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.
Hawks Swept Away In L.A.
Jan 4, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward David Roddy (8) is fouled by Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac (40) during the second half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio/Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
The Atlanta Hawks are in the midst of a six-game, two-week road trip that began in Toronto and will finish in Phoenix. While the journey began on a high note with a lopsided win over the Raptors, the Hawks experienced a hiccup with a blowout loss in Denver and endured a rough weekend in Los Angeles.
On Friday, the Hawks had their worst three-point shooting game of the 2024-25 season. Atlanta tied its season low with six three-pointers and, in addition, shot its worst three-point percentage of the campaign, connecting on fewer than 20 percent of attempts. That combination essentially guaranteed a loss against a quality Lakers team, even as the Hawks were competitive in other areas.
24 hours later, the Hawks made their first-ever trip to Intuit Dome to face the Los Angeles Clippers, and the offensive results were similar. This time, the shooting improved for Atlanta, but the Hawks committed 23 turnovers that led directly to 32 points for the Clippers. In addition, the Hawks posted a hilariously dismal 68.8 offensive rating in 14 minutes without Trae Young on the court, totally collapsing without their lead option at the helm.
All told, the Hawks were competitive defensively in both games, but Atlanta simply failed to produce acceptable offensive efficiency. In the two games, the Hawks scored 0.986 points per possession, the worst mark of any team in the league over the weekend. Atlanta also had the worst true shooting percentage (50.9 percent) of any club in that sample, and it was a rough time.
Fortunately, Atlanta is still at .500 after this unappealing stretch, but the Locked on Hawks podcast chronicled both matchups in great depth over the weekend.
Jan 4, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) greets Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) before a game at Frost Bank Center. | Scott Wachter/Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
Casting a cursory eye up and down the standings this weekend, I noticed some appearances that made me take a second look. This went for teams for climbing and sliding. So, I’m introducing a potentially recurring feature called “Monday movers”, highlighting teams jostling and jockeying in the standings, likely bound to get more contentious as the season goes on.
San Antonio Spurs
What a thrill it must be for long-suffering Spurs fans to take a glance at the West’s top 10 and see their team there, after so many seasons spent hanging around the bottom of the conference. What a thrill it was for me, too!
It’s not all because of Victor Wembanyama, but the phenom did hit two milestones this weekend: he played his 100th NBA game and he turned 21. His in-game numbers are similarly worth celebrating.
He’s the first player since Shaquille O’Neal to average at least 20 points and 10 rebounds before turning 21, and the 7th player in the last 45 years to score over 2,200 points (he’s scored 2,278) through his first 100 games. Other than Bill Walton and Brad Daugherty, Wembanyama’s the only other 7-foot center with 385+ assists before turning 21, though their first 100 games. He’s also put up more threes than Steph Curry did, with 225 to Curry’s 200 through their first 100 games.
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
Analysis The Atlanta Hawks faced the Los Angeles Clippers, with a notable performance from Kawhi Leonard. Leonard’s impact was evident in his strategic plays and leadership on the court. (Peachtree Hoops)
Prediction By 2028, several young players could rise to NBA All-Star status. Future stars from the Hawks are anticipated to make significant strides and impact the league. (Bleacher Report)
Trades The Jimmy Butler vs. Heat saga escalated quickly: Here’s what we know. (ESPN)
Biz Amazon adds Blake Griffin and Dirk Nowitzki to its inaugural studio coverage for the 2025-2026 season. (The Athletic)
Jan 5, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA; Utah Jazz guard Brice Sensabaugh (28) is interviewed by Seg Media reporter, Lauren Green following a game against the Orlando Magic at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Russell Lansford-Imagn Images | Russell Lansford/Russell Lansford-Imagn Images
One of the most intriguing developments on Sunday came from the Utah Jazz, where rookie Brice Sensabaugh has suddenly burst onto the scene with a scoring explosion.
Sensabaugh dropped 27 points against the Orlando Magic, following up a 34-point performance in his previous outing. That’s a staggering 61 points over two games for a player who had been largely off the fantasy radar. His usage rate has skyrocketed to over 30% in these contests, and he’s been scorching hot from beyond the arc, hitting 12 of 17 three-point attempts.
However, before we rush to add Sensabaugh in all leagues, it’s crucial to examine the context of his breakout. The Jazz were missing several key players, including Lauri Markkanen, John Collins, and Jordan Clarkson. This opened up a significant opportunity for Sensabaugh to showcase his scoring prowess.
The sustainability of Sensabaugh’s production is questionable. His three-point shooting percentage is bound to regress, and when the Jazz get healthier, his minutes and usage are likely to decrease. That said, he’s shown enough to warrant consideration as a streaming option in deeper leagues, particularly when Utah is shorthanded.
Click the button below for more insights, including another Thunder player to keep an eye on for your fantasy roster.
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Undermanned Hawks blasted by Clippers for third straight loss Episode 1880 focuses on Saturday’s game between the Atlanta Hawks and the Los Angeles Clippers. Topics include the absences of Jalen Johnson and Bogdan Bogdanovic, the crazy on-off splits for Trae Young, a total offensive collapse, transition issues, and much more.
Worst shooting night of season sinks Hawks against Lakers Topics include the worst shooting night of the season for Atlanta, strong ball security, a hiccup for De’Andre Hunter, the return of Bogdan Bogdanovic and Jalen Johnson, and much more.
Winning streak comes to screeching halt for Hawks in Denver Topics include the absence of Jalen Johnson, Atlanta’s widespread defensive struggles, productive offense from Trae Young and De’Andre Hunter, an ugly third quarter, and much more.
