Then there's Flagg. Dusty May said his potential was "through the roof" after he scored 19 in the preseason opener against Houston in Macao, 17 of them in the second quarter, in a game Dallas lost. In the rematch he had 14 points, 7 assists, 2 steals and a block in 25 minutes, and the Mavericks won 132-115. The trip to China gave Dallas 2 games in October. Wednesday against the Pelicans is the first look at them back in the American Airlines Center.
Atlanta's biggest addition is the guy Oklahoma City let go. The Thunder traded Dort to the Hawks this offseason, which gives a team that was already built around Daniels' defense one of the most physical perimeter defenders in the league. Rookie Kingston Flemings, the No. 8 pick, has also played his way into the conversation. He had 34 points, 8 assists and 4 steals in 63 minutes over Atlanta's first 3 preseason games, and the Hawks went 2-1 in that stretch.
A couple of those injuries last longer than October. Henri Veesaar tore his right ACL and is expected to miss the whole 2026-27 season. Mouhamed Gueye had surgery in July on a fractured left foot. That leaves Atlanta's big-man depth thin behind Okongwu, and the Hawks can't fill those minutes by resting people. Dallas has the opposite situation. Its absences are short-term, but they're bunched in the frontcourt, with Lively, Aldama and Johnson all out at once on Sunday.
Tip is 7:00 PM CT. Flagg running the offense against Daniels and Dort would be the best thing to watch in this game, but it only happens if Atlanta's regulars play. Check the Hawks' availability before you plan your night around it.