The Atlanta Hawks will start off their 2023 campaign with a matchup against the Charlotte Hornets at the Spectrum Center on Oct. 25.
The Hawks will suit up against the Hornets, New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves and Washington Wizards during their first five games in the 2023-24 regular season. Atlanta went 1-3 against Charlotte during the 2022-23 season. They took a 125-106 victory in December behind the 59 combined points from guards Trae Young and Bogdan Bogdanović.
Atlanta went 3-2 during its 2023 preseason run. They defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans but fell to the Indiana Pacers and Philadelphia 76ers. The Hawks ended their preseason run with a 120-106 loss to the Sixers in the Wells Fargo Center on Friday. Guard Dejounte Murray and forward Saddiq Bey combined for 25 points in Philadelphia. Forward Jalen Johnson added nine points, four rebounds and two steals in just under 17 minutes of playing time. 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey ended the night with a 15-point, 12-assist double-double.
What are some bold predictions for the Hawks' 2023-24 campaign?
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Trae Young will make an All-NBA team
Young led Atlanta with 19 points and 10 assists during his 27 minutes of play against the 76ers. He hit five of his 16 shots from the floor and two of his seven tries from the 3-point line. Young has averaged 16.5 points and 5.8 assists per game during the four games he has played during the preseason, according to NBA.com.
Young was among the players who received votes for a spot on an All-NBA team during the 2022-23 season. The two-time All-Star was a member of the All-NBA Third Team during the 2021-22 season. He joined Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, now-Golden State Warriors guard Chris Paul, Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam and Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns.
Onyeka Okongwu will have a breakout season
Okongwu, the No. 6 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, averaged 9.9 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game during his third season in the NBA. He started in 18 of the 80 games he played in the 2022-23 season. The former USC center started in a 113-111 win over the Indiana Pacers in January, where he garnered 18 points, 20 rebounds, four assists, two steals and four blocks in 39 minutes.
“Overall I've just been trying to get better and add little things over the years,” Okongwu told ClutchPoints in August, via ClutchPoints Associate Editor David Yapkowitz. “I think media, fans, the team, from that standpoint and perspective I think they can all tell I've been getting better.
“This year I'm excited to add more to my game like handling and shooting more.”
The Hawks will make an extended run in the NBA playoffs
The Hawks finished last season with a record of 41-41, putting them in second place in the Southwest Division and eighth place in the Eastern Conference. Atlanta would defeat the Miami Heat during the Play-In tournament but would fall in six games to the Boston Celtics during the first round of the 2023 NBA playoffs.
The Hawks added guard Patty Mills in a July trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder. They added Michigan guard Kobe Bufkin, Washington State forward Mouhamed Gueye and Penn State guard Seth Lundy through the 2023 NBA Draft. Lundy would sign a two-way contract with Atlanta in the offseason. The Hawks hired head coach Quin Snyder in February after he spent eight seasons with the Utah Jazz.
“I am thrilled to go back to Atlanta as the next head coach of the Hawks,” Snyder said in a February statement, via Hawks.com Writer Kevin Chouinard. “Landry has a tremendous reputation as an incredibly bright, high character, high quality individual and it was quickly evident that we share a passion and commitment to building a winning team with a strong foundation and high standards.
“I am excited to collaborate with Landry to create a successful program that devoted Hawks fans are proud of an cheer for and am grateful to Tony, Jami and the Ressler family for this opportunity. My family and I are looking forward to immersing ourselves in the community and calling Atlanta home.”
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