Hawks' Onyeka Okongwu: Near double-double as starter
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Okongwu put up 14 points (7-10 FG, 0-1 3Pt), nine rebounds, two assists and two steals over 28 minutes of action in Monday's 119-110 loss to the Knicks.
After logging a double-double in his last three games off the bench, Okongwu fell just short of that mark in his first outing as a starter this season. Given the fact that usual starter Clint Capela put together a similar stat line in reduced minutes with the second unit, there's a chance Okongwu's promotion isn't permanent. However, he's proven himself a fantasy option to keep an eye on nonetheless, particularly in deeper formats. His next chance to start will come Wednesday against the Pistons.
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Hawks' Onyeka Okongwu: Enters starting lineup
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Okongwu will enter the starting lineup for Monday's game against New York, Kevin Chouinard of the Hawks' official site reports.
The writing has been on the wall for some time now, as Okongwu is in the midst of the best stretch of his career. Clint Capela will move to the second unit with this news. Okongwu's fantasy arrow is pointing straight up, with the big man averaging 18.3 points, 15.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.7 blocks over his last three games.
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Hawks' Onyeka Okongwu: Double-double off bench
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Okongwu ended Saturday's 119-115 overtime victory over Boston with 19 points (6-10 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 5-7 FT), 13 rebounds, two assists and four blocks over 32 minutes off the bench.
Clint Capela got the start at center once again but did little in his 21 minutes, while Okongwu produced his third straight double-double and ninth of the season from the second unit. The fifth-year big has gone 3-for-4 from beyond the arc as he continues to work on extending his shooting range, but his primary contributions continue to come at the rim -- through eight games in January, Okongwu is averaging 11.5 points, 10.9 boards, 3.1 assists and 1.6 blocks in 25.5 minutes a contest while shooting 54.3 percent from the floor.
Okongwu accumulated 14 points (5-9 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 3-5 FT), 13 rebounds, seven assists, one block and one steal in 27 minutes during Wednesday's 110-94 victory over the Bulls.
Okongwu is coming off back-to-back double-doubles while showing his passing skills in Wednesday's win over Chicago. The 23-year-old dished out a career-high seven assists against the Bulls as he proved he can fill up the stat sheet in more ways than just points and rebounds during a career year with the Hawks.
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Hawks' Onyeka Okongwu: Season-best outing in 20-20 game
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Okongwu notched 22 points (9-14 FG, 4-5 FT), 21 rebounds, one assist and one steal over 28 minutes in Tuesday's 122-117 win over Phoenix.
Okongwu impressed off the Hawks bench in Tuesday's high-scoring contest, leading all players in rebounds while pacing the Atlanta second unit in scoring in a dominating 20-20 showcase. Okongwu set a new season high in rebounds, blowing past his previous season-best mark of 13 boards set Nov. 15. He has hauled in 10 or more rebounds in seven appearances while scoring north of 20 points on two occasions.
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Hawks' Onyeka Okongwu: Playing vs. Phoenix
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Okongwu (face) is available for Thursday's game against the Suns, Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Okongwu was questionable due to a facial contusion, but the big man will be available for this matchup. Even though he's likely to come off the bench behind Clint Capela, Okongwu should see enough minutes to be relevant in most formats Thursday.
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Hawks' Onyeka Okongwu: Iffy for Thursday
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Okongwu is questionable for Thursday's game against the Suns due to a facial contusion, Brad Rowland of the Locked On Podcast Network reports.
Okongwu is at risk of missing Thursday's tilt due to a facial contusion. The 23-year-old center has split time with Clint Capela at the five spot and is averaging 8.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks across 22.6 minutes in his last five outings. If he can't go, Capela and Dominick Barlow could see more action.
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Hawks' Onyeka Okongwu: Finishes as best interior option
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Okongwu posted 14 points (7-12 FG, 0-1 3Pt), 11 rebounds, two assists and one block across 24 minutes during Friday's 119-102 loss to the Lakers.
Facing Anthony Davis is a tough test for any defense, but Okongwu was able to make some headway. Clint Capela proved to be no match for Davis in the first quarter, and while Okongwu had the advantage of facing Jaxson Hayes while Davis took a breather, he made his mark opposite Davis enough to make a difference.
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Hawks' Onyeka Okongwu: Returning to action Sunday
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Okongwu (knee) is available for Sunday's game against the Raptors, Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Okongwu will return to action Sunday after missing five straight games due to left knee inflammation. Before the injury, the big man scored in double figures in eight straight games, averaging 13.4 points and 7.4 rebounds in 24.9 minutes per game during that stretch.
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Hawks' Onyeka Okongwu: Chance to play Sunday
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Okongwu (knee) is questionable for Sunday's game against the Raptors, Brad Rowland of the Locked On Podcast Network reports.
