Milwaukee Bucks: 3 things to watch for in visit with Atlanta Hawks

Getting ludicrous in Atlanta

Standing as the worst NBA team at this stage in the season, things have not been pretty in Atlanta this season.

The Hawks’ rebuild has stagnated this season in part due to the suspension of third-year forward John Collins, who finally returned to action in their most recent loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers earlier this week. And it’s with that latest defeat that the Hawks hold an eight-game losing streak and now hold the worst net rating in the league, per NBA.com/stats.

As a result of the Hawks’ failings and shortcomings this season, there’s an incredible burden on the top of star guard Trae Young‘s shoulders, which can be seen in his 33.6 usage percentage. To his credit, Young has delivered in such a high-usage role as he’s averaging 29 points on .443/.366/.849 slash line, 8.5 assists, 4.7 turnovers and 4.4 rebounds in his 30 appearances this season.

But the results the Hawks have strung together this year has reportedly affected the team’s chemistry as frustrations continue to mount for a team that was expected to take small steps to progress their rebuild under second-year head coach, Lloyd Pierce. Last week, Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes reported that Pierce is not yet on the hot seat, despite the step back they’ve had.

Of course, the circumstances that Pierce has dealt with, such as Collins’ suspension and questionable offseason decisions, shouldn’t fall directly at his feet by any means. But if things don’t get better in the near future for the Hawks, that might not matter, unfortunately.