This time last year, Hawks guard Tyler Dorsey was preparing for his first regular-season NBA game and admittedly had a few jitters.
In his second season, those nerves are gone.
A second-round draft pick of the Hawks in 2017, Dorsey said the confidence he gained over the past year from his rookie season, another Summer League and offseason training in Atlanta and Los Angeles has changed the way he feels when he steps on the court.
That confidence was obvious Wednesday when Dorsey came off the bench against the San Antonio Spurs and scored five quick points. Dorsey entered the game with five minutes left in the first half and within his first 90 seconds on the floor, made a jump shot of an assist by Jeremy Lin and then a 3-pointer on the Hawks next possession, prompting the Spurs to call a timeout.
Dorsey, averaging 10.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and one assist in the preseason, shot 3-of-6 from the field for eight points in 10 minutes during the Hawks’ 130-127 win.
“When you have that confidence, your game changes,” Dorsey said. “That’s a big part of the game for me: being mentally strong, confident in yourself because it’s a long season. ... Knowing I’ve practiced that shot 100, however many, times, so I’m going to shoot it with confidence during the game.”
Dorsey played in 56 games with the Hawks last season, starting two, and averaged 7.2 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists. He also shot 37.7 percent from the field and 36.2 percent on 3-point shots as a rookie.
While rookie Trae Young stole the show Wednesday with a game-winning 3-pointer, Dorsey also had a memorable shot as he closed the first half with a dagger in the left corner. Off an assist by Young, Dorsey made a jumper with 0.5 seconds left in the second quarter, prompting a celebration from his teammates on the floor and on the bench.
Dorsey played another five minutes to start the fourth quarter alongside Young, Taurean Price, Vince Carter and Alex Len — all whom started Wednesday’s game at McCamish Pavilion.
Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce said Dorsey played only five minutes in each half Wednesday because there were too many other players, including Young and Prince, playing too well to rotate.
“He came in and he gave us a spark, and I thought that was important and it carried over at the end of the second and he played another four in the second half,” Pierce said. “You know, the number of minutes isn’t going to be a big deal to me. It’s just when you’re out there are you contributing? And he had 10 minutes, and I thought he contributed the entire 10 minutes. ... I thought his 10 minutes were productive, and that’s the most important part.”
Dorsey averages 16 minutes this preseason with a high of 29 minutes Friday against the Memphis Grizzlies where he started and shot 7-of-14 from the field and 4-of-9 beyond the arc for 18 points and six rebounds.
Regardless of when he enters games this season and if the minutes he’s given change, Dorsey echoed Pierce saying he wants to be a reliable player whenever he’s on the floor.
“Preseason, you can never tell what’s going to happen in the season when we roll, so I’m prepared during the preseason for any opportunity I get to play in the starting five, come off the bench or just play limited minutes. Whatever is thrown at me I’m going to be ready,” Dorsey said.
The Hawks tip off against the Heat at 8 p.m. Friday at Miami’s AmericanAirlines Arena.
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