The Atlanta Hawks won their first preseason game with a 7-point victory over the San Antonio Spurs. Atlanta overcame a massive 19-point deficit in the first quarter to finish the game 123-116 on Thursday. This comeback shows a lot of grit from the Hawks roster as they start their new season.
Atlanta Hawks rally from early Spurs lead
The start of the game looked quite bad for Atlanta. According to reports, the Spurs jumped to a 39-20 lead after just one quarter. San Antonio also held a 69-62 advantage at the end of the first half. However, the Hawks did not let that early gap stop them from fighting back.
The second half belonged to the Hawks. The Spurs were outscored 31-26 by Atlanta in the third quarter, then 30-21 in the fourth. This steady scoring allowed them to pull away for the seven-point win. The Hawks’ shooting was a big part of this success. The team made 18 three-pointers out of 46 attempts. From the field, they made 46 of 103 shots and sank 13 of 16 free throws.
Several players stepped up for Atlanta during the win:
- Asa Newell tallied 16 points, shooting 5-of-8.
- Kingston Flemings contributed 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting.
- CJ McCollum provided 14 points and went 4 of 6 from deep.
- Dyson Daniels and Onyeka Okongwu each contributed 13 points.
Individual performances and shooting splits
The game was a high-scoring affair with plenty of shots from the perimeter. While the Spurs struggled with consistency, the Hawks found their rhythm. San Antonio finished the night shooting 37 of 80 from the field. They also made 14 three-pointers on 37 attempts. The Spurs were more efficient at the line, going 28 of 35.
The physical side of the game was also intense. Atlanta was charged with 24 total fouls during the contest. In comparison, San Antonio had 16 fouls. No players in the game fouled out. The Spurs also had players like Harper with 16 points and Castle with 14 points. Jones Garcia and Vassell also put up decent numbers with 14 and 12 points respectively.
Spurs face injury concerns with Tobias Harris
While the Hawks celebrate a win, the Spurs are dealing with some bad news. The Spurs announced that forward Tobias Harris will miss the rest of the preseason. WOAI reports that Harris is questionable to start the regular season. This comes after he suffered a strained left calf during training camp.
The injury is a big blow to San Antonio’s plans. Harris signed as a free agent on July 6. He did not play in the team’s recent scrimmage on Sunday. The team plans to reevaluate him after their five-game preseason schedule ends. This is a major concern because the Spurs face the Oklahoma City Thunder in their regular season opener on Oct. 20. Harris is a key piece for them after playing for Detroit last year. He averaged 13.3 points and 5.1 rebounds in 27.7 minutes per game last season.
Looking ahead to the next preseason matchup
The preseason is still very early for both teams. The Spurs are not done with their exhibition schedule yet. Their second preseason game is scheduled against the Phoenix Suns. That game will take place on Saturday at 9:30 pm CST. For the Hawks, this win provides some early momentum. It shows they can stay calm even when trailing by nearly 20 points.
