Five Takeaways from Hawks Win Over Hornets

Listing five takeaways from the Atlanta Hawks 125-106 win over the Charlotte Hornets.

The Atlanta Hawks entered Friday night's matchup against the Charlotte Hornets as slight underdogs. While it is usually shocking to see the league's worst team expected to win, it was understandable in this case.

Not only had Atlanta played poorly as of late, but they were without three starters (Dejounte Murray, John Collins, and Clint Capela). Nevertheless, Atlanta looked good for most of the game. Below are our five biggest takeaways from Atlanta's 125-106 win.

Third Quarter

Atlanta almost put together a complete game. They took a 16-point lead into halftime, but Charlotte stormed back to within two points halfway through the third quarter. 

After the game, Nate McMillan critiqued his team for sloppy play and hesitating on offense during the third quarter. However, Atlanta was able to right the ship with a 20-4 run that went into the start of the fourth quarter.

Offense

Atlanta is one of the worst-shooting teams in the league - especially from behind the three-point line. That was not the case last night, as Atlanta shot 54.7% from the field and 51.7% from three. 

Perhaps even more promising, they were attacking Charlotte's defense. Atlanta made 28-34 free throws, which is 13 attempts more than the team's average. 

Straight
Cash
Bogi

💸💸💸 pic.twitter.com/iBpuW9RLTC

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 17, 2022

Bogdan Bogdanovic

One of the main reasons why Atlanta's shooting splits looked so good was because of Bogdan Bogdanovic. Since returning from knee surgery, Bogdanovic is shooting a scorching 42.6% from three.

During last night's decisive win, Bogdanovic scored 28 points, including 7-10 made three-pointers. Bogdanovic's value to Atlanta cannot be overstated.

Trae Young

Trae Young continues to work his way out of a slump. Young got off to a hot start last night, tallying 14 points and five assists with no turnovers during the first quarter. Young finished the game with 31 points and nine assists.

Shooting 8=18 from the field and 2-5 from deep isn't worth writing home about, but it is a step in the right direction. Plus, Young forced his way to the line several times, knocking down 13-14 attempts.

Hornets Dysfunction 

For a team that has gone to two straight Eastern Conference Play-In Tournaments, Charlotte looks completely dysfunctional. On Wednesday night, Hornets coach Steve Clifford went viral for his post-game remarks.

After last night's game, I understand Clifford's frustration. Charlotte does not play defense, and the ball movement is lacking on offense. Instead of attacking Atlanta's depleted front court, Charlotte settled for 43 three-point attempts (11 more than the team average).