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Tag: Vit Krejci

  • Same teams. Different night. Same result: Hawks lose a second straight to Bulls, 126-123

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    Hawks guard Vit Krejci shoots over two Bulls defenders during the first quarter of Tuesday’s game. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    The Atlanta Hawks hosted the Chicago Bulls for the second time in three days. The result of Tuesday’s game was the same as Sunday’s game: a loss.

    The final two seconds of this game told the tale. The Hawks gave up three free throws to the Bulls and lost, despite Chicago not having to make a basket.

    Final score: Bulls 126, Hawks 123.

    The Hawks were without guard Dyson Daniels, who was listed out of the lineup with a hip injury, and big man Kristaps Porzingis, who has missed the majority of the team’s 30 games this season. Nickel Alexander-Walker was back in the starting lineup for the first time since Trae Young (35 points and nine assists on Sunday) returned from injury. Alexander-Walker (20.3 points per game) gives the Hawks’ starting lineup that much-needed third scoring option after Young and Jalen Johnson (28.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game).

    “You have to learn from this for sure,” said Trae Young (above) after the 126123 loss to the Bulls on Tuesday. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    Following the game, Young said he and his teammates will have to learn from games like this. “We’re trying to figure out how to execute down the stretch, whether it’s me or Jalen,” Young said.

    The Hawks got off to a better start in this game, going ahead 7-0 before the Bulls eventually tied the game at 16. Atlanta would take and maintain a lead throughout the first quarter behind Young, who is on a minutes restriction at the moment. His three-pointer and floater, plus a foul, looked like vintage Trae Young baskets.

    The Hawks closed the first quarter with a 36-30 advantage, and led by as much as 13 in the second quarter after rookie forward Asa Newell dunked following a steal, and then hit a corner three on the next Hawks possession. Young found Johnson with a no-look pass to bring the lead up to 15 with less than five minutes to play in the first half. With less than a minute to play in the half, the Bulls closed the gap a bit, getting scoring from Coby White down the stretch, but a pair of free throws from Young gave Atlanta a 68-55 lead at the half. During the first half, Young, Johnson, and Alexander-Walker combined for 38 points.

    Trae Young (above at free throw line). Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    The first couple of minutes of the second half saw Chicago forward Nikola Vucevic score eight of the Bulls’ first 14 points to cut the Hawks’ lead to just eight points. The Hawks would put together a run that included a three-point play from Young and a three-pointer from forward Zaccharie Risacher to re-establish a double-figure lead and force a Bulls timeout with just over five minutes remaining in the third quarter.

    With less than two minutes to play in the quarter, Newell, whose minutes have been up and down this season, connected on a pair of three-pointers that got the supporter section chanting his name and out the Hawks 102-87. Newell, an Atlanta native, played his single season of college hoops at the University of Georgia before being drafted by the Hawks in the first round of last year’s draft. Atlanta ended the third quarter ahead by 13 points.

    NBA basketball, more than any other level of the sport, is a game of runs. The Bulls had another run in them, and went on a quick 6-0 run to force Hawks head coach Quin Snyder to call a time out with the score now 105-98 with 9:41 on the game clock.

    Johnson has been the Hawks’ go-to man all season, and with the momentum about to shift toward Chicago like a wind off of Lake Michigan, Johnson drove to the basket, scored, and was fouled in the process. Atlanta maintained a 10-point advantage with 5:41 on the clock and an eight-point lead with 4:02 remaining in the game. The two teams were back-to-back in the standings coming into the game, and this particular affair was equally as close throughout.

    Chicago pulled within a point at 117-116 when White hit a three-pointer with a Hawks defender in his face. Johnson added another jumper to give Atlanta a 119-116 cushion with 1:43 left to play in the game. White’s free throws made it a one-point game again seconds later. Giddey’s jumper in the lane with 40 seconds left put the Bulls ahead 122-119.