Okongwu has missed five straight games due to left knee inflammation but may return to action Sunday. His presence would be a huge lift, as Larry Nance could miss time after leaving Saturday's win over the Heat due to a right hand injury.
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Hawks' Onyeka Okongwu: Sidelined for Saturday
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Okongwu (knee) has been ruled out for Saturday's matchup against the Heat, Brad Rowland of the Locked On Podcast Network reports.
Okongwu will miss his fifth consecutive outing while he deals with left knee inflammation. There is no clear timetable for his return, though his next chance to play will come Sunday against the Raptors.
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Hawks' Onyeka Okongwu: Crashes offensive glass
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Okongwu amassed 12 points (6-10 FG, 0-2 FT), 11 rebounds, two blocks and one steal across 23 minutes during Wednesday's 108-100 victory over the Knicks.
Okongwu's five offensive rebounds helped him record his fifth double-double of the season Wednesday. Across his last 10 outings, Okongwu is averaging 12.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 24.2 minutes.
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Hawks' Onyeka Okongwu: Nearly double-doubles
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Okongwu totaled 14 points (5-10 FG, 4-4 FT), nine rebounds, one assist and one steal in 25 minutes during Sunday's 141-111 loss to the Nuggets.
Okongwu saw 25 minutes compared to 19 for Clint Capela, and that's been a theme many times this season. Okongwu is averaging 24.0 minutes per contest compared to 22.7 for Capela, with both players returning 11th-round value in nine-category formats so far.
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Hawks' Onyeka Okongwu: Disappoints again Friday
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Okongwu closed with seven points (3-9 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 1-2 FT), six rebounds and one assist over 21 minutes during Friday's 136-122 loss to the Bulls.
Okongwu scored fewer than 10 points for the third straight game, continuing his poor start to the season. Across 15 games, Okongwu is averaging 10.7 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.4 combined steals and blocks in just 23.5 minutes per game. He is someone who has seemingly been ready to take the next step in his career for the past few seasons, yet he remains a backup center who has yet to reach his potential.
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Hawks' Onyeka Okongwu: Scores in double figures
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Okongwu posted 13 points (5-9 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 3-3 FT), 13 rebounds, two blocks and two steals across 26 minutes during Friday's 129-117 win over Washington.
Okongwu has now scored in double digits in back-to-back contests, and his 13-rebound night resulted in his second double-double of the 2024-25 campaign. The big man continues to come off the bench but once again outlogged Clint Capela in minutes, 26 to 22. However, consistency has been an issue of late for Okongwu, who's been held to eight or fewer points in three of his last five games.
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Hawks' Onyeka Okongwu: Efficient despite loss Monday
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Okongwu produced 18 points (8-12 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 2-2 FT), 10 rebounds and two steals in 23 minutes during Monday's 123-93 loss to Boston.
Okongwu continues to find ways to outplay Clint Capela on a steady basis, and at this point, it wouldn't be surprising if the former claims the starting role at center sooner rather than later. Okongwu is averaging 13.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 0.7 blocks across 23.8 minutes per contest in his six outings to date, so fantasy managers should continue to trust him even if he continues to play off the bench for the time being.
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Hawks' Onyeka Okongwu: Available to play
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Okongwu (toe) is available for Monday's game against the Celtics.
This is an expected move after Okongwu was held out of the front leg of the back-to-back set Sunday. In five regular-season appearances, Okongwu has averaged 12.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 24.4 minutes per contest.
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Hawks' Onyeka Okongwu: Won't play Sunday
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Okongwu (toe/rest) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Pelicans, Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Okongwu will take a seat for the first half of a back-to-back set due to left big toe injury management, but he should be available for Monday's matchup against Boston. In his absence, Larry Nance should see increased minutes behind Clint Capela.
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Hawks' Onyeka Okongwu: Late addition to injury report
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Okongwu is questionable for Sunday's game against the Pelicans due to left big toe injury management, Kevin Chouinard of the Hawks' official site reports.
Sunday's game is the first half of a back-to-back set, so even if Okongwu plays against New Orleans, he may sit out Monday versus Boston. After exploding for 28 points, eight rebounds and three blocks in the regular-season opener, Okongwu has averaged 8.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 0.3 blocks in his last four appearances. If Okongwu sits out, Larry Nance and Dominick Barlow would be candidates for increased roles behind Clint Capela.
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Hawks' Onyeka Okongwu: Minimal impact in loss
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Okongwu had two points (1-5 FG, 0-4 3Pt), three rebounds and two assists over 24 minutes during Wednesday's 133-120 loss to the Wizards.
Okongwu returned to action Wednesday after missing Washington's previous contest with a toe injury. While the 23-year-old big man had a great Opening Night, he is averaging just 7.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 24.3 minutes in his last three appearances. Until he can officially supplant Clint Capela as the Hawks' starting center, Okongwu's statistical output will likely continue to be inconsistent.
