Hawks vs Heat: Three things to watch in the preseason opener

The Atlanta Hawks tip off their preseason schedule Monday night against the Miami Heat. Here are three things to watch heading into tonight's game:

1. New offense gets dress rehersal

Tonight's game against the Heat will be the first public dress rehearsal of new head coach Mike Budenholzer's offensive system. With just a week of practice under their belts it is foolish to expect to see anywhere close to a finished product but it should be a stark difference from what we saw from the Hawks last season. Expect a pick and roll heavy attack with a lot of ball and player movement which utilizes the strengths of point guard Jeff Teague and center Al Horford.

2. What will the small forward rotation look like?

DeMarre Carroll is expected to start at the small forward position for the Hawks but who backs him up is a little unclear at this point. Both James Johnson and Damien Wilkins are in camp as training camp invites and have the opportunity to stick on the roster provided they can add depth at the small forward position.

3. Rookie Dennis Schröder as Teague's backup.

Atlanta's point guard situation is in a bit of a flux behind Jeff Teague. Its widely expected that back up duties will fall to rookie point guard Dennis Schröder. Behind him however are Shelvin Mack and Royal Ivey who are expected to compete for a roster spot. Mack is a holdover from last season and has a little bit of a head start after going to summer league with the team. Ivey is a veteran who brings size and defensive ability which could look intriguing to the coaching staff considering that Schröder is just a rookie.

Exit Question: What are you most looking forward to seeing tonight from the Hawks? Let us know in the comments.