The Hawks know they have to do a better job of protecting their home court.
With the next five games set to take place at State Farm Arena, the Hawks have the chance to do so.
Through the first 35 games of the season, the Hawks have gone 5-9 in their 14 home games.
The coming stretch is only the second time this season that the Hawks have played more than two consecutive games at home. In the first 35 games of the season, the Hawks have played 21 on the road, spending 42 total days on the road.
The Hawks have spent no longer than nine days at home since the season began Oct. 25, and they have struggled to adjust to the constant back-and-forth that comes with travel.
But the Hawks aren’t searching for any excuses as to why the season hasn’t unfolded the way they expected. Their focus remains on improving every day and getting back on the right side of the win-loss column.
“This is the top league in the world, and so for us, it’s a blessing to play,” Hawks forward Saddiq Bey said Tuesday. “Obviously, it’s a challenge of going home or going away like every other day. But for us, it’s just trying to eliminate any excuses and say, ‘You know what, we need to be the best team we could be every game.’ So, we all dreamed of being here. So, we don’t have too many complaints for that. For me personally, it’s just another game to be able to have a chance to help our record.”
The Hawks currently sit in 12th place in the Eastern Conference standings and one game outside of 10th, the final spot for the Play-In Tournament. They’ve lost seven of their past 10 games despite putting up some competitive outings in nine of the 10.
So, they’ll look to take advantage of their time in Atlanta, taking it one game at a time in the hopes of sparking a streak.
“We’ve been competitive in most games for stretches,” Bey said. “We just need to put all four together, all four quarters and stick to our game plans, stick to our scouting report, and the goal is, ‘Can you execute the scouting report for 48 minutes or plus?’ So that’s what we need to do.”
They’ll lean on the home crowd, who they acknowledge has been there for them despite the record.
Injury update
Following Tuesday’s practice, Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter spent some extra time putting up shots and getting in some extra work. Hunter has missed the Hawks’ past seven games after undergoing a procedure to address right knee inflammation.
Hawks wing Garrison Mathews is still recovering from a left ankle sprain. The team will provide a more formal update later Tuesday afternoon.
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