Miami Heat not only Southeast team missing an All-Star guard

Orlando was the betting favorite to win the Southeast at the start of the season, followed closely by Atlanta. Sportsbooks listed the Heat third, expecting a continued slide for a franchise that failed to win the division in consecutive years for the first time 2007-10. The Hawks last won in 2020-21 and have only won the Southeast twice since moving over from the Central when the NBA transitioned to a six-division format in ‘04.

WIth All-Star Tyler Herro also sidelined at least a few more weeks and Orlando’s Jalen Suggs facing a minute restriction in his return from knee surgery, the Hawks were positioned as the healthiest legitimate Southeast contender prior to the mid-week injury.

Atlanta’s victory in Indiana evened its record at 3-3, and if it manages to hover around .500 over the next month, coach Quin Snyder will have managed a potential crisis. Fortunately for Young and the Hawks, no major structural damage was apparent, which means he should be able to return before the calendar year ends barring any setbacks.

Miami doesn’t play Atlanta until Dec. 26 and will close out the regular season against the Hawks at Kaseya Center on April 12. The other matchups come in February on each side of the All-Star break. The Heat are 11-5 against the Hawks since Jan. 2022 but lost both of last season’s meetings at State Farm Arena.

The Hawks begin November with the first of many tough tasks Sunday in Cleveland before opening a three-game homestand against the Magic on Nov. 4. The Raptors and Lakers visit next, but eight of Atlanta’s final 11 games this month will be on the road. The Cavs are the only team it faces twice, but opponents like the Jazz, Suns, Pelicans, Hornets and Wizards will give the team ample opportunities to excel without Young. 

Atlanta suffered blowout losses to the Raptors and defending champion Thunder in the season’s opening week, getting outscored by a combined 37 points. 

The Hawks were 4-2 without Young last season and 14-14 when he suffered an extended absence in ‘23-’24 due to a broken finger. In Friday’s win over the Pacers, offseason acquisition Nickeil Alexander-Walker took the open spot in the starting lineup and helped replace Young’s production by scoring 21 points. Johnson and Dyson Daniels combined for 14 assists, while reserve Keaton Wallace added seven helpers and looks like he’ll be in for a larger role.

Rumors Atlanta might move on from Young clouded its offseason picture, but he stayed put and has been productive despite a poor shooting start. Young had a 17-assist game in a loss at Chicago last Monday prior to spraining his knee Wednesday in Brooklyn and had a season-high 25 points in a 111-107 victory over the Magic on Oct. 24. The four-time All-Star averaged 21.8 points in the four games prior to his injury, but is shooting just 5-for-26 from 3-point range.

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