The energy inside State Farm Arena on Saturday night was... well, it was something. If you were looking for a "new year, new me" vibe from the Atlanta Hawks, you got it, but probably not the way you wanted. Getting absolutely smoked 132-106 by the Boston Celtics isn't just a loss. It’s a reality check.
Honestly, the atlanta hawks news today is dominated by one haunting number: 52. That is how many points the Celtics hung on Atlanta in the second quarter alone. One quarter. It was like watching a varsity team run drills against a middle school squad. Sam Hauser turned into prime Ray Allen, canning seven threes before the halftime buzzer even rang. By the time the third quarter started, the Hawks were down by 31, and fans were already eyeing the exits.
The Trae Young Void is Real
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Or rather, the elephant that just moved to D.C.
It has been roughly ten days since the franchise-altering trade that sent Trae Young to the Washington Wizards in exchange for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. For years, the debate in Atlanta was whether you could actually win with Trae’s defensive limitations. Now we’re seeing the alternative. Without him, the offense looks like a car trying to start in freezing weather.
The defense? It’s worse.
Dyson Daniels being out with an injury right now is a killer. He’s basically the only guy on the perimeter who can consistently stop a nosebleed. Without him and Zaccharie Risacher (who's nursing a sore left knee), the Hawks had zero answers for Jaylen Brown. Brown finished with 41 points and looked like he was barely breaking a sweat.
What happened to Jalen Johnson?
If you’ve been following the season, you know Jalen Johnson has been a revelation. He’s been a triple-double machine, averaging roughly 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists. People were calling him the new face of the franchise.
But Saturday was weird.
Johnson didn't even score a field goal until the second quarter. He finished with 12 points on a miserable 28% shooting. Usually, the guy is a freight train in transition, but the Celtics just walled him off. It’s a lot of pressure for a young guy to suddenly be "The Man" when the former All-Star point guard is gone and the secondary scoring is... inconsistent.
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Quin Snyder is Officially on the Hot Seat
You can’t give up 82 points in a half and expect people to stay quiet. Quin Snyder was blunt after the game, saying the team simply can’t "flush" a 52-point quarter. They have to look at it. They have to own it.
But the seat is getting warm. With the Atlanta Falcons recently moving on from Raheem Morris, the city’s sporting frustrations have shifted squarely onto Snyder. The Hawks are sitting at 20-24, clinging to the 9th spot in the East. That’s play-in tournament territory. For a team that traded its star to "retool," being this bad defensively is a tough sell to a fanbase that’s seen this movie before.
The New Guys: CJ and Corey
How are the trade pieces looking?
- CJ McCollum: He’s been aggressive, maybe too aggressive. He put up 23 shots in a recent game against the Lakers. Snyder is currently using him as a 6th man, which is a big adjustment for a guy who has started almost every game for a decade.
- Corey Kispert: He’s providing the spacing Atlanta needs, but he’s not a creator. He needs someone to find him.
The logic of the trade was to build a more "balanced" roster. Less Trae-centric, more movement. On paper, having McCollum, Kispert, and Luke Kennard gives you elite shooting. In practice, if you can't stop anyone on the other end, it doesn't matter if you shoot 40% from deep.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Rebuild
There’s a narrative going around that the Hawks are tanking for a high pick. It’s not that simple. Remember, the Wizards are the ones who actually want to tank—they're reportedly not even planning to play Trae Young until after the All-Star break because they’re afraid he might actually help them win games and ruin their lottery odds.
The Hawks, on the other hand, want to be competitive. They kept Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu (who had a bright spot with 21 points against Boston) because they think they can win nowish. But watching them give up wide-open corner threes to Sam Hauser makes you wonder if they have the personnel to execute Snyder’s system.
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The Reality of the 2026 Trade Deadline
The atlanta hawks news today suggests the front office isn't done. Rumors are swirling that they might still be in the hunt for a big fish like Anthony Davis, potentially dangling Zaccharie Risacher as bait. Is that a pipe dream? Probably. But it shows the level of desperation to find a defensive identity.
If you’re a Hawks fan, the next few weeks are going to be a rollercoaster. The trade deadline is February 5th. Between now and then, every single game is an audition.
Actionable Insights for Hawks Fans:
- Watch the defensive rotations: If Snyder doesn't fix the "lazy" closeouts on shooters, expect more blowouts.
- Monitor the injury report: The return of Dyson Daniels is more important for wins than any offensive adjustment.
- Keep an eye on the standings: Being 9th is dangerous. If they slip to 11th, expect more veteran trades to happen before the deadline.
- Patience with Jalen: Every star has a "dud" game. Don't let the 28% shooting night distract from the fact that he's still the future of this team.
The post-Trae era was never going to be easy. It was always going to be a "rip the Band-Aid off" situation. Right now, the wound is wide open. The Celtics just poured a whole lot of salt in it.