The Atlanta Hawks enter Wednesday night’s game against the Washington Wizards on a two-game losing streak and even more shorthanded. According to the Hawks injury report, Dyson Daniels and Vit Krejci will be among five players who sit out the game in Washington.
Daniels is dealing with a hip flexor strain, and Krejci sustained a right adductor strain. Both players sustained the injuries in the Hawks’ 121-119 loss to Washington on Monday. It was the Hawks’ (2-2) second straight setback and the third consecutive game that they gave up at least 120 points.
Two More Atlanta Hawks Ruled Out Due To Injuries Against Washington, For How Long and Who Will Replace Them In Lineup, Plus Injury Updates To Bogdan Bogdanovic, De’Andre Hunter, and Kobe Bufkin
While Daniels is out for the game against Washington, he is receiving treatment on the flexor and is considered day-to-day. However, Krejci’s injury is more serious. He is out for at least two weeks and will then be evaluated.
It is unknown when Daniels was injured, but he played 36 minutes against the Wizards on Monday, totaling 11 points and three steals. Daniels has played well in his first full season as a starter, taking over the Hawks’ shooting guard spot for the departed Dejountae Murray. The 21-year-old has scored in double figures on three occasions and averages 12.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists with shooting splits of 50/35.3/37.5.
Meanwhile, Krejci left the game versus Washington midway through the second quarter and went straight to the locker room after hitting a pair of free throws. The 24-year-old had seen sparse action in his first three NBA seasons.
Due to the Hawks’ injury problems in the early going, Krejci has assumed backup point duties. Krejci averaged 4.5 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 1.0 assists with shooting splits of 42.8/28.6/57.1 in 14 minutes a contest.
Projecting the Hawks Rotation Against Washington
Daniels and Krejci join Bogdan Bogdanovic, Kobe Bufkin, and Cody Zeller on the sidelines for Wednesday. De’Andre Hunter has sat out the last two games with right knee inflammation. Hunter is considered questionable against the Wizards, though he has had the destination the past two games before being ruled out.
With Hunter’s status up in the air, Quin Snyder will have to decide a lot. Snyder could be down to 10 players if Hunter is ruled out, as two-way players Seth Lundy and Dominick Barrow are on G-League assignments.
So, here is what is known. Trae Young will start at point guard, and Clint Capela and Jalen Johnson will also be with the first unit. If Hunter is available, he will get one of the open spots. Otherwise, rookie Zaccharie Risacher will make his third straight start. Risacher has struggled shooting the ball, though he has been better in his two starts, averaging 8.5 points and 4.5 boards.
Snyder could still start Risacher if Hunter does return. Or Snyder could decide to go with Garrison Matthews or David Roddy instead.
Mathews has shown that he can produce when given the opportunity. Mathews, who started 33 games for Houston in 2021-22, is off to a good start as he produces 12.0 points and drains 3.3 treys while shooting 45.5% from the field and 50% from deep. Meanwhile, Roddy, who has started 17 games in his career, has been solid after receiving two DNPs to start the season.
If Hunter is unavailable, Matthews is the logical choice to fill out the starting lineup. Either way, Matthews, Roddy, Risacher, and Onyeka Okongwu will be a major part of the Hawks’ rotation. Keaton Wallace and Larry Nance Jr., who have yet to debut for the team, also could see increased playing time.
Update On Injured Players
Atlanta also provided updates on Bogdanovic, Bufkin, and Zeller’s status. Bogdanovic, who injured his hamstring during the Hawks’ season opener, underwent a non-surgical procedure on Monday and is slated to be out until at least the end of November.
Bufkin (right shoulder subluxation) has yet to play this season and suffered a setback in his recovery last week. The 21-year-old guard dislocated his shoulder last week in practice and won’t be re-evaluated for four more weeks. Meanwhile, Zeller is away from the team for personal reasons, and there is no timetable for his return.
While Daniels likely won’t miss a significant time, the Hawks will likely have to call up Lundy and Barrow from the G-League at some point over the next month to help with their depth issues.
