The Hawks’ first full season under the leadership of new coach Quin Snyder tips off Oct. 25 as they aim to improve on their first-round exit from the NBA Eastern Conference playoffs last season.
The team made a few notable moves this offseason, including the extension of guard Dejounte Murray, who they acquired in June last year. Now, Murray and backcourt partner Trae Young look to prove that they can be the threat many expected them to be.
Here are five things to know about the Hawks and their schedule:
Road-heavy start: The Hawks will be on the road for much of the first quarter of their season. The Hawks will play 11 of their first 19 games on the road, with the team opening their season Oct. 25 against the Hornets in Charlotte.
Though the Hawks have eight home games sprinkled in among their travel, the first quarter of their season includes two extended road trips. The first is a seven-day, three-game trip that includes a visit to Mexico City to play Orlando. The second is a nine-day, five-game trip, which ends before the team possibly plays extra games in the knockout stage of the In-Season Tournament.
In-Season Tournament: This season, the NBA will play its inaugural In-Season Tournament. The Hawks drew group East A, where they will match up against the 76ers, the Cavaliers, the Pacers and the Pistons on these designated tournament nights:
- Nov. 14 at Pistons
- Nov. 17 vs. 76ers
- Nov. 21 vs. Pacers
- Nov. 28 at Cavaliers
Based on team records in group play, the Hawks could advance to the knockout rounds, which will be single-elimination games in the quarterfinals. Those games do not count toward the team’s 82 games and will take place in NBA team markets Dec. 4 and Dec. 5. The semifinals and championship will take place in Las Vegas on Dec. 7 and Dec. 9, respectively.
The league has scheduled regular-season games Dec. 6 and Dec. 8. Those games will be determined and scheduled based on who advanced into knockouts and who lost in the quarterfinals.
Back-to-backs: Like last season, the Hawks will play 13 sets of back-to-back games, the first occurring Oct. 29-30 and the final April 9-10. The team has five sets of away-and-home back-to-back games, with three sets of away-and-away back-to-back games. That leaves them with five sets of home-and-home back-to-back games.
Hawks go international: Unlike last season, the team will have to wait until November before they head overseas for a game against the Magic in Mexico City. The Hawks will be the road team when they face the Magic at Arena CDMX on Nov. 9. The game takes place on the heels of a seven-day, three-game trip where the Hawks face the Pelicans on Nov. 4, then the Thunder on Nov. 6.
LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry at State Farm Arena: The Hawks will host LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry in consecutive games as part of a six-game homestand in January and February. The first of the six games will be against Dallas and Kyrie Irving (Jan. 26) followed by the Raptors (Jan. 28), Lakers (Jan. 30), Suns (Feb. 2), Warriors (Feb. 3) and homestand finale against Clippers (Feb. 5).
More notable dates:
Nov. 11, Dec. 22, Jan. 19, Apr. 9: Any game against the Heat will prove exciting. As of now, the question of whether the Heat will include All-Star guard Damian Lillard looms as the rest of the league awaits to see where he ends up.
Dec. 11, April 6: NBA champ Denver will make its only appearance at State Farm Arena in December, and the Hawks will play their lone game of the season in Denver eight days before the season ends.
Jan. 15: The Hawks host the No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama (Spurs) for the first time at State Farm Arena in the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day game.
Hawks 2023-24 schedule
(all times ET)
Oct. 25 at Charlotte, 7 p.m.
Oct. 27 vs. New York, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 29 at Milwaukee, 7 p.m.
Oct. 30 vs. Minnesota, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 1 vs. Washington, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 4 at New Orleans, 7 p.m.
Nov. 6 at Oklahoma City, 8 p.m.
Nov. 9 at Orlando (Mexico City), 9:30 p.m.
Nov. 11 vs. Miami, 7:30 p.m.
*Nov. 14 at Detroit, 7 p.m.
Nov. 15 vs. New York, 7:30 p.m.
*Nov. 17 vs. Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.
*Nov. 21 vs. Indiana, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 22 vs. Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 25 at Washington, 7 p.m.
Nov. 26 at Boston, 6 p.m.
*Nov. 28 at Cleveland, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 30 at San Antonio, 8 p.m.
Dec. 2 at Milwaukee, 8 p.m.
Dec. 11 vs. Denver, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 13 at Toronto, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 15 at Toronto, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 16 at Cleveland, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 18 vs. Detroit, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 20 at Houston, 8 p.m.
Dec. 22 at Miami, 8 p.m.
Dec. 23 vs. Memphis, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 26 at Chicago, 8 p.m.
Dec. 29 vs. Sacramento, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 31 at Washington, 3 p.m.
Jan. 3 vs. Oklahoma City, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 5 at Indiana, 7 p.m.
Jan. 7 at Orlando, 6 p.m.
Jan. 10 vs. Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 12 vs. Indiana, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 13 vs. Washington, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 15 vs. San Antonio, 3:30 p.m.
Jan. 17 vs. Orlando, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 19 at Miami, 8 p.m.
Jan. 20 vs. Cleveland, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 22 at Sacramento, 10 p.m.
Jan. 24 at Golden State, 10 p.m.
Jan. 26 vs. Dallas, 7 p.m.
Jan. 28 vs. Toronto, 6 p.m.
Jan. 30 vs. L.A. Lakers, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 2 vs. Phoenix, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 3 vs. Golden State, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 5 vs. L.A. Clippers, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 7 at Boston, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 9 at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
Feb. 10 vs. Houston, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 12 vs. Chicago, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 14 at Charlotte, 7 p.m.
Feb. 23 vs. Toronto, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 25 vs. Orlando, 7 p.m.
Feb. 27 vs. Utah, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 29 at Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m.
March 2 at Brooklyn, 3 p.m.
March 5 at New York, 7:30 p.m.
March 6 vs. Cleveland, 7:30 p.m.
March 8 at Memphis, 7:30 p.m.
March 10 vs. New Orleans, 6 p.m.
March 13 at Portland, 10 p.m.
March 15 at Utah, 9:30 p.m.
March 17 at L.A. Clippers, 9:30 p.m.
March 18 at L.A. Lakers, 10:30 p.m.
March 21 at Phoenix, 10:30 p.m.
March 23 vs. Charlotte, 7:30 p.m.
March 25 vs. Boston, 7:30 p.m.
March 27 vs. Portland, 7:30 p.m.
March 28 vs. Boston, 7:30 p.m.
March 30 vs. Milwaukee, 7:30 p.m.
April 1 at Chicago, 8 p.m.
April 3 vs. Detroit, 7:30 p.m.
April 5 at Dallas, 8:30 p.m.
April 6 at Denver, 9 p.m.
April 9 vs. Miami, 7:30 p.m.
April 10 vs. Charlotte, 7:30 p.m.
April 12 at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
April 14 at Indiana, 1 p.m.
* Denotes a group-play game in the NBA’s In-Season Tournament.
Note: Knockout-round games in the In-Season Tournament will be played Dec. 4-5, the semifinals games Dec. 7 and the championship game Dec. 9. Regular-season games will be played Dec. 6 and Dec. 8, but information for those games hasn’t been determined.
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