The Atlanta Hawks faced off against the Orlando Magic in their second preseason game at home. The Hawks fought hard all night on defense but ended up falling to the Magic 97-88.
The Hawks competed much better defensively than against the Pelicans in their first home preseason game. They still had some offensive struggles. The team had 27 turnovers, shot 33 percent from the field, and 27 percent from three-point. The Hawks Head Coach Lloyd Pierce addressed the offense and turnovers from his young team.
“It doesn’t matter young or old; it’s still patience, timing, and execution. There were about three or four plays tonight where we just didn’t know the play, so that just means we need to spend time in the gym continuing to work on getting on the same page.”
The length of the Magic also played a big part in the Hawk’s offensive struggles.
Despite the struggles on offense, Trae Young finished with 18 points and five assists but had nine turnovers. The rookie forward, De’Andre Hunter, was the second-leading scorer on the team with 13 points. Hunter also provided a spark off the bench on both sides of the court.
Young also addressed the bad execution and high turnovers on offense.
“Yeah, its crowded plays, me jumping in the air passing, looking for cutters and stuff that I know I can fix. It’s just me focusing and locking in on doing it. So, I will be better.”
It wasn’t all bad for the Hawks; they do have some positives to take away from this game. They forced the Magic to turn the ball over 18 times and held them to low shooting percentages as well. Also held the Magic to under 100 points and outrebounded them 52-48.
The Hawks will hit the road for their last three preseason games, starting with Miami Heat on Oct. 14 at American Airlines Arena. The next home game will be opening night on Oct. 24 against the Detroit Pistons.
