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Can Hawks Stay Afloat in the East Without Trae Young?

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The Atlanta Hawks recovered from their poor start, evening their record to 3-3 after a win against the Indiana Pacers on Halloween night. They did it without Trae Young, who suffered a knee injury against the Brooklyn Nets on Oct. 29. The Hawks star point guard traveled back to Atlanta for imaging on his knee to determine the injury’s severity and a recovery timetable.

As a result, Head coach Quin Snyder adjusted his rotation against the Pacers with lineups not yet seen this season. During Young’s absence, the Hawks will lean on several players to increase their offensive output.

Can Hawks Stay Afloat in the East Without Trae Young

Nickeil Alexander-Walker Enters the Starting Five and Immediately Produces

Nickeil Alexander-Walker started in place of Young against Indiana, moving Dyson Daniels to the starting point guard. Atlanta’s biggest free agent signing of the summer responded with his best offensive performance of the season. He collected 21 points (8-14 FG), three assists, three rebounds, and two steals across 32 minutes.

Alexander-Walker repeatedly made his way into Indiana’s paint, putting pressure on their backline. He threw down a massive left-handed slam over Jarace Walker to cap off Atlanta’s dominant third quarter. The Hawks outscored the Pacers 34-17 in the frame, building a 20-point lead. They never let off the gas pedal, starting their NBA Cup journey 1-0 with a +20 point differential.

The Hawks need Alexander-Walker, Daniels, and Jalen Johnson to get downhill consistently, especially in Young’s absence. The four-time All-Star specializes in making reads in the pick-and-roll and finding play finishers on dives to the basket or spot-ups from deep. Atlanta certainly passed its first test without Young, scoring a whopping 74 points in the paint. Johnson led the Hawks with 22 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists, while Daniels added a season-high 18 points, nine boards, and six dimes. It was encouraging to see Daniels break out after a slow offensive start to the campaign.

Alexander-Walker played an important role off the bench for the Minnesota Timberwolves over the previous two seasons. However, if Young misses extended time, he will have the opportunity to prove himself in a high-usage starting role. The 17th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft already holds career-highs of 23.5% usage and 14.2 shot attempts per game.

Hawks Likely Lean on Their Defense with Big Lineups

Atlanta likely takes a sizeable step back in offensive efficiency without Young’s playmaking and ability to close games. However, the Hawks could take a jump defensively without him.

At 6’5”, Alexander-Walker becomes the shortest player in the starting five. He and Daniels form one of, if not, the best defensive backcourts in the NBA. They single-handedly shut down this Pacers’ possession, locking up Pascal Siakam and Aaron Nesmith.

Snyder has shown no hesitation in playing Onyeka Okongwu and Kristaps Porziņģis together for long stretches. In Indiana, for the first time, he played Johnson next to both centers. This ultra-big lineup gives the Hawks a better chance to secure defensive rebounds. They rank 18th in this category as of Nov. 1. They can also switch 1-4 with Daniels and Alexander-Walker.

In the past, Daniels, Johnson, and Okongwu’s lack of outside shooting caused spacing issues offensively. Opposing teams packed the paint and dared them to shoot. However, Porziņģis’ addition and Okongwu’s improved 3-point shot give Snyder more options. This lineup has a better chance of surviving offensively with the Hawks’ best defenders on the floor.

Atlanta entered this season with high hopes but will now try to stay afloat without its star point guard.

© Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

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