ATLANTA, GA – The Atlanta Hawks have gone through the gauntlet. So far this season, they've been on the road more than they've been in their own beds, and while they've handled that challenge well, at some point, the body gets tired.
After playing a double overtime game, the Hawks had to get on a plane and face the best team in the Eastern Conference less than 24 hours later. That game came down to a final shot, but they didn't have much time to think about it. Back on a plane to Atlanta, where they had to face the Los Angeles Clippers two days later.
The Hawks announced an hour before the game that Jalen Johnson would be out due to right calf tightness. With Trae Young already out, it was going to be a tough hill to climb with Johnson as well, and they proved it would be after losing 115-92. Not only did the Hawks lack offensive juice, but they looked tired, all in the same breath.
“Being on the road has really helped the team,” Quin Snyder said after the game. “Every time in the year, you’re going to have back-to-backs and tough games. I think as much as anything, we caught a team tonight that was really prepared to play, and played very well. We need to get our legs back. As much as anything, I think emotionally and psychologically, we need to recharge. We were a step slow on a lot of stuff. When you’re not able to focus and when you’re a little fatigued, you need to focus more on the details.”
From the start of the game, the Hawks were fighting from behind. There were times throughout where it looked like they would come alive and scratch their way back in it, but they could only give so much. The Clippers also already had an interesting day after the drama with Chris Paul, so the Hawks ran into a team looking to find momentum in any way, shape, or form.
Hawks run out of juice against the Clippers
With Johnson out, the Hawks had to find different ways to score. That led to players having to give a little more than usual, which has been nothing new for them over the past month with Young injured.
“It’s tough because you have guys having to do more, and I think this is going to be the period where you have to get through the muckiness of it, and growing into it,” Nickeil Alexander-Walker said. “It’s good that it happens now. We all need guys to handle playing in different roles and stepping up… Those things are important, and I think the main thing that I can do to help is to continue to talk them through while the game is going on.”
Even though the Hawks were missing their two best players, they still have a standard that they want to play to, and that's what has led to their success, regardless of who is on the floor.
“We have to do it collectively, like we’ve done it with Jalen,” Snyder said. “He’s just been a catalyst for that. Dyson was able to get into the lane, Nickeil got in the lane. The issue is that we did those things, but our spacing isn’t good. It doesn’t connect us like we need to. No matter who is in the game, we know that’s what we have to do. That type of execution is what you need in various lineups.”
The Hawks will have some time to recharge, but not for long. They have the Denver Nuggets in two days, and then they're back on the road to face the Washington Wizards the next day. Luckily, after that, they won't play again until Dec. 12.
