For six months, the Hawks weren’t allowed to gather in their practice facility as a team. They practiced in solitude at different baskets inside the same building yet still so far apart. These two weeks of practice, which began Sept. 23, that each of the eight non-bubble teams were given might be the last time they’re allowed to gather until training camp for next season — whenever that might be.
The energy of being with each other once again was apparent from the start.
“We’ve never done a layup drill with such intensity,” coach Lloyd Pierce said. “We did full-court layup drills, and guys were clapping and cheering.”
Each day of practice the Hawks are allowed one hour of five-on-five scrimmage time — but an unlimited amount of time for anything else, which doesn’t make much sense, but alas. Pierce said the Hawks started five-on-five scrimmages within the first 15 minutes on Day 1 by design because…
