Hawks’ Kingston Flemings Exits Bulls Loss With Back Tightness

Atlanta Hawks rookie Kingston Flemings left Friday night’s 125-117 overtime loss to the Chicago Bulls with back tightness and did not return.

His back put him on the injury report a day earlier. When the Hawks sent out their player health update Thursday evening, it read: “Kingston Flemings (lumbar spasm) is questionable.” He was upgraded to available before the game and started at point guard for the fifth time in a row.

Flemings had two fouls by the middle of the opening quarter. He fouled Josh Giddey on a shot with 10:45 remaining, then Isaac Okoro on another shot at 6:01. His third foul came at 9:56 in the third quarter. With 8:42 left in that quarter, Giddey blocked his 7-foot pull-up jumper. Flemings did not attempt another shot.

In 17 minutes and 22 seconds, he had 0 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, and 1 turnover. The assist came in the second quarter, when Dyson Daniels hit a floater. Chicago won 125-117 in overtime in an Emirates NBA Cup game in East Group C.

Thursday’s report had already ruled out four other Hawks. Keshon Gilbert (left knee inflammation, non-surgical procedure) and Mouhamed Gueye (left foot fracture) were out, along with Asa Newell, who has a left great toe hyperextension, and Henri Veesaar, who has a torn right ACL. That report is in Roundtable’s story on Flemings being listed as questionable.

Flemings was the No. 8 pick in June’s draft after playing at Houston. The San Antonio native attended Brennan High School. He turned 19 on Jan. 3 and is listed by the NBA at 6-foot-3, 190 pounds.

On Nov. 4 in Washington, Hawks coach Quin Snyder moved CJ McCollum to the bench and started Flemings, who scored 14 points in a 120-105 win over the Wizards. In the three starts after that, Flemings scored 11, 10, and 8. Going into Friday, he was averaging 8.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 4.4 assists through 11 games.

McCollum kept coming off the bench even after Jalen Johnson returned from a sprained left ankle on Nov. 7, and he had 21 points on 8-of-15 shooting Monday when the Los Angeles Lakers won 124-114 in Atlanta, according to Roundtable’s Hawks-Bulls preview. Atlanta had three days off between that game and Friday.

Flemings also missed a game earlier this month. After he elbowed New Orleans Pelicans guard Bryce McGowens on Oct. 31 and was ejected, the NBA suspended him one game without pay, and Atlanta won 108-104 at Indiana on Nov. 2 without him.

The Hawks play at Milwaukee on Sunday. Tip-off against the Bucks is 8 p.m. ET.