The Hawks were struggling to get anything going on offense last night against the Memphis Grizzlies, who were down numerous players due to injury. Neither team was able to crack 100 points, but Hawks guard Dejounte Murray was the star of the evening on either side.
Murray had one of his best games as a Hawk and one of the best games of his career. Murray finished with 41 points, seven rebounds, and six assists on 17-25 shooting and was the only source of consistent offense for the Hawks all game.
After the game, Hawks head coach Quin Snyder talked about Murray’s game, how he was able to adjust what Memphis was throwing at him defensively and one of his biggest threes of the night:
“Yeah, he… you know was hot early and when you’re that hot early being able to kind of have balance in your game, which he found a way to do. The three on the top of the floor late, I thought was a dagger, and he’s able to create a shot late in the clock, ate in the game, and that’s a big thing for us. And then he made some plays when they started really helping on him. He found his teammates late in the game, and that’s a big thing for us. And then he made some plays when they started really helping on him. He found his teammates.
We were talking throughout the game about the way, a lot of times, how to attack them or things that he can emphasize in the huddle before I come in the huddle. So, yeah, that’s a big thing for us. He didn’t need to reassure me, but he was. He was managing the game all the way around and getting the right guys. They started to trap him. We played pick and roll with the small. He got some switches he wanted. Just a cerebral game as well as obviously a big game statistically. His buckets were big buckets.”
Murray has been great for the Hawks since Trae Young went down with his injury and the offense has needed every bit of it. Young is one of the best offensive playmakers and creators in the NBA and Atlanta has missed that level of playmaking with him gone. Atlanta does not need Murray to score 41 every night, but he has to be the alpha on offense and get everyone in the right position, as well as himself.
While the Hawks have benefitted from playing teams with injuries, their defense has allowed 100 or fewer points in five of the last seven games. When asked about the way his team is playing on that end of the floor, Snyder talked about how they adjusted and how the limited Jaren Jackson Jr after a hot start:
“Yeah, I think, you know, the beginning of the game. they started strong, made some shots at Jackson real early, and Clint and Bruno just did a terrific job guarding him. That’s an unusual situation to be out on the floor like that and have to move your feet as much, and I thought we got shifted even more, we were in good position. So really a team effort defensively and that was you know obviously really important especially late. I thought we got stops late which gave us opportunities to you know get a little cushion.”
Given the way that most of this season has gone, nobody should fault the Hawks for the wins they have been racking up, especially since they are dealing with injuries of their own. However, it is fair to point out that the Hawks have beaten the Magic without Paolo Banchero, The Knicks without four starters, A Memphis team missing almost every one of their regular players, and Cleveland without Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, and Evan Mobley. Winning these games has kept Atlanta in the play-in race and they have a clear path forward. They have upcoming games vs the Lakers, Suns, and Clippers on a West Coast road trip coming up and those games will be tough in their current state.
Murray and the Hawks’s defense are going to be tested in a big way tomorrow. They welcome the New Orleans Pelicans to State Farm Arena and New Orleans is playing really well right now and are hoping to be a contender in the Western Conference.
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