The Hawks and Rockets faced off against each other at State Farm Arena on the second night of back-to-back games Tuesday after a two-week wait.
The two teams' original matchup was scheduled for earlier this month. But Winter Storm Cora left ice on the road, forcing NBA officials and state decision-makers to move back the game.
The Rockets overpowered the Hawks, 100-96, to hand them a sixth straight loss.
Here are five observations:
1. The Hawks made a run down the stretch against the Rockets. They forced seven straight stops, converting on six of them, pushing the team on a three-minute 13-2 run, cutting their deficit to 98-93.
They even tried to use an altercation between Trae Young and Dillon Brooks to spark them. That brought them within one possession.
But the Hawks' go-ahead 3-pointer by De’Andre Hunter at the top of the key rimmed out and went over the backboard. Then the Hawks could not stop Alperen Sengun’s game-sealing dunk.
“Other than wanting to shoot the ball better, I like the fact that we continued to play like that,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder said. “That’s what happened tonight. We got down. I don’t know that that’s an ongoing process. And I’ve said before, I think there’s a long runway for this team.”
2. Brooks has a reputation of needling opposing players. With 49.8 seconds to play in the game, he bumped Young on the sideline. During the play, though, the Rockets’ Fred VanVleet fouled the Hawks’ Dyson Daniels on a layup.
During the play stoppage, Young and Brooks’ heated exchange continued. Young bumped into Brooks and said something before Brooks reached for his neck and pushed down.
“They told our coaches that I head-butted them,” said Young, who scored 21 points and had nine assists. “But, I mean, that is, that’s so terrible like he’s 6-6, I can walk to his body, my head’s gonna be at his chin.”
Officials reviewed the altercation and issued double technical fouls.
“Upon review, Young was seen instigating the altercation by first, bumping Brooks as he was walking by him,“ crew chief Jacyn Goble said. “He then closes space with his head and contacts Brooks’ face while talking to Brooks who reacts by grabbing the back of Young’s head. This is why double technical fouls were assessed at replay.”
3. The Hawks started Tuesday night’s game with Mouhamed Gueye, with rookie Zaccharie Risacher and Jalen Johnson out of the rotation with injuries. The team ruled out Risacher right before the game with injury management for an adductor strain and Johnson was seen on the sideline with a sling on his left shoulder.
Gueye, who the team recalled for Monday’s game in Minnesota, gave the Hawks a solid first half. He also hit his first 3 with 8:45 to play in the game after opening his 0-of-10 from deep. Gueye has averaged 14.8 points on 51.5% shooting from 3 in the G League.
“lt was good,” Gueye said. “Yeah, it felt good. The first one felt good. Because right before that, Ekpe (Udoh) was telling me, like, ‘Yo, the next one gonna hit it.’ So when I hit it, I pointed at him, so he felt it felt really good.”
4. The Hawks ruled Bogdan Bogdanovic for personal reasons at 5 p.m. before Tuesday’s game.
The lack of transparency in Bogdanovic’s injury designation opened up speculation about whether the team was in the midst of a deal to move the veteran sharpshooter.
The Hawks also scratched center Clint Capela with back spasms after Tuesday’s game began.
5. The Hawks had a strong game fromDaniels, who tied his career-high in rebounds. Daniels grabbed 10 as the Hawks need more players to step up with Johnson sidelined indefinitely.
Stat to know
6 -- The Hawks have lost six straight games, which matches their longest losing streak since last season (April 4-14, 2024).
Quotable
“You gotta dig yourself out of the hole that you put yourself in. And sometimes teams just get put in holes, and you got to figure out how to find a way out of it.” -- Trae Young on the Hawks coming up just short again.
Up next
The Hawks face the Cavaliers on Thursday night at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland.
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