Video: Pierce, Young Speak After Practice

The Hawks practiced in Atlanta Tuesday afternoon for the first time in over two weeks. After a 1-4 road trip, the beleaguered Hawks will turn around to face the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday -- their first home game since November 8 -- and Lloyd Pierce and Trae Young spoke to the media on Tuesday about the team's recent run of losses, its upcoming tangle with Milwaukee, and more.

Both men spoke on Atlanta's slow starts this season, which cost them dearly against both the Lakers and Clippers over the weekend. The Hawks have made impressive runs at various points of the season to climb back into games, but often fall short due to starting from such a disadvantage.

“I think it’s just getting off to better starts," Young said. "And a lot of that has to do with the starters, a lot of that has to do with me getting off to better starts and not putting our team in such a big hole. ... We’re able to fight our way back into the game, but it’s so hard, it takes all the energy out of us. So we just can’t get in that big of a hole.”

“That was a knock on us last year," Pierce said. "We were really bad the first six minutes of the first quarter for about three months. And we got a glimmer of that on this road trip. The road trip in and of itself was brutal. We faced four of the top seven teams out West, and maybe four of the top seven teams in the league.

"I think those are the top two teams in the league – both L.A. teams – so it’s tough.”

Pierce also discussed the recent play of De'Andre Hunter and how the rookie has handled the challenge of defending superstar wings this season.

"The experience of guarding a guy like [LeBron James] is invaluable," Pierce said. "Then guarding Paul George the night before and guarding Giannis [Antetokounmpo] tomorrow, all those things he has to go through. … I think the experience of all of that is invaluable, and he’ll be better next time."

Hunter is taciturn by nature, which allows him to absorb information and avoid mistakes. But Pierce feels that Hunter's evolution will involve him becoming more vocal and more assertive with time.

"He really tries to take in everything. He wants to make sure he’s in the right spot and doing the right thing, and in some ways that handicaps him," Pierce said. "Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Don’t be afraid to say things and be wrong. It’s okay. I expect him to make mistakes. I think he’s cautious of mistakes and tries to avoid them. So he’s just a reserved, silent, quiet guy anyway, but it’s hard to be an elite player without having a voice.”

The Hawks' other rookie wing, Cam Reddish, has looked even less assured of himself at times. He played the best quarter of his career against the Lakers, and Young says it could take time for those moments to happen regularly.

"It’s all about confidence with Cam," Young said. "You see flashes and you see moments where he can be super skilled offensively, and then sometimes it’s not there. ... It’s going to take some time for him to really get into it."

Young compared Reddish's struggles to what he went through in his rookie year, when Young felt as though he were trying to fit in rather than just playing his game. Reddish hasn't found that line yet, but his teammates believe he eventually will.

"“There’s times in the game where I’ll throw it to him and he just won’t shoot it," Young said. "I’m just like, ‘Man, play your game. Shoot the ball when you’re open, attack when you can. Just play your game.’ And he’ll get into it eventually.”

Finally, Pierce revealed that Vince Carter, who missed the entire western road trip due to personal reasons, welcomed his newborn daughter to the world last week. Pierce hopes to have Carter back in the rotation soon -- perhaps as early as Wednesday -- but it could take him for Carter's wind and conditioning to return following his absence.

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