UPDATE: The Atlanta Hawks faced a crushing defeat in their season opener, falling to the Toronto Raptors 138-118 on October 25, 2023. Fans were left stunned as the Hawks, touted for their promising roster led by Trae Young, struggled to find their footing at home.
In a game that highlighted glaring weaknesses, the Hawks were outscored 86-56 in the paint and suffered a staggering 34-11 deficit in fastbreak points. They were also outrebounded by an alarming 20 boards. Young did not hold back in his post-game remarks. “I don’t think there’s too many positives you can take from tonight,” he said. “It’s embarrassing the way we started it.”
Young, who contributed 22 points and 5 assists, struggled with his shooting, hitting only 1 of 7 from beyond the arc. However, Jalen Johnson shined offensively, posting 22 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds in his first game back since shoulder surgery. New addition Kristaps Porzingis added 20 points and 7 rebounds in his debut.
“The cream always rises to the top,” Young added, emphasizing the need for improvement. “We got some time to make it up and got to get going.”
Despite the loss, the Raptors set a franchise record for points in an opening game, with RJ Barrett and Scottie Barnes leading the charge, combining for 47 points and shooting 56.8% from the field. The Hawks’ performance raises immediate concerns as they prepare for a challenging start to the season, with nine of their first 14 games on the road.
Next, the Hawks travel to face the Orlando Magic on Friday before returning home to host the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday. Coach Quin Snyder acknowledged the need for extensive adjustments. “Rotation’s got to be better,” Johnson commented, urging the team to learn quickly from this setback.
Young stressed the importance of team chemistry, saying, “I got to figure out how we need to jell together. We need time to jell. But obviously we want results right away.”
As the Hawks look to bounce back, fans will be watching closely to see if the team can quickly turn around their fortunes and meet the high expectations set for this season.
