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Following an Atlanta Hawks Game 1 loss to the Heat, many will be tuning in to see if the Hawks can turn it around. Ahead of the Hawks-Heat game, we'll be making our Hawks Game 2 predictions.
Trae Young and the Hawks won both of their play-in games to make it to this first-round series, but they got blown out in Game 1 in South Beach. Despite playing well in the previous two games, Atlanta struggled heavily against Miami's elite defense. It was a 115-91 victory for the Heat, who showed why they are a title contender.
Young was taken out of the game by the stout Heat defense. He was a -22 when on the floor, scoring just eight points while shooting 1-12 from the field and 0-7 from 3-point range. The Hawks won't be able to defeat the well-coached Heat team without a good performance from Young.
Atlanta's head coach Nate McMillan will need to make adjustments for Game 2 on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. With that said, here are our Game 2 predictions for the Hawks-Heat first-round series in the 2022 NBA Playoffs.
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Hawks Game 2 predictions vs. Heat
3. Hawks limit Duncan Robinson
Duncan Robinson had a monster performance from behind the arc, torching Atlanta's defense. Robinson finished with 27 points, shooting 9-10 from the field and 8-9 from downtown, setting a Heat franchise record in the process.
While Robinson is not a star, he has the catch-and-shoot ability to knock down any open look. The Hawks need to do a better job closing out on Robinson, especially when he is coming off screens behind the arc. They must stay engaged on not fall asleep, because the Heat set good screens to free up Robinson for his looks.
Limiting Robinson will help the rest of the Hawks' defense limit Miami.
2. Hawks' offense gets back on track
Despite having the second-highest offensive rating in the league, the Hawks' offense was cold against the fierce Heat defense.
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Atlanta only had 91 points, shooting 38.7 percent from the field and 27.8 percent from 3. They also had 18 turnovers, which won't get it done against a better team. Winning the turnover battle is essential when facing off against a more talented roster, as it can even the playing field.
Atlanta was in the Eastern Conference Finals last season, and getting the offense to play well will help them compete.
1. Trae Young has a bounce-back performance
Young is one of the brightest young stars in the NBA, but the Heat's ferocious defense was able to deter him from having an impact in Game 1.
Stars like Young don't usually have two bad games in a row, and he will do everything he can to keep the Hawks from falling into a 2-0 hole:
They don’t call it a series for nothing..✍🏽 Bounce Back .! Happy Easter🙏🏽🐣
— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) April 17, 2022
Young had a 38-point performance against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the play-in game, showcasing that he can take over. Even if Miami is able to limit his scoring, Young is one of the most gifted playmakers in the NBA. He averaged 9.7 assists per game during the regular season.
Forcing the opposing defense to pick their poison on whether to let him be a scorer or playmaker will get the Hawks' offense flowing.
It was a tough Game 1 defeat for the Atlanta Hawks, but they can get right back in the series in Game 2 on Tuesday.
