Atlanta Hawks Face Pivotal Games This Weekend
After suffering a heartbreaking loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves Wednesday night, the Atlanta Hawks are happy to be returning to the city. They have a big weekend ahead with back-to-back home matchups against the Indiana Pacers and Memphis Grizzlies. For a team continuing its push to secure a playoff spot, the Hawks must take advantage of the next few home games and add to the win column.
The Hawks must continue their path for a playoff spot. They currently sit as the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference and only sit a game ahead of the Toronto Raptors in the play-in spot. At this point, there may still be a chance to move up in the standings.
However, if the Hawks are going to make that happen, it’s essential to take care of business at home. As the weekend is underway, let’s take a deep dive into the matchups prepared to take place at State Farm Arena.
Indiana Pacers
Tyrese Haliburton holds his follow-through after a shot.
Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
The Indiana Pacers are the first team to play the Hawks on Saturday. This is a highly anticipated matchup of two teams fighting for play-in positions. Luckily, the Hawks were able to win the last matchup after a John Collins tip-in layup with .7 seconds left. With the season series tied at 1-1, the Hawks want to prevail in the last of their matchups with a big win.
Through the first two meetings of the season, different players in the Hawks’ supporting cast stepped up significantly offensively. In the matchup on December 27, Collins led the charge with 26 points while Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 18 on 3-5 shooting from the perimeter.
In the January 13 matchup, Onyeka Okongwu displayed a spectacular double-double performance with 18 points and 20 rebounds, followed by DeAndre Hunter, who had an efficient scoring night with 25 points.
Sharing the wealth is an important aspect for Atlanta heading into their final matchup against the Pacers. In the first two meetings, the Hawks had 26 assists in each contest, which surpassed their average of 24.6.
Also, the Hawks must make sure to have a rebounding edge in the contest as well, showing why they’re one of the top 10 teams in crashing the glass. With a dime dropper like Trae Young leading the way, there will be plenty of opportunities for a role player to have a big performance.
Memphis Grizzlies
Jaren Jackson Jr. dunks the ball.
Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
To end the weekend, the Hawks face a Western Conference contender in the Memphis Grizzlies. I’m sure the fans are anticipating a duel of two elite point guards in Trae Young vs Ja Morant.
Understanding the significance of this contest, the two stars will look to lead the way to lead their teams to a win. However, if the Hawks want to complete their back-to-back with a win, they’ll have to lock in and take advantage of home court.
The Grizzlies will be going into State Farm Arena with momentum. During Morant’s suspension, the team went 6-3 and defeated many playoff contenders in the run. One of their strengths has been their three-point shooting, as they’re able to space the floor and score at an efficient level.
The Grizzlies have been one of the top 10 teams in scoring through the course of the season. It will be a priority for Atlanta to slow down the Grizzlies' offense by contesting shooters and preventing open lanes to the rim.
In a back-to-back home game, this could be a moment for Trae Young to shine for the Hawks. It’s best for their star player to set the tone after the team is still fatigued from the night before. When Young goes head-to-head against Morant, he’s averaged 23.2 points along with seven assists in five games. Expect him to be nothing short of spectacular as he is able to carry the load offensively, both scoring and playmaking.
In conclusion, this weekend could be what’s best for the Atlanta Hawks to get on track. The regular season is winding down, and it’s best to have some momentum entering the Play-In Tournament. Can the Hawks capture two home wins over the weekend? I believe so.
