Photo: Ronald Cortes/Contributor

Early in the Spurs’ 108-100 loss to Atlanta seven games into the season, 6-foot-8 Hawks rookie Cam Reddish hauled in a long pass from point guard Trae Young in transition and squared up to the basket for a 3-point attempt.

The player defending Reddish did everything correctly to thwart the shot, closing on the rookie fast enough to get a hand up without fouling.

But as so often happens to Bryn Forbes in such situations, the shooting guard’s size disadvantage prevented him from disrupting the shot, which Reddish swished.

“It’s part of the game,” the 6-3, 205-pound Forbes said of being at a decided physical disadvantage in most matchups.

Forbes’ struggles have made him a target for critics who wonder why such a defensive liability remains in coach Gregg Popovich’s starting lineup game after game.

Setting aside the fourth-year pro’s ability to stretch the floor with his well-honed shooting skills, the naysayers focus on him owning one of the worst defensive ratings (115.0) among the league’s guards. When Forbes is on the court, opponents sport an offensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions) of 117.2, which tops the league. When he’s on the bench, it’s middle-of-the-pack 108.2.

Hawks (9-32) at Spurs (17-22) When/where: 7:30 p.m./ AT&T Center TV/radio: KENS/ WOAI-AM 1200, KXTN-FM 107.5 & AM 1350 (Spanish) PROBABLE STARTERS Hawks: PG Trae Young (6-1, 2nd year), SG Kevin Huerter (6-7, 2nd), SF Cam Reddish (6-8, 1st), PF De’Andre Hunter (6-7, 1st), C John Collins (6-9, 3rd) Spurs: PG Dejounte Murray (6-4, 4th year), SG Bryn Forbes (6-2, 4th), SF DeMar DeRozan (6-6, 11th), PF Trey Lyles (6-9, 5th), C LaMarcus Aldridge (6-11, 14th) RESERVES Hawks: F DeAndre’ Bembry (6-6, 4th year), F Charlie Brown Jr. (6-7, 1st), G/F Vince Carter (6-6, 22nd), G Brandon Goodwin (6-2, 2nd), C Damion Jones (7-0, 4th), C Alex Len (7-1, 7th), G Jeff Teague (6-3, 11th), G Treveon Graham (6-5, 4th) Inactive: Evan Turner, Chandler Parsons (concussion protocol), Jabari Parker (right shoulder impingement), Bruno Fernando (G League). Spurs: G Patty Mills (6-1, 11th year), G Derrick White (6-4, 3rd), G Lonnie Walker IV (6-5, 2nd), F DeMarre Carroll (6-6, 11th), F Drew Eubanks (6-9, 2nd), C Jakob Poeltl (7-1, 4th), G Marco Belinelli (6-5, 13th), F Rudy Gay (6-9, 14th) Inactive: Keldon Johnson (G League), Luka Samanic (G League), Chimezie Metu (G League), Quinddary Weatherspoon (G League) COACHES Hawks: Lloyd Pierce Spurs: Gregg Popovich STAT LEADERS Hawks: Points, Young, 29.1 per game; rebounds, Collins, 9.7; assists, Young, 8.5; steals, Parker, 1.3; blocks, Collins, 2.2 Spurs: Points, DeRozan, 22.6 per game; rebounds, Aldridge, 7.6; assists, DeRozan, 5.1; steals, Murray, 1.6; blocks, Aldridge, 1.8 NOTABLE The Hawks are 4-18 on the road this season, the worst mark in the Eastern Conference and second-worst in the NBA. Atlanta has not won outside State Farm Arena since a Dec. 8 victory in Charlotte. The Spurs dropped a 108-100 decision in Atlanta on the team’s previous meeting Nov. 5. Atlanta is aiming for its first season sweep of the Spurs since 1996-97. The Hawks have reportedly agreed to a trade that would bring Teague and Graham to Atlanta and send Allen Crabbe to Minnesota. It is unclear if the deal will be finalized in time for Teague and Graham to play against the Spurs. Young had eight games this season of at least 30 points and 10 assists, second-most in the NBA. He narrowly missed adding another in Atlanta’s November victory over the Spurs, in which he accounted for 29 points and 13 assists. Jeff McDonald

The anti-Forbes mob would like to see him benched and replaced by either Derrick White or Lonnie Walker IV, both of whom are taller, have much larger wingspans, speed, and vertical explosion and, especially in Walker’s case, simply much better all-around athletes.

