Hovering Hawks: Here are five burning questions through first 10 games

The start to the Hawks’ season has unfolded with several hitches.

The Hawks have 10 games under their belt and injuries have plagued them since the second game of the year. They did return to a .500 record on Saturday with a dominant win over the Lakers despite missing several starters.

Though still inconsistent because of the injuries to the rotation, the Hawks rank 10th in the NBA in defensive rating, averaging 18.4 points off their opponents’ turnovers (13th best in the league).

Their defense improved in the absence of guard Trae Young, ranking fifth in defensive rating over the last six games.

The growing defensive identity has helped their offense in spurts. But the Hawks have had several possessions where they become indecisive in their reads and the offense falls stagnant.

So, the Hawks still have some things to clean up when it comes to their offense.

These first 10 games have tested the depth of the team while allowing the Hawks some valuable developmental minutes for their young talent.

Here are some burning questions after the first 10 games.

How has the chemistry of the Hawks’ rotation developed?

The Hawks have been developing solid chemistry, not with their top eight rotational players. The Hawks only had one game with a clean injury report and that was before they tipped off the season on Oct. 22.

Since then, players have been in and out of the lineup. They’re now in the midst of an extended absence of Young, who is out with a right MCL sprain. Young is expected to be re-evaluated in approximately three weeks.

So far this season, the Hawks’ starting lineup hasn’t even played a full game together. It has played a combined total of 24 minutes before Young exited the Hawks’ game against the Nets.

The Hawks can continue to figure things out and as when Young returns, they’ll adjust.

How will the Hawks generate offense for at least the next three weeks without Young?

The Hawks have handled the rock by committee, starting Nickeil Alexander-Walker at point guard but also turning to Dyson Daniels, Luke Kennard and Keaton Wallace to help with that.

But as of late, the Hawks have looked to play some of their offense through their bigs. It has taken the Hawks away from using the pick-and-roll, which has been a strength of Young, and has them calling for more ‘get’ action, hand-offs and more cutting.

The Hawks have averaged 116.6 points on 28.4 assists over the last six games, and they’ve found a spark when the ball is primarily in Daniels’ hands. The Hawks guard has put an emphasis on playing two feet in the paint, while having his eyes out on the perimeter for shooters.

Daniels has averaged seven assists over the last six games, including dishing a career-high 13 assists in the Hawks’ win over the Lakers on Saturday.

How have Alexander-Walker, Kennard and Porzingis fit in?

The Hawks’ new signings from the offseason have continued to find their place in the new rotation. Working their way into a new lineup has been further exacerbated by the extended absence of Young.

For his part though, Alexander-Walker has taken an aggressive approach that has injected energy into the Hawks’ rotation. His defense, paired with Daniels’, has already elevated the Hawks’ defense in the first 10 games.

On the offensive end, Alexander-Walker has looked to attack the rim, which has opened up the floor for young shooters like Zaccharie Risacher to get more open looks.

But Alexander-Walker continues to find his way as one of the Hawks’ ball handlers.

Kennard has taken a steadier approach, especially with the Hawks looking for him to set guys up on the offensive end. But Kennard has had a few games this season, so far, where he’s let the ball fly.

Porzingis has also given the Hawks some solid minutes for the Hawks, where he has given defenses trouble in the paint while also being the Hawks’ best shot blocker.

How have the Hawks youth group looked?

The Hawks have one of the youngest teams in the NBA, but they have put up some quality minutes that have added to the team’s overall depth.

Risacher has begun to bounce back from an ankle injury in the first game of the season. He’s scored double figures in four of the last five games, averaging 15.4 points per game in that span. He’s shot the ball with confidence and has bought completely into the team’s philosophy of running the floor.

After registering a ‘DNP’ in the first game of the season, Mouhamed Gueye has earned every minute he’s played so far. The Hawks forward on average gives the Hawks 6.7 more points per 100 possessions when he’s on the court versus when he’s off. Defensively, he helps the Hawks to hold opponents to 10.9 fewer points per 100 possessions when he’s on the court.

Asa Newell has also popped in the minutes he’s played. Like Risacher, Newell hasn’t been shy about shooting the ball, making 50% of his 2.4 3-point attempts per game. But Newell has also consistently and willingly crashed the glass to help them finish out their defensive possessions.

In the two games Newell has played with extended minutes, he scored 12 points and 17 points.

Why doesn’t Newell play more minutes?