2 Atlanta Hawks Takeaways From the First 8 Games

The numbers match the eye test in regards to Gueye’s defensive impact. When he and Dyson Daniels shared the floor against the Magic on Oct. 25, the Hawks held an impressive 69.2 defensive rating. Gueye likely continues to play an important role off the bench, especially if he continues to show little hesitation with his outside shot.

Jalen Johnson Searches for His First All-Star Selection

Jalen Johnson was a Most Improved Player candidate before injuries prevented him from qualifying. He suffered a fractured wrist and multiple ankle sprains in the 2023-24 season and a torn labrum in January. This season, Johnson wants to enter the All-Star conversation, and so far, he is doing just that.

Atlanta’s power forward averages 20.6 points, 5.0 assists, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.4 steals through eight games. He increased his points per game for the third consecutive season. The former Duke University prospect takes 14.3 shot attempts per contest, which actually sits 0.8 shots lower than last season. However, with Young sidelined until at least early December, that number projects to increase.

The Hawks need other players to step up in Young’s absence, particularly when it comes to driving to the paint and forcing defenses to rotate. Johnson has filled that void. Two seasons ago, he sometimes settled for unnecessary fadeaways or jump shots over smaller players in the paint. Those days seem to be in the past.

Johnson averages 6.1 field goals made per game inside five feet, ranking second in the league behind only Giannis Antetokounmpo. The 20th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft routinely finds his teammates on the perimeter off his drives. Kristaps Porziņģis and Onyeka Okongwu’s 3-point shots bring opposing centers away from the rim, often leaving a runway for Johnson to attack.

The Hawks are 2-1 in the three games without Young. They look to go above a .500 record for the first time this season when they face the Raptors on Nov. 7 in an NBA Cup matchup.

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