Hawks Rally Past Spurs 123-116 for First Preseason Win

The Atlanta Hawks picked up their first win of the preseason Thursday night, rallying to defeat the San Antonio Spurs 123-116 at Frost Bank Center.

With the win, Atlanta improved to 1-1 in preseason play, while San Antonio dropped its preseason opener.

It wasn’t exactly a smooth start for the Hawks.

Atlanta found itself playing from behind early as San Antonio jumped out in front, but the Hawks didn’t stay down for long. The turning point came in the second quarter when Atlanta found its rhythm from beyond the arc and started raining threes.

The Hawks connected on 10 three-pointers in the second quarter, completely changing the momentum of the game and helping Atlanta erase the early deficit.

From there, the Hawks settled in.

Several players contributed in what became a balanced offensive night for Atlanta.

Asa Newell led the Hawks with 16 points, continuing to make the most of his preseason opportunities. Kingston Flemings added 15 points, three rebounds and five assists, while Dyson Daniels recorded a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.

Onyeka Okongwu also turned in a strong all-around performance with 13 points, four rebounds and five assists.

For San Antonio, rookie Dylan Harper led the way with 16 points, four rebounds and four assists. Stephon Castle and David Jones García each added 14 points, while Devin Vassell finished with 12.

The Hawks also got an early look at Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, who finished with nine points, six rebounds, one assist and one block in 17 minutes of action.

San Antonio entered the matchup without newly acquired forward Tobias Harris, who suffered a strained left calf during training camp. Harris is expected to miss the remainder of the preseason and will be reevaluated before the Spurs’ Oct. 20 regular-season opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

For Atlanta, this one was less about the final score and more about the response.

After falling behind early, the Hawks showed they could adjust, get hot offensively and receive production from several different players. And during preseason basketball, those are exactly the kinds of things coaches are looking for.

Atlanta now turns its attention to another road test.

The preseason is about getting better game by game — and after dropping their opener, the Hawks responded with a win.

One down. Plenty more basketball to go.

Next up: The Hawks travel to Indianapolis to face the Indiana Pacers tonight, Saturday, Oct. 10, at 7 p.m. ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.