ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce was fired on Monday, given the hook less than halfway into a season which carried heightened expectations before being hampered by injuries. Hawks president Travis Schlenk announced the move in a short statement released by the team. The Hawks are 14-20 and 11th in the Eastern Conference, following a 109-99 loss at Miami on Sunday night. It was the Hawks' 11th loss after holding a fourth-quarter lead. The teams play again in Miami on Tuesday. Pierce, 44, gave no indication that he thought he was in trouble after Sunday’s loss. He even ran the Hawks’ practice on Monday morning in Miami. “We would like to thank Lloyd for his work and commitment to not only the Hawks organization but the city of Atlanta," Schlenk said in the statement. The Hawks did not immediately name an interim coach. The likely choice is Nate McMillan, the former Indiana coach who was added to Pierce’s staff in the offseason. McMillan filled in for Pierce when Piece was recently... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce was fired on Monday following a disappointing start to a season of heightened expectations. Hawks president Travis Schlenk announced the move in a short statement released by the team. The Hawks are 14-20 and 11th in the Eastern Conference, following a 109-99 loss at Miami on Sunday night. The teams play again in Miami on Tuesday. “We would like to thank Lloyd for his work and commitment to not only the Hawks organization but the city of Atlanta," Schlenk said in the statement. Schlenk said the move, which comes less than a week before Atlanta hosts the All-Star Game, is timed to help the team enjoy a second-half resurgence. “We have high expectations for our team on the court and we believe by making this change now that we can have a strong second half of the season,” Schlenk said. The Hawks last appeared in the playoffs in 2017. The team has rebuilt around point guard Trae Young and forward John Collins and invested heavily in veterans... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — De'Andre Hunter's knee surgery is only the latest medical setback that threatens the Atlanta Hawks' efforts to end a streak of three consecutive losing seasons. The Hawks have been without guard Bogdan Bogdanovic for a month due to a knee injury. Hunter, enjoying a breakout season as the starting small forward, missed four games before Monday's arthroscopic procedure on his right knee. His status will be updated in two weeks. Atlanta (11-12) will be without the two starters when it plays at Dallas on Wednesday night. Hunter has emerged as one of Atlanta's top players in his second season. He is third on the team with 17.2 points per game, adding important scoring balance behind Trae Young and John Collins. Hunter's breakout has been especially important while the team awaits the return of Bogdanovic, who had been expected to provide scoring punch from the wing before fracturing his right knee. Coach Lloyd Pierce has been forced to make constant changes to his rotation. Forward... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Hawks forward De'Andre Hunter will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and be sidelined for an extended period. Hunter already has missed four games due to knee discomfort caused by wear and tear. He will undergo a lateral meniscus arthroscopic debridement procedure on Monday in Atlanta. The surgery will be performed by Dr. Kyle Hammond, the Hawks’ team orthopedist. The team said it will provide an update on Hunter’s recovery plan about two weeks after the procedure. Hunter, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2019 draft, is the Hawks' third-leading scorer at 17.2 points per game. Atlanta has endured a rash of injuries in the first six weeks of the season, including the extended absence of top free-agent signee Bogdan Bogdanovic. The guard has missed nearly a month with a fractured right knee, though the team reports he is making progress toward getting back on the court. Bogdanovic has been cleared for more range of motion in his rehabilitation and conditioning activities, which includes on-court work. Also, his knee brace has been removed, though it's still not known how long he will be out. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ATLANTA (AP) — De'Andre Hunter, who has emerged as Atlanta's second-leading scorer in his second season, will miss at least one game with a knee injury. The Hawks said Saturday Hunter will not play in Monday's home game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Hunter had a non-surgical procedure on Monday to address articular wear and tear in his right knee. Hunter left Friday night's 116-100 win at Washington after hurting the knee. His status will be reviewed next week. Hunter is averaging 17.2 points and 5.4 rebounds as a complement to Atlanta's top scorer, point guard Trae Young. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports