Hawks beat Thunder
Atlanta outscored Oklahoma City 142-126.
ATLANTA — A lot has changed for Dennis Schroder in a year.
The last time he suited up for the Atlanta Hawks, the arena he spoke to the media in on Tuesday had a different name. He had a gold patch in his hair, which has made a few appearances this season as a streak of gold or blue as Schroder has taken his place in the Thunder lineup.
Those accents have shown up less in Oklahoma City. What’s shown up instead is Schroder’s enhancement of the Thunder’s lineup and his desire to win, the latter of which was missing at times during his final days in Atlanta.
In Tuesday's 142-126 loss to the Hawks, Schroder played in his first game in Atlanta since being traded in the summer.
“It’s been five years here. It was a good time for me,” Schroder said. “I’m on a different organization now.”
Schroder was drafted by the Hawks in the first round in 2013. He was supposed to be the franchise’s present and future point guard. In five seasons, he developed an affinity for Atlanta and still owns a home in the city. On Monday, he spent time there with his family.
But the writing was on the wall for the 24-year-old entering what proved to be his final season in Atlanta in 2017. He recognized that new general manager Travis Schlenk wanted to go in a different direction.
Even though the Hawks started the rebuild, they welcomed Schroder back to Atlanta on Tuesday with a tribute video during the first timeout at 6:18 in the first quarter.
When Schroder checked in, the video started with a throwback clip to Schroder’s draft day. Chants of “Den-nis Schro-der” broke out among a pocket of fans in the lower bowl, as Schroder looked up at the video screen.
Schroder gave a wave to the crowd, which showered him with applause. The cheers were short-lived.
By the time Schroder got hot in the third quarter, the chant had change to “Trae is better,” “Nique was better” and “We don’t miss you” every time Schroder went to the free throw line.
Schroder started the game 0-of-4, his shots long and lacking touch, but found a rhythm in a perfect third quarter, shooting 3-of-3 from the field and 6-of-6 from the line.
Schroder finished with 21 points and six assists.
Dressed in his Thunder warm-up gear, Alex Abrines gave back bumps to teammates in the tunnel in pregame. He then joined the Thunder on the bench in the first quarter, wearing jeans and a gray blazer, but didn’t come out for the second half.
Abrines has missed the Thunder’s last 11 games, but Tuesday was the first time he has traveled with the team since the Thunder changed his reason for not playing from illness to personal reasons.
There is no timetable for Abrines’ return.
Tip-ins
Thunder TV play-by-play announcer Chris Fisher was not on the broadcast Tuesday due to illness. Thunder radio play-by-play announcer Matt Pinto filled in on a TV/radio simulcast with color analyst Michael Cage . ... The Thunder lost for the first time this season when forcing 16 steals. OKC was 2-0 in such games.