After recovering from a flat start, the Hawks nearly allowed the Wizards to get back into the game. They held on to down Washington 130-121 on Wednesday at State Farm Arena.
Here are five observations:
1. Consistent execution continues to top the Hawks’ list of priorities as they move through the season. With 7:09 left in the game, the Hawks (3-2) led by as many as 26 points but lost their focus and the Wizards tried to make a push.
The team got a little lackadaisical in the fourth period and the Wizards went on a five-minute 23-9 run that pulled them within 124-112 with 1:36 to go in the game. The Wizards forced the Hawks into traps, as well as tough shots, with the Hawks making just nine of their 19 field-goal attempts.
Through training camp and the exhibition season, the Hawks looked to stack several good days together then have it carry over into the regular season. After going 3-2 in their first five games of the regular season, the Hawks still have work to do in terms of the types of days.
“I think just, you know, we want to set the bar high,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder said. “You want to stack days, but part of doing that is the consistency. You know I think that becomes the result of that focus on the process and we’ve had that focus, you know, we play well and then sometimes there’s a lot of things that impact that but you can’t let the score, foul trouble, missed shots, all those things that are in the stars and you don’t have control over, impact the things that you do control. "
2. Hawks guard Dejounte Murray picked up where he left off on Monday night opening the night with a 3-pointer. The 27-year-old continued to work into his spots shooting a blazing 10-of-13 from the floor by the end of the third quarter.
He had plenty of fun throughout the night too, slamming down a couple of highlight dunks to cap off the Hawks’ homestand before their upcoming extended road trip.
Murray had plenty of help from backcourt partner, Trae Young, who had one of his better shooting nights, so far. Young went 7-of-15 from the floor in the first three quarters.
Along with the two getting to the basket, they dished out a combined 18 of the Hawks’ 26 assists.
“I like to see everybody eat around here,” Young said. “I like seeing everybody eating and making plays and it’s great to see DJ having a rhythm again, Dre (De’Andre Hunter) making some some tough plays, Saddiq (Bey) making some plays tonight. And I mean, it’s great for us.”
3. The Hawks have had more ball movement early this season, which has opened up the scoring for plenty of players early. Snyder has long talked of unselfishness being a pillar of the team’s identity and it has allowed for the Hawks to get into a rhythm.
Hunter has benefitted plenty from that groove, scoring 20 points in two of the last four games. With 23 points on Wednesday, Hunter has averaged 18 points per game over the first five games.
4. The Hawks dominated the Wizards on the boards with both bigs nabbing double-doubles in the contest. The Wizards faced the Hawks without their center, Daniel Gafford, who has often posed a challenging matchup in prior meetings.
In his first two games before the Wizards ruled him out with a left ankle injury, Gafford averaged eight rebounds a game and could seal off the paint.
The Hawks outrebounded the Wizards 57-35 with Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu combining for 22 of them.
5. There were plenty of former Hawks in the Wizards’ rotation. Danilo Gallinari made his first appearance at State Farm Arena since the trade to acquire Murray occurred last season. Though Gallinari has been physically back to the arena in the months since, he did not suit up to play after undergoing season-ending surgery last summer. He scored eight points.
The Hawks also saw the return of Delon Wright and Mike Muscala, who have both played in matchups against the team since their departure.
Stat to Know
20/5 -- Trae Young (23 points, 10 assists) and Dejounte Murray (24 points, eight assists), both finished with at least 20 points and five assists in the same game for the 20th time as teammates.
Quotable
“Pretty good but I feel healthy, strong and everything. So just hope to stay that way and keep stacking.” -- Clint Capela on his offseason work.
Up next
The Hawks kick off a seven-day, three-game road trip Saturday with a stop in New Orleans to face the Pelicans.
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