Atlanta Hawks: Several Positives Emerge Despite 0-2 Start

Disappointingly the Atlanta Hawks dropped their first two preseason games to New Orleans and Orlando. There are some negatives, yet there are also positives to take away, from the team’s two exhibition losses.

The Atlanta Hawks have started out the 2019 preseason by dropping their first two contests. The first loss was a 109-133 blowout at the hands of the New Orleans Pelicans at State Farm Arena.

The Atlanta Hawks then followed up that performance, with a much closer 88-97 loss to the Orlando Magic. While it’s always disappointing to see your team lose, the fact that players are on minute restrictions, along with many positives should alleviate the concerns of fans.

Negatives

Another Loss To the Orlando Magic

The Atlanta Hawks surprised many teams last season, but the Orlando Magic were not among them. Orlando swept the season series, winning all four games by an average of 20.3 points. The Magic have been able to neutralize John Collins more than any other team, with their collection of athletic forwards.

A similar script took place in the team’s second exhibition game. John Collins did uncharacteristically play away from the paint, but he struggled none the less. John failed to make a shot from the field in eight attempts and missed all three of his shots from downtown, in 23 minutes.

It’s only the preseason so no loss is a major concern. However, Orlando is a division opponent that the Hawks will be directly competing with for a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Atlanta needs to beat the Magic at the next possible opportunity to erase the mental block. The Dominance must cease!