Three things to watch for tonight in Hawks vs Spurs game

Summer League action returns tonight for Atlanta as the Hawks take on the San Antonio Spurs tonight in their second game of Summer League.

Viewing and Betting Information

Start time: 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time

Location: Cox Pavilion and Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV

Where to watch: ESPN2, ESPN+

Atlanta are looking for their first win in Las Vegas after losing a close game to the Wizards in their Summer League opener. Despite the 88-94 loss, it was a positive game and they will need to take advantage of that against a Spurs team looking to finish 2-0.

The Spurs are coming off a crushing win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Although the final score was 83-77, they held the Blazers to 31 points in the first half and held their lead until the fourth quarter. San Antonio’s offense sputtered late in the game, allowing the Blazers to get back into the game. In the end, it didn’t change the final outcome.

Despite that, I think this is a winnable game for Atlanta. Here are the three things Hawks fans should watch for in tonight’s game.

Can the Hawks contain Stephon Castle?

San Antonio selected Castle with the fourth overall pick in the 2024 draft. In his first game as a Spur, he certainly put up a good showing, putting up 22 points, five rebounds, four assists and a steal. The former UConn guard is a tenacious defender who knows how to use his 6-foot-10 wingspan at the point of attack. He gets into passing lanes and frequently rips the ball away from players who have poor handling. The Hawks played a fairly clean game against Washington, recording just 14 turnovers as a team. Castle is expected to match up against Nikola Djurisc for much of the game, so it will be interesting to see if Djurisic can generate offense against Castle. He struggled with his shot last game and this is a great opportunity to show his growth in that area.

Castle’s offense is all about his finishing. His lack of credible three-point shooting was reflected in his draft rating, but he did make two three-pointers against Portland. I expect Atlanta to do a better job of containing Castle. Keaton Wallace and Zaccharie Risacher both have the length to bother Castle and the athleticism to keep him in front of them.

What is Djurisic like as a goalscorer?

After the game against the Wizards, I wrote why the Hawks should give Djurisic plenty of minutes in Vegas and I think the game against San Antonio is a great opportunity to showcase his growth.

“Djurisic’s argument for more playing time is different because in his Summer League game, he showed everything scouts already knew. His playmaking ability is impressive, but he also has a tendency to lose the ball when he tries to do too much. He went 2-6 from the field and 0-2 from three-point range – giving him offensive reps is going to be key to his development. If he can learn to operate in a confined role on offense and convert some of his shots into points, he could be a backup wing for the Hawks late in the regular season. He’s going to need a lot of minutes to do that and it would be valuable for the Hawks to give him those minutes.”

In Summer League, it’s important to remember that the offensive process is as important as the result. For Djurisic, that means making smart decisions with the ball and choosing his shots carefully. As the game went on, he tried to do too much. San Antonio center Nathan Mensah has a massive 7-foot-10 wingspan and played well against Portland. His protection around the rim could stifle much of Djurisic’s power as a driver, so he’ll need to make good passes and show confidence on his open shots to find success. This is a tough matchup, but I’m excited to see how Djurisic handles it.

In their Summer League opener, the Hawks made 39 three-point attempts.

What does Miles Norris’ impact look like?

In his 17 minutes against Washington, Norris made a huge impact. He recorded 9 points and 4 rebounds, but had a team-best 3 blocks. Norris had a strong season with the Skyhawks last year and before Summer League started, I wrote about how he could be someone to watch in Vegas.

“Norris is a near-guarantee to make the Skyhawks roster. He spent time on a two-way contract with Atlanta last season before being released from that contract to make room for Krejci. His shooting and defense are the strengths of his game – 38.3 percent on five attempts is legitimate volume and he plays hard defense. Among players who saw regular minutes with College Park, he grabbed the third-most rebounds on the Skyhawks last year (5.6).”

While Atlanta already has a pretty deep collection of wings, I think his shooting could be very useful in this rotation. Dylan Windler and Risacher made most of the three-pointers against Washington, and Norris would give them another option beyond the arc who can also hold his own on defense. His play last game suggests he deserves more minutes tonight.