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Ten Worst Atlanta Hawks Game of the Season

Ten Hawks losses that stood out last season.

Pat Benson

Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
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As we continue to trudge through the dog days of summer, let's continue our series of evaluating last season's most memorable games. The two overarching themes from the Atlanta Hawks season were the team failing to meet it's goals and Trae Young putting together a monster All-NBA campaign.

Yesterday, we ranked the top ten best games of the season. Today, we are ranking the ten worst losses of the season. Whether it was due to Covid, injuries, or bad luck, the Hawks dropped far too many winnable games. 

Haws Worst Games of 21-22

10. Philadelphia 76ers

76ers center Joel Embiid reacts as he collides with Hawks center Clint Capela.
© Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

Location: Wells Fargo Center

Date: Saturday, October 30, 2021

Score: 76ers 122 Hawks 94

Stats: Trae Young 13 PTS/10 AST. Tobias Harris 22 PTS/11 REB

Description: The first real test of the season came against the 76ers in a nationally-televised game. The Hawks made their highly-anticipated return to Philadelphia after the 2021 Eastern Conference Semifinals and laid an egg. The 76ers led by 13 points after the first quarter and never let off the gas.

9. New York Knicks

New York Knicks forward Obi Toppin (1) dunks in the second quarter against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden.
Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Location: Madison Square Garden

Date: December 25, 2021

Score: Knicks 101 Hawks 87

Stats: John Collins 20 PTS/8 REB. Julius Randle 25 PTS/12 REB.

Description: It is not so much that the Christmas Day matchup was a consequential loss, as it was just frustrating. Covid had decimated the Hawks. Some players were coming back from league protocols, while others would test positive the very next day. Plus, no Trae Young. Although the Hawks went 1-3 against the Knicks last season, they did make up for it with a decisive road win on March 22, 2022.

8. Boston Celtics

David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Location: TD Garden

Date: March 1, 2022

Score: Celtics 107 Hawks 98

Stats: Trae Young 31 PTS/6 AST. Jayston Tatum 33 PTS/8 REB/7 AST.

Description: By March, the Hawks needed every win they could get. Blowing a 14-point lead in the second half still stings after almost five months. 

7. Portland Trail Blazers

© Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports

Location: Moda Center

Date: January 3, 2022

Score: Trail Blazers 136 Hawks 131

Stats: Trae Young 56 PTS/14 AST. Anfernee Simons 43 PTS/7 AST

Description: It is not every day that Trae Young scores 56 points, and the Hawks still lose. The late-night loss felt consequential, and those feelings were confirmed the following day when Travis Schlenk ripped the team on 92.9 FM The Game. Ten days later, Cam Reddish and Solomon Hill were traded to the New York Knicks.

6. San Antonio Spurs

© Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Location: State Farm Arena

Date: February 11, 2022

Score: Spurs 136 Hawks 121

Stats: Bogdan Bogdanovic 23 PTS. Dejounte Murrary 32 PTS/10 REB/15 AST.

Description: Despite trade rumors hitting a fever pitch in early February, Atlanta's front office did not make a single trade at the deadline. Earlier in the day, Travis Schlenk gave a ringing endorsement of the team, and Nate McMillan unveiled the team's new slogan, "Win The Race." The Hawks promptly got ran off the floor a few hours later.

5. Houston Rockets

Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon (10) is defended by Atlanta Hawks forward John Collins (20) during the first half at State Farm Arena.
© Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Location: State Farm Arena

Date: Monday, December 13, 2021

Score: Rockets 132 Hawks 126

Stats: Trae Young 41 PTS/9 AST. Eric Gordon 33 PTS

Description: The Rockets finished the season with a league-worst 20 wins. One of those victories came against the Hawks in State Farm Arena. The Hawks defense allowed the team with the worst-offensive rating in the league hang 132 points on them. 

4. Detroit Pistons

Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

Location: Little Caesars Arena

Date: March 7, 2022

Score: Pistons 113 Hawks 110 (OT)

Stats: Bogdan Bogdanovic 22 PTS/6 AST. Cade Cunningham 28 PTS/10 AST

Description: An all-around awful game was capped off with a bad foul by Bogdan Bogdanovic that sent Cade Cunningham to the foul line with 1.6 seconds remaining in regulation. Unbelievably, the Pistons committed an equally atrocious foul on the other end of the floor that sent John Collins to the line, where he hit 1-2 free throws to tie the game 101-101. The Hawks lost to the young team in overtime.

3. Detroit Pistons

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Location: Little Caesars Arena

Date: March 23, 2022

Score: Pistons 122 Hawks 101

Stats: Trae Young 21 PTS/9 AST. Eight Pistons players scored in double digits.

Description: A little over two weeks after the Hawks' disappointing overtime loss in Detroit, they dropped another winnable road game to the Pistons. In fact, they get run off the floor by the second-worst team in the league.

Clint Capela had 1 point (0-5 FG), Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot scored 3 points (1-7 FG), and Kevin Huerter scored 8 points (3-12 FG). The team shot 39.8% from the field and 31.8% from deep. 

2. Miami Heat

Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young reacts to a foul during a game against Miami Heat.
Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Location: State Farm Arena

Date: Sunday, April 24, 2022

Score: Heat 110 Hawks 86

Stats: De'Andre Hunter 24 PTS. Jimmy Butler 36 PTS/10 REB.

Description: Two days after Trae Young's game-winning buzzer-beater (the second-best win of the season), the Hawks got blown out in Game 3 at home. After this game, flight tickets to Cancun were purchased. Also, it was the second time during the season where "Let's Go Heat" chants broke out in State Farm Arena.

1. Miami Heat

Jimmy Butler collides with Trae Young.
Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

Location: Sunday, April 17, 2022

Date: FTX Arena

Score: Heat 115 Hawks 91

Stats: Danilo Gallinari 17 PTS. Duncan Robinson 27 PTS/7 AST.

Description: No one expected the Hawks to win Game 1 of their series against the Heat. They were injured and coming off two emotionally-draining Play-In wins. Yet, this game still hurts because the Heat added insult to injury. Their ultra-physical play crossed the line into bullying and dirty moves. 

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Published
Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers the Atlanta Hawks for Sports Illustrated's All Hawks. He has covered the NBA for several years and is the author of "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020)".

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