Atlanta gets shooting and rebounding from its reserves
Corey Kispert scored a game-high 19 points and Asa Newell recorded 12 points and 12 rebounds for Atlanta in a 132–123 preseason loss to Memphis at State Farm Arena on October 5 US time, October 6 in the Philippines.
Kispert made seven of 11 field-goal attempts and four of seven three-pointers in 20 minutes and 16 seconds. He also contributed four rebounds and two assists. His four made threes accounted for more than a quarter of Atlanta’s 14 successful attempts from beyond the arc.
Newell supplied a different kind of production. Five of his 12 rebounds came on the offensive glass, while he added two assists and two steals in 22 minutes and 16 seconds. He made five of nine shots and finished with a double-double despite coming off the bench.
Atlanta received further reserve scoring from RayJ Dennis and Jalen Wilson, who each had 12 points. Those performances helped the Hawks outscore Memphis 62–51 after halftime, although the 20-point deficit at the break proved too large to erase.
The contrast between the halves is relevant when assessing the bench. Atlanta’s reserve-heavy stretches produced useful individual numbers, but they came within a preseason game featuring frequent substitutions on both sides. They do not by themselves settle the Hawks’ final rotation.
Kispert’s perimeter efficiency and Newell’s work on the offensive boards were still measurable positives. Atlanta finished with a 45–41 rebounding advantage, but Memphis’ stronger three-point shooting and larger free-throw total carried the visitors to the win.