Tim Hardaway Jr. will remain in the Hawks starting lineup for at least the next two games.
Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said Hardaway will start against the Raptors on Friday and the Hornets on Saturday. Budenholzer said the team will bring Kent Bazemore slowly after he missed two games with a sore right knee. Hardaway started those two games and Tuesday’s game against the Magic when Bazemore came off the bench and played 15 minutes.
“Making sure we are taking care of him big picture and long term,” Budenholzer said of the decision to keep Bazemore coming off the bench. “I don’t know if ease is the right word but manage him back into more and bigger minutes and getting him back to his role.”
Budenholzer said with back-to-back games, it made sense to manage Bazemore’s minutes. Bazemore will play in each of the next two games off the bench.
Budenholzer didn’t commit to Hardaway remaining in the starting lineup past the next two games. Bazemore has struggled with his outside shot much of the season. He is averaging 10.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 23 games.
In his three starts, Hardaway is averaging 12.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists. He has shot .342 (13 of 38) from the field and .278 (5 of 18) from 3-point range.
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