Quin Snyder Returns to Hawks Bench After Illness

ATLANTA — Atlanta Hawks head coach Quin Snyder made his return to the bench on Thursday night against the Indiana Pacers after missing a previous game due to illness. Snyder, who had been sidelined during Tuesday’s 127-121 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks with flu-like symptoms, expressed confidence in his team’s ability to function in his absence.

Assistant coach Igor Kokoskov took over coaching duties in Snyder’s absence. “His level of experience makes you very comfortable in those situations,” Snyder said of Kokoskov. “We have a great staff with a lot of people who are really talented. His experience, I think for an assistant in the league is very unique.”

Kokoskov, a Serbia native, boasts 19 years of coaching experience in the NBA and joined Snyder’s staff in Atlanta in 2023. He previously served as an assistant with several teams, including the Brooklyn Nets, Dallas Mavericks, and the LA Clippers. Notably, he was the first non-American to be hired as a full-time NBA assistant when he joined the Clippers in 2000.

Although Snyder returned to the bench, the Hawks faced a tough matchup against the Pacers. Meanwhile, the Pacers were also dealing with significant absences. Star guard Tyrese Haliburton missed the game due to a left hip flexor strain, marking only his second game missed this season.

Haliburton, a two-time All-Star, had been averaging an impressive 23.9 points and 12.0 assists since the All-Star break, while shooting 54.5% from beyond the arc. Despite his outstanding performance this season, which includes 28 points and 15 assists in a game against the Milwaukee Bucks just days earlier, his hip injury prompted a cautious approach from Coach Rick Carlisle. “He has been dealing with soreness in his left leg, and we will approach things on a game-to-game basis,” Carlisle said.