The Atlanta Hawks are 13-9 this season, and currently sit in a tie for sixth place in the Eastern Conference. Their start is not much of a surprise, but the team is hoping to finish within the top six in the conference, with the hopes of skipping the Play-In games. With playoff aspirations, Atlanta is hoping some younger players can step up. Asa Newell, the Hawks’ first-round pick, will need to be one of those players.
To further his development and play valuable minutes, Atlanta sent Newell to the G-League. The College Park Skyhawks played a game on Tuesday morning, blowing out the Westchester Knicks at home.
Newell put up 27 points, grabbed seven rebounds, dished out six assists, and the Skyhawks were +27 with him on the court. However, the Georgia product left the game late in the fourth quarter after taking a shot to the head.
Having him leave early after his dominant performance was worrisome for the team. But Newell assured reporters that he is okay in the postgame press conference.
“I can take a hit,” Newell told reporters, per Kevin Chouinard of Hawks.com.
Newell’s Impact in the NBA
Newell has played in 13 games for the Hawks this year. In those appearances off the bench, he averaged 3.6 points on 47.1% shooting and 7.5 minutes per game. At first glance, those numbers seem a bit underwhelming. However, when given the chance, Newell has played well when given extended minutes.
Newell has played more than 10 minutes in two games this season: October 25 against the Oklahoma City Thunder and November 8 against the Los Angeles Lakers. Those are two tough games, and both ended in blowout losses for Atlanta. Still, Newell performed well in both matchups.
Against OKC, Newell played 25 minutes, made four of his nine shots for 12 points, and he grabbed 10 rebounds. The double-double was the first of his career, but he logged just one minute played in his following two appearances.
Against the Lakers, Newell was on the court for 27 minutes. He scored a career-high 17 points, grabbed five rebounds, and recorded four steals. The 20-year-old shot 7-for-12 from the field and made two of his five three-point attempts. Despite the strong performance, Newell has played more than nine minutes since then.
When given the opportunity, Newell has been able to prove why he was selected in the first round of the NBA draft. His 27-point game on Tuesday morning is further proof that he belongs on the NBA roster.
Hawks Moving Forward
Atlanta suffered a low-scoring loss on the road on Monday night against the Detroit Pistons. Trae Young remains out with a sprained MCL, but Jalen Johnson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker have both stepped up in his place.
Young’s return is not scheduled for a few more games. Both Johnson and NAW will have to continue carrying the load for the Hawks in the meantime. However, if Newell is given another chance at the NBA level, he could be a valuable asset to the team.
Atlanta plays three more games this week, with the next coming against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night.
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