down on Jabari Smith those in the wider sphere of the Houston Rockets have been this season. Yes, he’s had some slow shooting nights, and made some frustrating decisions, but he’s also come back in the games that follow those less than stellar performances and done all the right things — leading to wins.
Smith’s a third year player in the league on a franchise that only really started to get the foundation of their rebuild right last season. He’s learning to adjust to quicker pace, tighter and more effortful defence (the Rockets are the league’s best rebounders), and what it means to actually compete versus playing at the whims of a single game, on a game-to-game basis. There’s continuity showing here, and it’s great.
Smith tends to have his best rebounding games when he’s also scoring, which just tells me that energy generated on one end of the floor is essential for him at the other. It’s also true of younger players — and teams, like the Rockets — learning what it is to stay consistent through a game’s many tide-turns.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Recap The Hawks struggled with turnovers, leading to a 114-110 loss against the Trail Blazers. Despite a strong start, they couldn’t maintain their lead, with Trae Young scoring 29 points. (Peachtree Hoops)
Analysis Turnovers plagued the Hawks in their 114-110 defeat to the Blazers. Shaedon Sharpe’s late-game heroics sealed the win for Portland. (AJC)
Biz Deep breaths. The NBA has settled its broadcast lawsuits, and “Inside the NBA” is here to stay. (Sportico)
Preview Major changes could soon be coming to the All-Star Game. (ESPN)
Analysis The “unicorn” era of Anthony Davis may be over, but could the “Lakers AD” era just be starting? (The Ringer)
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Sunday’s NBA Fantasy Basketball Roundup
Nov 17, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) reacts after being called for a foul against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the fourth quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn Images|Nick Wosika/Nick Wosika-Imagn Images
As we dive into the latest NBA action, it’s clear that Sunday was packed with intriguing performances and unexpected developments. With 10 games on the schedule, there was no shortage of excitement and fantasy implications to unpack.
Injury Updates and Opportunities
The Sacramento Kings are dealing with some significant injury news. Domantas Sabonis, usually a reliable presence, is doubtful with a back issue, potentially missing his second consecutive game. This opens up opportunities for players like Kevin Huerter and Trey Lyles to step up. Meanwhile, DeMar DeRozan is officially out for his third consecutive game.
Key Performances and Fantasy Implications
The Minnesota Timberwolves’ victory over the Phoenix Suns highlighted some strategic missteps by the Suns. Starting Mason Plumlee and Jusuf Nurkic together against Minnesota’s big lineup didn’t pay off, with Nurkic playing only 14 minutes. His inconsistent performances make him a risky fantasy option, as his playing time and production fluctuate wildly.
On the Timberwolves’ side, Mike Conley’s increased minutes are worth noting. While his scoring was minimal, his contributions in other areas helped secure the win. Naz Reid, despite his scoring potential, continues to struggle defensively, which could limit his fantasy upside.
Click the button below to see why one of KD’s newest running mates could be worth a look, and how Charlotte’s injury concerns will affect your lineup.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Hawks podcasts.
Third quarter disaster, turnover issues doom Hawks in road loss to Blazers The show focuses on Sunday’s game between the Atlanta Hawks and the Portland Trail Blazers, headlined by a disastrous third quarter and widespread turnover issues for Atlanta. Topics also include rough late-game execution, defensive rebounding problems, the return of Vit Krejci, and much more.
Hawks get revenge game win over Wizards, stay unbeaten in NBA Cup The show focuses on Friday’s win for the Atlanta Hawks over the Washington Wizards. Topics include another dynamic game from Dyson Daniels, NBA Cup considerations, the return of De’Andre Hunter and Trae Young, and much more.
Two-Part Episode: Dyson, Risacher, and the first 12 games with Tyler Jones Topics include Dyson Daniels’ early-season performance, Zaccharie Risacher’s development, the Atlanta Hawks’ upset win over the Boston Celtics, the first 12 games of the 2024-25 season, and much more.