Harsh criticism of Forbes and Popovich can be found on social media daily, but Forbes largely ignores it.

“Whatever,” he said of comments on Twitter about his defense. “It doesn’t matter to me. I am the one out there logging the minutes, working my ass off. I couldn’t care less what a lot of people say.”

What does concern him is what Popovich, the other coaches and his teammates think. And all of them stand firmly behind the former Michigan State star, who joined the team in 2016 as an undrafted rookie and is expected to make his 39th start of the season and 120th over the past two campaigns when the Spurs (17-22) host the Hawks (9-32) on Friday night.

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“Sometimes people take advantage of him because of his size,” Popovich said. “He can’t change that. But nobody works harder.”

White agreed, saying Forbes’ “underdog mentality” is evident in the way he never shies away from whatever defensive challenge arises.

“No matter who he is guarding, he’s competing, playing his butt off and just making it challenging for them,” White said. “You know he is going to play his heart out every time.”

Walker’s eyes lit up when asked about Forbes. The 18th overall pick in the 2018 draft called Forbes fearless and said he loves to watch him “scrap.”

“Come on, now, he is from Michigan,” Walker said. “He’s no chump. It’s great to see someone like that who is undrafted and has that dog in him because he has had to earn every single minute he’s getting. It’s inspiring to have him on the team.”

Hoping to improve defensively, Forbes worked tirelessly in the weight room during the offseason and was noticeably bulked up by the time training camp started.

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“Being quicker and stronger makes the game a lot easier,” he said. “If you are stronger than somebody, they can’t really move you on the block, and there’s a lot less chance they want to put you in the post.”

Forbes, who is in the final year of the two-year, $6 million contract he signed in July 2018, also pointed out that one can’t help but improve defensively under the tutelage of Popovich, his assistants and the player development staff.

“I have come a long way,” he said. “Changing my body has helped a lot. And then just the knowledge, working on it. The Spurs are one of the best teams to try and grow that part of your game.”

Guard Patty Mills, who has mentored Forbes from the moment he arrived at the Spurs practice facility called his protégé's efforts on the defensive end “outstanding.”

“The way he hustles, gets back into plays, makes plays, these are all things that obviously aren’t on a stat sheet,” Mills said. “He cares and he gives a (expletive) and he tries hard. That’s all we ask and all he can control.”

Mills also stressed that Forbes, 26, serves as a great example for younger players such as Walker, 21.

“Lonnie and the younger guys are watching how he handles his business,” Mills said. “It’s something good to see.”

Indeed, Walker said he’s learned a lot about what it takes to succeed in the NBA by studying Forbes’ work ethic.

“If there is one person guaranteed to give 110 percent every single day, even off days, it’s Bryn,” Walker said. “There is never a day when he’s not in the gym getting shots up, never a day when he’s not lifting. Seeing his work ethic, it made me think, I’ve got to match that effort if I want to become a good player.”

Forbes understands the praise he receives from his coaches and teammates won’t stop fans from calling for his benching. His plan is to keep doing his best while working to improve his physical tools and ignore the outside chatter that heats up the internet after a poor performance or loss.

“I feel like you have to take everybody’s comments with a grain of salt, whether it’s good or bad,” he said. “At the end of the day, we’re people. They don’t know my personal life or any of our personal lives. They’re just going off how basketball is going, whether shots are falling or not. …You win 10 games in a row and everybody changes their mind. So honestly it doesn’t matter at all.”