Atlanta Hawks guard Kingston Flemings has been suspended for one game after his ejection against the woeful New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night. A night full of frustration for the Hawks ends with their rookie being forced to miss Monday night’s game against the injury-riddled Indiana Pacers.
Flemings was one of the few bright spots against New Orleans. Flemings scored 12 points on 64.4% true shooting. Along with that, he dished out six assists and collected four steals. He’s been playing with more confidence recently, but now faces a one-game suspension for a Hawks team that has other shoes to fill as well.
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Hawks head coach Quin Snyder is tasked with replacing Flemings against the Pacers. Not only that, but Jock Landale is out with a hip injury that limited him to just 1 minute against the Pelicans. Moreover, Jalen Johnson is listed as questionable heading into Monday night’s game, so he may not be available either.
Snyder was forced to play Asa Newell on Saturday. Newell gave Atlanta 13 points in 19 minutes. The Hawks also recently picked up his third-year option, as they hope Newell will continue to develop.
Without Flemings, however, the Hawks lack a true point guard to run things off the bench. Last season, Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker shared ball-handling duties when Trae Young was injured and later traded. When CJ McCollum goes to the bench, those two could get some run as the lead guard.
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The suspension of Flemings puts Atlanta in a difficult spot. When you combine that with the injury to Landale and potentially Johnson, the Hawks’ depth is put to the test. Even if it is just for one game, Flemings could miss more games down the road. This is an opportunity to see how Snyder handles the rotation when his only true point guard is unavailable.
One thing is clear: the trust Snyder has in Flemings is growing. During his breakout 23-point performance versus the Miami Heat, Flemings played a career-high 28 minutes, including all 12 in the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, McCollum played only four minutes in the second half as Snyder opted to close out the game with Flemings instead. As his role continues to grow, his confidence increases. It feels like a bump in the road, but hopefully Flemings (and the rest of the team) can remain healthy and available throughout the season.
For Flemings, it was an emotional reaction to elbowing the Pelicans’ Bryce McGowens in the face. It’s a lesson he’ll learn and grow from, but it’s frustrating news for the Hawks. Atlanta could be without key pieces against the Pacers. Flemings has a ton of potential, but this is tough news for a young player who has been getting better with each game.
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Atlanta will have to be without Flemings as they battle the Pacers, but it may not be the worst thing in the world. The Pacers are missing several key pieces and will also be playing the second night of a back-to-back.
Snyder will have to hope Johnson can play. If he can’t go, it will be interesting to see how the rotations are handled. Either way, Flemings is a big loss because he plays a role nobody else on the Hawks can play.
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