The Atlanta Hawks entered Saturday night’s matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans hoping to build momentum following their victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Instead, Atlanta delivered one of its most disappointing performances of the young season, falling 121-99 at the Smoothie King Center.
The Hawks (3-4) struggled offensively, failed to establish a consistent defensive presence and had no answers for a Pelicans team that controlled the game from the opening quarter.
New Orleans jumped out to
a commanding 35-18 lead after the first quarter, putting Atlanta in an early hole. The Hawks responded with 30 second-quarter points but still trailed 63-48 at halftime.
Things didn’t improve much after the break, as the Pelicans continued attacking Atlanta’s interior defense and extending their advantage.
Hawks’ Shooting Struggles Prove Costly
Atlanta finished shooting just 38% from the field, connecting on 35 of 91 attempts. The Hawks were even worse from beyond the arc, making only 8 of 46 three-point attempts (17%).
Jalen Johnson finished with 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists. However, Atlanta needed considerably more offensive production from one of its most important players.
CJ McCollum led the Hawks with 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting, including two three-pointers.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 12 points but struggled to find his rhythm, shooting just 3-of-12 from the field and missing all seven of his three-point attempts.
Onyeka Okongwu, coming off an impressive 29-point performance against Cleveland, managed just six points on 3-of-12 shooting, although he collected 10 rebounds.
Atlanta also received 11 points from Luguentz Dort.
Injury Opens Door for Young Hawks
One concerning development was the early departure of Jock Landale, who played just 1 minute and 22 seconds before leaving with an injury.
His absence created additional opportunities for Asa Newell, who contributed 13 points and four rebounds in 19 minutes.
Kisnsyon Flemings provided another encouraging performance, finishing with 12 points, six assists and four steals.
Despite the disappointing outcome, the contributions from Atlanta’s younger players offered something positive.
Pelicans Dominate Inside
New Orleans controlled the interior, scoring 66 points in the paint while winning the rebounding battle 49-36.
Saddiq Bey led the Pelicans with 25 points, while Jeremiah Fears added 20 points and seven assists. Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III each contributed 15 points.
The Pelicans shot an impressive 57% from the field, exposing Atlanta’s defensive weaknesses throughout the contest.
For head coach Quin Snyder, the message moving forward is simple: Atlanta must defend better, rebound more effectively and find consistency offensively.
The Hawks have enough talent to compete, but performances like Saturday’s demonstrate how quickly games can get away when defensive execution and perimeter shooting disappear.
Atlanta will look to regroup Monday when it travels to face the Indiana Pacers
