The Hawks and Nets are both struggling to get back on track.

 

 

The Atlanta Hawks will play the Brooklyn Nets in the second half of a back-to-back on Wednesday, looking to find their identity and snap a three-game losing run. The Hawks wasted a 20-point lead to the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night, losing 157-152 despite setting a team record with 86 points in the first half.

Atlanta has now lost four consecutive home games and has been ousted from the NBA’s preseason tournament. The Nets have lost two consecutive, most recently 121-99 to the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday.

The first of three matches between the clubs this season. Last season, the Nets won three of the four games, with Atlanta’s lone victory coming on Trae Young’s buzzer-beater. “There isn’t one thing you can hang your hat on,” Atlanta coach Quin Snyder said. “We want to execute and work on the things that have hurt us while we’re still playing games.” We need to get back on track starting (Wednesday) night.

” Young’s offensive effort on Tuesday was a positive indication, as he came at the arena early to work on his perimeter shot. Young scored 38 points, his second-highest total of the season, and was 5-for-8 from outside the arc. Young came into the game with a trey shooting percentage of 28.2 percent.

 

 

“It rings hollow when you lose a game that was this competitive,” Snyder told the crowd. “But I do feel like we’re trying to improve all the time.” Young has also worked hard to enhance his defense. He drew a charge and had three steals on Tuesday. “It’s been the same for the whole year,” Snyder explained.

“He’s been good off the ball, good on the ball, and he’s competed.” Someone should bring it up. When you talk about Trae, you talk about what a tremendous offensive game he had – which he did – but he’s also defending, which is encouraging. That is what we require.”

Mikal Bridges of Brooklyn averages 20.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. Last season, Bridges averaged 29.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in three games versus Atlanta. On March 31, 2023, he scored 42 points against the Hawks. In the Nets’ loss to Philadelphia, reserve Lonnie Walker IV scored a season-high 26 points. However, Walker stated that the loss undermined the effort. “I don’t think the points truly translated if we lost by 20-plus points,” Walker stated at the time. “I could feel it. I was in the zone during the game, but we lost.” The Nets must avoid another late-game surge like they did against the Sixers just before halftime.

“Teams are doing different things to us at the end of quarters to disrupt us, so you have to have a poise about you,” Brooklyn coach Jacque Vaughn said. “We’re still looking for it.” We’ll keep working on it and get better, but you can see how momentum plays make a difference, especially toward the conclusion of quarters.” Following Wednesday’s game, the Nets will return home to begin a five-game homestand against Miami on Saturday. On Saturday, the Hawks kick off a five-game road trip at Washington.