Inside The Wizards

Five Questions Ahead of Wizards vs. Hawks

The Washington Wizards play the Atlanta Hawks for the third time this season.

Jeremy Brener

Oct 30, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas (17) drives to the basket as Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu (17) defends in the second half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Oct 30, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas (17) drives to the basket as Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu (17) defends in the second half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
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The Washington Wizards are getting ready for the first game of their Emirates NBA Cup group stage against the Atlanta Hawks.

To learn more about the Hawks' current state of affairs, we spoke with Atlanta Hawks On SI writer Jackson Caudell.

The Hawks pulled off that big NBA Cup win against the Celtics earlier this week. How did they pull it off without Trae Young?

It came down to defense and breakout performances from Dyson Daniels and Jalen Johnson. Daniels had a huge performance with 28 points and six steals, his sixth straight game with at least six steals. Johnson had his second career triple double and the Hawks got great play from all three of their centers, Clint Capela, Larry Nance, and Onyeka Okongwu. It was a team effort.

What’s one thing people should know about the Hawks that cannot be found in a box score?

They have a lot of length and athleticism on defense. The Hawks had arguably the worst defense in the NBA last season and added Daniels and No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher to the team and Daniels has been arguably the best defender in the NBA this year. They are still a work in progress, but you can see that it is better this year.

Who is the Hawks’ X-Factor?

It is Daniels. Trae Young and Johnson are better players, but nobody on the Hawks can replicate what Daniels brings on the defensive end.

If the Hawks lose, what would be the reason why?

Defense. In both games against the Wizards this year, the three-point defense was dreadful and the Hawks have to do better on that end of the floor.

What’s your prediction for the game?

With the game being at home, I give the edge to the Hawks. They might also be getting some defenders back as well. Consistency has not been a strength for the Hawks this year, but I think they win at home tomorrow night.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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