Three Takeaways from Atlanta Hawks' 103-99 Loss vs Chicago Bulls

What did we learn from the Hawks' second-to-last game of Summer League?

Jul 12, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Keaton Wallace (22) drives the ball against Washington Wizards forward John Butler Jr. (19) during the first half at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports / Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports

If the 2024 Summer League Hawks could be encapsulated by one word, it would be "almost".

Their 103-99 loss to Chicago in overtime is just the latest in a string of close losses for Atlanta. Through their four Summer League games, they have lost by a combined total of 14 points. This game against the Bulls was another one where they started slow, got into the game by the second quarter, put up a fantastic third quarter and slowed down in the clutch. It was probably the best fourth-quarter performance the Hawks have put up in Las Vegas so far, but their execution in overtime was lacking.

As they head into today's Summer League finale against the Knicks, here are three things to take away from their loss to the Bulls:

Keaton Wallace should play minutes in the regular season

Wallace already secured his place on the team for the foreseeable future with a two-way contract, but he continued to impress against Chicago. He was clearly the best player on offense for Atlanta and put up 22 points, seven assists and seven rebounds while hitting four threes and going 67% from the field. It was not his best game on defense, but he has generally been a good defender throughout Summer League. I am interested to see if he can be a rotation guard for a few games at the NBA level and it costs the Hawks very little to find out. It should be noted that he had six turnovers, which is a little worrying.

Wallace can use his time in College Park to get consistent minutes and cut down on his turnovers. He is what he is as a scorer, but getting more on-ball defense reps and more opportunities to be the primary decision-maker for an offense.

The Hawks' perimeter defense is not as bad as advertised

The Bulls game was definitely not a great one for the Bulls' perimeter defense. Julian Phillips, Andrew Funk and DJ Steward all hit multiple three-pointers, but Phillips and Steward were especially lethal from beyond the arc. Phillips hit four threes while Steward hit a staggering eight as the duo basically propelled Chicago's offense.

However, I believe it is important to remember that the Hawks played this game without two of their best defenders in Zaccharie Risacher. Risacher has been up and down as a scorer, but his defense has largely remained good throughout his two games of Summer League action. His size, length and instincts would have been very helpful against Chicago.

The Hawks also deserve some credit for largely limiting Matas Buzelis. Although he came off the bench and definitely had a reduced workload, the Bulls first-round draft pick went 4 of 17 from the field with five turnovers. He had two clutch free throws and collected five steals, but it was an otherwise quiet night from a player that has looked really good throughout his time in Las Vegas.

Jordan Bowden earned himself an uptick in minutes

After missing all his shots from the field in 29 minutes of action against the Lakers, the Hawks shooting guard looked much better against Chicago. In his 20 minutes, he put up 18 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals on 58% from the field and 40% from three-point range. His best moment came after hitting the clutch three-pointer that gave Atlanta the lead with 4.5 seconds left.

Jordan Bowden for the LEAD pic.twitter.com/V5QtFmAtCS

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) July 19, 2024

Bowden has shown that he's an offensive spark off the bench and I expect him to play a similar role against the Knicks. It seems unlikely that Risacher will play against the Knicks, so his offensive contributions are going to be important once again.