Before the 2019-20 season even began, it was easy to see the challenge awaiting the Atlanta Hawks in mid-November. That test begins in earnest on Sunday evening, when Lloyd Pierce’s team takes on the Portland Trail Blazers to kick off a five-game road trip against quality Western Conference opponents.
Unfortunately for Atlanta, the team begins the journey on the heels of back-to-back home losses. The Hawks flopped considerably on Wednesday against the Chicago Bulls and, while the team’s effort was (much) better on Friday against the Sacramento Kings, the result on the scoreboard was still unfavorable for the home team.