The Atlanta Hawks and the Orlando Magic are getting ready to tip off tonight’s game and both teams just announced their starting lineups:
G- Trae Young
G- Dyson Daniels
F- Nickeil Alexander-Walker
F- Jalen Johnson
C- Onyeka Okongwu
G- Jalen Suggs
G- Desmond Bane
F- Paolo Banchero
F- Franz Wagner
C- Wendell Carter Jr
Kristaps Porzingis and Zaccharie Risacher are going to be out tonight for the Hawks.
While not having Porzingis will hurt the Hawks when it comes to shooting and having a big man space the floor, they have one of the better center situations in the NBA. Onyeka Okongwu is a starting level center and should be able to play major minutes tonight.
Who could see minutes tonight with his absence? Of course Okongwu is going to start, but one or both of Mouhamed Gueye or N’Faly Dante should see some playing time.
Oct 22, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) drives on Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram (3) in the second quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images
“Although it is only one game, the Hawks’ offense is not off to a great start. They finished 16th in points, 26th in FG%, 23rd in 3P%, 4th in FT%, 27th in rebounds (23rd in OREB), 11th in assists and 15th in turnovers per game. They weren’t able to shoot efficiently or put up points on large volume. Better nights will be ahead if Trae Young is at the wheel, but the offense has not started off strong.
That’s especially worrying because their defense doesn’t appear to be much improved. On a per-game basis, Atlanta finished 27th in points allowed, 28th in FG% allowed, 28th in 3P% allowed, 27th in rebounds allowed, 18th in steals and 8th in blocks. Those numbers are still subject to extreme fluctuation because of how early it is in the season. However, it’s disappointing that the Hawks came into the season with hopes of improving their defense and the quality looks very similar to past seasons.
Orlando’s offense needed to get better after making a big trade for Desmond Bane and the early returns are certainly an improvement. They rank 8th in points per game, 14th in FG%, 8th in 3P%, 7th in FT%, 13th in rebounds (19th in OREB), 15th in assists and 11th in turnovers per game. If they can hover in this range for an entire season, they are going to be legitimate contenders for a Conference Finals appearance.
Their defense is still good on paper and produce a lot of stocks, but its stats aren’t quite as impressive as they were last season. They’re 18th in points allowed, 19th in FG% allowed, 13th in 3P% allowed, 19th in rebounds allowed, 11th in steals and 6th in blocks. Even so, Orlando’s defense should still be great and the re-addition of Jalen Suggs to the lineup is only going to make them a more formidable unit.”