    The last 40 seconds of this game tell the tale. With Chicago ahead 122-121, Bulls guard Coby White went to the free throw line and proceeded to make one of two free throws to give his team a two-point lead with six seconds in the game. Alexander-Walker’s layup tied the game at 123 with 1.9 seconds to play.

    The Hawks will play the day after Christmas, hosting the Miami Heat on Friday, December 26. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    Atlanta, off on Christmas Day, isn’t done with the home games. The Hawks will host the Miami Heat on Friday, December 26, and the New York Knicks on Saturday, December 27. Those games will be the first time the Hawks face the Heat and Knicks this season.

    The last home game of the year will take place on New Year’s Eve when the Minnesota Timberwolves and Atlanta native Anthony Edwards will be in town for an afternoon tip-off (2 p.m.). The new year will begin with a three-game homestand. The Hawks and Young will be in New York at Madison Square Garden to play the Knicks on January 2, and follow that up with consecutive games in Toronto against the Raptors on January 3 and 5.

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    Donnell Suggs

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  • Trae Young was back in the Atlanta Hawks starting lineup for 152-150 loss to Chicago Bulls

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    Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    Atlanta Hawks all-star guard Trae Young was back in the starting lineup on his home court for the first time in two months. And it still didn’t matter. The Hawks lost for the fourth time in their last five games, 152-150, to the Chicago Bulls.

    Despite the loss, Young was able to remind Hawks fans why he has been considered one of the best shooters in the sport during his career, all of which has taken place in Atlanta. With the Hsweks down 133-129, Young returned to the court and put on a shooting display. The Oklahoma kid made three three-pointers and two free throws in the span of six minutes.

    Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker attempts a shot over former Hawks guard Kevin Huerter (13) during the first quarter. Alexander-Walker is averaging over 20 points this season. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    With Atlanta down 152-150 with just under five seconds remaining in the game, Young took the last shot of the game. He missed, but he was back, and for the Hawks, that is going to matter long past this game.

    The Hawks began a two-game set against the Chicago Bulls, and Young was back in the starting lineup after missing Friday’s loss to San Antonio. The tipoff was at 3:30 p.m., a half-hour before the Atlanta Falcons kicked off against the Cardinals in Arizona. The Bulls are scheduled to return to State Farm Arena on Tuesday, December 23, two days before Christmas.

    The Bulls got off to a hot start, going up 21-10 and forcing a Hawks timeout. Over the past couple of weeks, the Hawks have had issues with falling behind early. Atlanta pulled back within three points at 25-22 midway through the quarter when second-year forward Zaccharie Risacher nailed a corner three-pointer in front of the Bulls bench.

    The first quarter would end with the score tied at 38, and Atlanta would get its first lead of the game at the beginning of the second quarter after reserve guard Vit Krejci made consecutive three-pointers. Two Risacher three-pointers gave Atlanta another lead at 50-48 at the eight-minute mark. The Hawks’ bench, especially Nickeil Alexander-Walker (20.7 points per game), will be vital to any playoff push this team makes this season.

    Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (with ball) started his first home game in months on Sunday afternoon. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    Chicago guard Josh Giddey, a dark-horse candidate to be selected to his first All-Star Game, is averaging over 20 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists per game. Giddey had started all 25 games for the Bulls this season, and on Sunday, he was back on the court in Atlanta. The 6-8 guard is a teammate of Hawks guard Dyson Daniels on the Australian National Team.

    Giddey was able to get to the basket during the game, and his layup with 7:13 remaining in the second quarter put Chicago up 54-50. His dunk and three-pointer early in the second half would help keep Chicago in front.

    The teams exchanged leads early in the second quarter before the Bulls went ahead by seven points, 75-68, with a minute to play in the half. That lead would be extended to 10 points, 83-73, at halftime after Huerter hit a three-pointer in front of the Hawks’ bench.

