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.
A Two-Game Set Against the NBA’s Hottest Team
Mar 6, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Caris LeVert (3) shoots past Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) in the second quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports | Brett Davis/Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
The Atlanta Hawks are struggling as Thanksgiving nears. The team dropped a home game to the shorthanded Dallas Mavericks on Monday for a third consecutive loss, and Atlanta is now 7-11 and on the edge of the play-in race in the Eastern Conference. Though it is still (very) early in the 2024-25 campaign, the Hawks could use a victory or two, but the team faces a stiff challenge on each side of the Thanksgiving holiday.
On Wednesday, the Hawks begin a two-game, three-day set against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Cleveland is the NBA’s best team so far this season, winning 17 of the first 18 games. Atlanta does have a massive upset over Boston under its belt this season, but the Hawks will have their hands full with the Cavs.
Cleveland currently leads the NBA in point differential and offensive efficiency, in addition to three-point accuracy. Atlanta’s three-point defense is currently the worst in the NBA, and that will be an area of focus in both games.
Hawks fined $100,000 by NBA
The NBA announced on Tuesday that the Hawks were fined $100,000 for “violating the league’s Player Participation Policy in connection with Trae Young missing the team’s Emirates NBA Cup game on Nov. 12 against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden.”
Young was ruled out with Achilles tendinitis in the game, and per league sources, it is a real injury that the point guard continues to manage. However, the league’s investigation determined that Young could have reasonably played and, under the policy, “teams must ensure that star players are available for national TV and In-Season Tournament games.” Young qualifies as a “star player” because he has made an All-Star team within the prior three seasons.
in addition, the Hawks did not list him on the injury report for the team’s first game after the Boston trip. Though they did have two days off after that game, his absence from the injury report could have opened the team up to increased scrutiny.
To make things spicier, the Hawks listed Young as questionable for Wednesday’s game in Cleveland... with the same designation of Achilles tendinitis.
Nov 26, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier (2) shoots the basketball over Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis (9) during the fourth quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro/Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Here’s the thing, Scary Terry has hops. At 30-years-old and with a decade of play under his belt, Terry Rozier can cut like a knife, shake loose defenders, deflect, drive, and kick the ball out to the wing on a layup with the court vision still 20/20. He shoots, too. Tidy jumpers, deep and swooning corner threes, tricky little one-handed layups, fastbreak two-handed deliveries, Rozier runs through them like a personal rolodex.
Perhaps it’s a good reminder, for you as much as me, that age really doesn’t have anything to do with it. For one, despite what we’re led to believe by watching NBA basketball and listening to people talk about it, 30 isn’t old. Besides age, there’s a more important personal factor: whether an athlete keeps up. NBA basketball gets pushed in new directions every season as competitive teams break the mold and not yet competitive teams try to keep up.
Optimization is an unfortunate word in our modern and decidedly capitalist lexicon, but it’s what good athletes do. If there’s a skill to develop, they figure out what it is. Giannis Antetokounmpo in the mid-range this season is a perfect and very successful example. The bigger thing these smaller improvements add up to are teams with a depth of different weapons to pull out against the seemingly unbeatable juggernauts at the top. Occasionally, front offices identify what their unique skillset or style of play can be — think the decidedly big Cleveland Cavaliers, or the micro, play-every-position, Thunder — and build toward it.
For an athlete like Rozier, who many were quick to call a Kyle Lowry 2.0 when he arrived in Miami, the improvisation he’s shown with the Heat was born out of necessity but also an aptitude for reading the room. The Heat are a workaholic organization with a next-man-up mentality they don’t just talk about as an inspirational soundbite, but is twined through the fibre of all that they do.
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
Biz The Hawks’ season’s most surprising win came at a cost of $100,000 due to the NBA player participation policy. (CBS Sports)
Preview The Hawks head to Cleveland to take on the streaking Cavaliers tonight. Read the preview.(NBA)
Analysis The point guard position is in good hands. Shaun Powell takes stock of the position and what the future looks like. (NBA)
Opinion The NBA can tinker with the All-Star Game format all it wants, but there’s only one fix. (The Athletic, subscription required)
Feel Good What happens with the money collected from fines? How the league turns bad moments into good deeds. (SB Nation)
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Another Lauri Markkanen Injury For Fantasy Basketball Managers To Digest
Nov 26, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward/center Lauri Markkanen (23) on the floor after a collision with San Antonio Spurs forward/center Victor Wembanyama (1) during the second half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images | Christopher Creveling/Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images
Injury Concerns and Player Updates
Joel Embiid’s ongoing knee issues are another significant concern. With a history of multiple meniscus surgeries, Embiid’s situation remains precarious. His recent absences highlight the risks associated with drafting him early in fantasy leagues. The high failure rate of such surgeries suggests that Embiid’s availability might be limited, making him a risky trade target.
Donovan Clingan’s grade 2 MCL sprain is also noteworthy. The Portland Trail Blazers plan to reevaluate him in two weeks, but this type of injury typically requires a longer recovery period. With Clingan sidelined, players like Ayton and Rob Williams are expected to see increased playing time, making Williams a valuable addition to fantasy rosters.
Lauri Markkanen’s Injury Impact
Lauri Markkanen’s recent knee injury adds another layer of complexity to fantasy basketball strategies. Markkanen, who has been dealing with back and knee issues, was helped off the court after a knee knock. While the injury doesn’t appear to be a severe ACL or MCL tear, it could sideline him for at least a week, if not longer. This development opens up opportunities for players like John Collins to step up and fill the void, potentially increasing their fantasy value.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Hawks podcasts.
Hawks snap skid with resilient, impressive win over Wolves The show centers on Monday’s game between the Atlanta Hawks and the Minnesota Timberwolves, with focus on the end of Atlanta’s losing skid, Garrison Mathews’ massive shooting contributions, Dyson Daniels’ continued excellence on the defensive end, notable contributions from Trae Young, red-hot shooting as a team, continued ball security problems, and much more.
Poor defense, dismal first quarter doom Hawks in blowout loss to Grizzlies Topics include the absences of Trae Young and Ja Morant, a dismal first quarter for the Hawks, continued turnover problems, porous defense, the need for improvement from Bogdan Bogdanovic, and much more.
Hawks stumble on offense, lose overtime thriller in San Antonio Topics include Atlanta’s offensive shortcomings, Trae Young’s apparent ankle tweak, ball security issues, Larry Nance Jr.'s hot shooting, De’Andre Hunter’s continued offensive explosion, a rough one for Dyson Daniels, and much more.
