Flemings leads Atlanta in minutes against Memphis
Kingston Flemings received the longest appearance in Atlanta’s preseason opener, playing 24 minutes and 36 seconds in the Hawks’ 132–123 loss to Memphis at State Farm Arena on October 5 US time, October 6 in the Philippines.
Flemings started with Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, Onyeka Okongwu and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. He finished with 11 points and two assists, shooting four for 11 overall and two for six from three-point range.
Alexander-Walker supplied the most scoring among the starters with 14 points on six-of-nine shooting. Johnson and Okongwu each scored eight, while Daniels had six points, four rebounds and two assists. All four played fewer than 18 minutes, leaving Flemings with a noticeably longer opening assignment.
Atlanta also brought Dorian Finney-Smith into the game off the bench. He recorded three points, one assist and one steal in eight minutes and 11 seconds. Corey Kispert, Asa Newell, RayJ Dennis and Jalen Wilson provided the bulk of the reserve scoring.
CJ McCollum and Lu Dort did not play. Their absence, combined with 16 Hawks players entering the game, makes the opening lineup a record of this particular preseason test rather than confirmation of the regular-season starting five.
For Flemings, the longer run created room to work through both made shots and misses against NBA opposition. His two three-pointers were a positive, while the overall four-for-11 line shows why minutes and opportunity should be considered alongside the points total when assessing the appearance.