    Young made his first two three-point attempts of the second half. His scoring touch was needed this season as the Hawks lost several close games down the stretch. For the time being, Jalen Johnson, the Hawks’ go-to guy during Young’s absence, and Alexander-Walker were doing their part to keep the game close. Johnson scored on consecutive drives to the rim, while Alexander-Walker hit a three-pointer to tie the game at 102 with 4:50 remaining in the third quarter. Both players were counted on to keep the Hawks competitive while Young was gone, and they more than accomplished that goal.

    Krejci has come a long way during his time in the league with Atlanta. Coming off the bench for the Hawks, he has been a steady contributor this season. Krejci’s three-pointer off an assist from Johnson gave Atlanta a 108-107 lead and forced Bulls head coach Billy Donovan to call a timeout. Chicago would go back in front, 116-115, at the end of the third quarter.

    With Chicago ahead by a score of 119-118, Johnson found Daniels for an easy dunk to give Atlanta a one-point lead. It was his seventh assist of the game. Johnson has six triple-doubles this season, an Atlanta Hawks record.

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    Donnell Suggs

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  • ‘Definitely looking forward to it’: Atlanta Hawks open preseason in Houston on Monday

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    First-year Atlanta Hawks forward Kristaps Porzingis (right) works on his three-point form during practice on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    The Atlanta Hawks will begin the preseason away from home. The preseason opener will be in Houston on Monday night (8 p.m. tipoff).

    On Sunday morning, the Hawks practiced at the team facility in Brookhaven, putting in some work before heading to Houston.

    Newcomers Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Luke Kennard, and Kristaps Porzingis will play significant roles on this year’s team. On Sunday, Porzingis could be seen knocking down three-pointers during a drill. On the other side of the practice court, Kennard engaged in a three-point shootout with teammates like Vit Krejci, one of the team’s better long-range shooters last season. 

    Asked if they are looking forward to taking those three-pointers into an actual game, Lennard said, “Definitely looking forward to it.”

    “We have been pushing each other hard this last week of training camp. You’re going up against the same guys every day, so we’re excited to be all together as one team and compete as a group,” Kennard said.

    “I’m super-excited to compete wi
    th the new guys, and it’s going to be great. We have a lot of good people around here, and we’re just trying to put it all together,” Hawks reserve guard Vit Krejci (above) said. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    Krejci, who has been with the franchise since the 2022-23 season, said it has been a “long offseason” and he was ready to start playing in games again.

    “I’m super-excited to compete with the new guys, and it’s going to be great. We have a lot of good people around here, and we’re just trying to put it all together,” Krejci said.

    Monday night will be the start of a new season for Atlanta.

    “I’m sure it’s going to take a couple of games, a couple of practices, but you can see from the start till now that we are getting better and understand each other more as teammates,” said Krejci. 

    The Atlanta Hawks (above) will play the Houston Rockets in a home-and-away this preseason.
    Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    Last year’s runner-up for NBA Rookie of the Year, Zaccharie Risacher, returns to the court with added confidence and more experience. His role as one of the team’s scoring options will change with the return of Jalen Johnson from injury. And then there’s All-Star guard and the team’s leading scorer and assist man, Trae Young. 

    With one year remaining on his current contract and a player option for $48.9 million for the 2026-27 season, Young will be playing for more than a division title and playoff spot this year. He wasn’t available to talk to the media after practice on Sunday. Young was all smiles while hoisting three-pointers with his teammates when the media was allowed onto the practice floor.

    Atlanta Hawks head coach Quin Snyder after practice on Sunday. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    Hawks head coach Quin Snyder said there were certain things any team wanted to accomplish during the preseason and that these next four games were “an opportunity to put different lineups on the floor.”

    The preseason schedule, following the game in Houston, will include a game in Memphis against the Grizzlies on Saturday, Oct. 11, and a pair of home games against the Miami Heat (Monday, Oct. 13) and the Rockets (Thursday, Oct. 22). 

    The Hawks’ regular season begins at home at State Farm Arena against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday, Oct. 22. Atlanta finished the 2024-25 season with a record of 40-42. It was the eighth consecutive season the Hawks finished with 43 or fewer wins in an individual season.  

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    Donnell Suggs

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