Nine months is a long time, but the Atlanta Hawks finally returned to competitive NBA action on Friday evening at State Farm Arena. While the game had all of the hallmarks of the preseason, the Hawks also showed flashes of encouragement, though Atlanta eventually fell to the Orlando Magic by a final score of 116-112.
The Hawks began the night struggling to convert possessions into points, but there were some encouraging moments. DeAndre Hunter notched the first points of the season at the free throw line, and newly acquired wing Bogdan Bogdanovic made an early dent.
Not to be outdone, Trae Young found Clint Capela for a gorgeous lob and finish.