ATLANTA, GA – Just a day before, the Atlanta Hawks were coming off a game where they had a strong first half, but fell flat in the second. They then had to come back a day later and play the Los Angeles Lakers, and things couldn't have gotten any worse hours before the game, as Jalen Johnson, Kristaps Porzingis, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker were ruled out.
Some would think that it would be a tall task for the Hawks coming into the game, but it wasn't. From the start of the game to the end, it was night and day on both sides of the ball, and in the end, the Hawks cruised to a 122-102 victory with a short-handed roster. Though it was a collective group effort, it was the Mouhamed Gueye show for the Hawks, as he did everything from getting crucial stops to knocking down shot after shot.
For the past two seasons, Gueye has shown flashes of being a solid rotational player in the league, and coming into this season, he's had the consistent play to go with it.
“Mo’s been good for us all year,” Dyson Daniels said after the game. “For him to come in and do his role, and be really versatile on the defensive end, switch one through five, shoot the ball really well. He’s a really talented player, and his ceiling is something nobody can really predict. I’m excited to see where he can get to.”
“I think he’s become more and more instinctive,” head coach Quin Snyder said. “He’s kind of settled in; the game is moving more slowly for him offensively. Defensively, he’s just unique with the versatility he has. I don’t think it’s magic; he’s been hungry. He wants to get better, and he’s put the time in. With a game like tonight, he gets even more of an opportunity to do that.”
For Gueye to come in and have a big game with most of the frontcourt out, it helped the Hawks get a comfortable win against a good team.
“I’m always confident. Obviously, tonight, with no JJ and KP, I needed to be extra aggressive, and I think that’s what I did,” Gueye said. “And just do what we do. Run, pace; our offense is based on running, and I’m pretty good at running, so they just found me wide open.”
Hawks have big third quarter to defeat the Lakers
The Hawks controlled the game from the beginning, getting out and running, which is what the Lakers don't do much of. On defense, they were able to contain Luka Doncic and keep the players around him in check. Gueye was the spotlight of the night, but players such as Dyson Daniels played well too, and he finished with a career-high 13 assists.
“Just trying to get two feet in the paint, find my teammates. A big emphasis for us before the game was to have eyes out and shoot the ball. I got my eyes, had Asa [Newell] come in and hit some big shots, Mo was making shots, Keaton [Wallace]. Everyone really stepped up today.”
Speaking of Newell, he got minutes with most of the frontcourt out, and he made every minute worth it. Whether he was getting steals with his active hands, knocking down open 3-pointers, or crashing the boards, he was a big part of the win.
“I'm a gym rat. I always stay in the gym,” Newell said. “I always put in the extra work, and it showed tonight with the next man up, and I had an opportunity. It feels great that my teammates and coaching staff have confidence in me.”
There shouldn't be many nights like this when the Hawks are missing this many players, but it should feel good knowing that they have players ready to come in at any moment and produce.
