5 Storylines I'm Focused On in the Atlanta Hawks Preseason Game vs. Memphis

The Atlanta Hawks open up preseason play against the Memphis Grizzlies tonight and it will be the first time that Hawks fans and the NBA world is going to get to see this new-look team play together.

Atlanta had a patient offseason, focusing on player development, drafting talented rookies, and making sharp trades that addressed their depth. While they are not going to be looked at as one of the Eastern Conferences best teams, sleep on them at your own risk.

Here are five storylines I am watching closely tonight in this game.

1. Starting lineup changes?

I assume that the Hawks are going to keep the same starting lineup that they had used towards the end of last season, but the acquisition of Lu Dort gives you pause a little bit. Dort is used to being a starter and is coming from one of the top organizations in the NBA. Could he replace either CJ McCollum or Nickeil Alexander-Walker in the starting lineup or will Quin Snyder keep things the same by starting McCollum, Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, and Onyeka Okongwu? I lean towards the latter but we will see.

2. Backup power forward battle

So who is going to backup Jalen Johnson this season? That is one of the most important position battles on the team and things are going to be interesting heading into the game.

Given that it is unlikely we will see Mouhamed Gueye due to his foot injury, Asa Newell, Zuby Ejiofor, and Dorian Finney-Smith are going to compete for a spot in the rotation, with the edge likely going to Newell and Ejiofor, seeing as how the Hawks have used 1st-round draft capital on them. Finney-Smith is the newest addition, but had a tough, injury-filled season with the Rockets a year ago. Can he make an impact or will he just be a deep bench player?

3. Rookies

It is a shame that Henri Veesaar suffered his season-ending injury, as this would have been the perfect time to see him in action as he tries to impress as a rookie.

With that being said, it will be exciting to see Kingston Flemings and Ejiofor see the court for the first time in a non-Summer League setting. Flemings has a chance to be the Hawks' backup point guard right away, while Ejiofor is going to be competing for a spot in the frontcourt, either as the backup power forward or even as the third center.

Both players showcased exciting skills during Summer League, especially Flemings. Both players ability to shoot will be monitored close in this game, as well as their defense. With solid performances in the preseason, both rookies could carve out roles for themselves during the seaosn.

4. Defense

The Hawks had one of the best defenses in the NBA over the final 30 or so games of the season, but some questioned whether or not that had to do with the competition the Hawks played more so than the Hawks actually having that strong of a unit. To help strengthen the front office added Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins, and Ejiofor this summer to help them on that end of the floor and Quin Snyder has liked what he has seen so far from them:

"Yeah, I think particularly early in the year, really the whole year, but your defense is usually ahead of your offense. And that's okay, as long as your defense is good. So that's been a point in Memphis for us, you know, really. since last year and so guys coming out and having that focus is really good and offensively we'll get to know each other even from the personnel standpoint more over time so it's good to see the effort and the focus and communication is a big part of defending too and that's for a group that we're really trying to meld to see that early is a good thing."

The Grizzlies have some real offensive pieces and can score the basketball, so seeing this defense in action should be a treat.

5. Third center

Who the third center on a team is is not something the average fan pays attention to, but it could be a real weakness for the Hawks if Onyeka Okongwu or Jock Landale were to get hurt. When Landale was injured before the playoffs last season, Atlanta did not have an adequate option behind him. With Veesaar out for the season, that position only got more muddled. '

I think that Ejiofor is going to be given the first opportunity in that role, but Finney-Smith has experience doing just that. Ideally, Okongwu and Landale would stay healthy, but odds are that one or both players is going to miss some time. What will Atlanta do in that case? We could get a look tonight.

Add us as a preferred source on Google