Nic Claxton EJECTED after Flagrant 2, Atlanta Hawks still WIN!
The Atlanta Hawks starting Five for Game 1. Photo property of ATL Hawks @atlhawks
Playing dirty seems to be the Brooklyn Nets’ new game plan. The Atlanta Hawks had to get feisty at home to outlast the visiting team during their season opener at State Farm Arena. If you watched or attended, you know exactly what I mean!
The game started off electric, with the Hawks fans chanting “ATL” from tip-off, setting the stage for a thrilling night. Atlanta fans love their Hawks, and the excitement was palpable, especially with some new faces on the roster. The hype in the arena reflected seeing how far this team had come and just where it ill go this season.
Dressed in their trad red uniforms, the Hawks kept the game tight with the Nets, who wore their “cloudy whites.” The back-and-forth action in the first quarter had fans relaxed, as the Hawks looked sharp and steady. The real moment of excitement came when 19-year-old rookie Zaccharie Risacher sank his first NBA three-pointer, sending the crowd into a frenzy! Welcome to the NBA, rook!
With the Hawks playing consistently well and simply out performing the Nets in the fourth things started to get a bit out of hand. Instead of the Nets’ players focusing on getting to the ball and converting field goals; they decided that converting fouls was the better option. To be fair, Wilson of the Nets was on fire, playing lights-out basketball. However, Nic Claxton’s overly aggressive style couldn’t be ignored, and things got heated quickly.
Claxton’s flagrant 2 foul came after he clotheslined Dyson Daniels, as if it were a street fight! Can you believe it! This sends the crowd in an uproar as they get to about 5 rows into the seats for the dispute. In the defense of Daniels- it is not everyday that you get hammered to the neck. I might also add that the game was a bit chippy all night and this just increased the heights of it as the fourth quarter clock ticked away.
Claxton clapped sarcastically as he left the court, which eventually led to his ejection. You would think that things would’ve settled from there but nope! Less than two minutes later, De'Andre Hunter was fouled hard, leading to a scuffle between Thomas and Okongwu. Both teams were fired up, and the referees handed out technical fouls left and right, trying to control the chaos.
Despite the Nets’ rough tactics, the Hawks stayed composed and closed out the game with a 120-116 victory. The Nets’ bench was silenced as Atlanta fans celebrated the win. With this intense opener behind them, all eyes are on the Hawks as they face the Charlotte Hornets next, back on home court.
It’s safe to say this season is already shaping up to be a wild ride!
