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Hawks 2022-23 campaign in the rearview after being eliminated by Boston

By Chicks Into Sports / May 3, 2023

After overcoming the Miami Heat in the play-in game to secure the seventh seed where Atlanta begin a competitive series against the Celtics, Atlanta fell to Boston 120-128 in Game 6 of the first-round playoff series on Thursday night at State Farm Arena.

This season was yet another roller coaster ride with yet another change in coaches after the All-Star break.

The departure of Coach Nate McMillian was abrupt as it was expected that McMillan and the Hawks were to part ways in the offseason, but front office had other plans that included to make the change immediately to salvage a playoff berth.

Many changes happened under Snyder including the style of play, and the team finished the season 13-15.

On Thursday night Atlanta outscored Boston 30-27 in the paint, 24-18 in second chance points, and 13-8 in points off turnovers. Despite being the underdogs, the Hawks dished out 28 assists, marking the third straight game during the series that Atlanta has handed out 25-or-more assists.

Trae Young captured  his third straight game of 30+ points and 10+ assists, tied for the longest streak in NBA postseason history with Russell Westbrook (4/19/17-4/23/17) and Michael Jordan (4/28/89-5/3/89), with his ninth assist of the game, Young passed Bob Pettit (241) for the sixth-most assists in franchise postseason history.

Dejounte Murray gained his second-career postseason double-double and first point/assist double-double with 14 points and a playoff career-high 11 assists.

Both Young and Murray, became just the third pair of Hawks teammates to register double-doubles in a playoff game, joining Lenny Wilkens and Richie Guerin (4/13/66 St. Louis Hawks vs. Los Angeles Lakers) and Johnny McCarthy and Si Green (3/26/60 St. Louis Hawks vs. Minneapolis Lakers) .

Young and Murray are the first teammates in the NBA to do so in the playoffs since Draymond Green and Stephen Curry.

De’Andre Hunter netted 20 points behind a playoff career-high tying four three pointers, six rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal.

While John Collins rounded off the scoring efforts with 16 points, four rebounds, an a playoff career-high tying two blocks and one steal in 29 minutes, marking Collins’ second time this postseason and fifth career postseason game with two blocks.

What’s Next?

Trade John Collins or Not has been a topic many times now. The interesting fact that he was a no show for the Hawks exit interview on Friday speaks volumes.

Keeping the duo partnership of Trae Young and JC together is not a bad idea.

But there still have to be changes made, perhaps better communication on the court and improve beyond the arc which is necessary for this team to thrive next season.

Who will hit the trade block? Will it be Clint Capela ,De’Andre Hunter, Onyeka Okongwu or Saddiq Bey?

Someone must go and I think we all know who it will be.

In the postgame press conference Young spoke on coach Snyder, “I believe with him here, this city’s going to win a championship. It’s just about bringing in the right pieces for him.

Which brings me to the pink elephant in the room. Atlanta has had two head coaches  given the pink slip (Lloyd Pierce and Nate McMillan).  Can we please find a resolve to this issue. Not sure why and how this issue continues to happen, although I have a small inkling of what is happening behind the scenes. In the end as an organization they got to take full control of the situation before the franchise goes down in flame.

Next season is going to be interesting to see if the Hawks have found the missing piece of the puzzle. Either way I will be here for it.

Let’s go Hawks

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