Atlanta Hawks vs. San Antonio Spurs Preview
Background
The glory days in San Antonio are gone and not returning anytime soon. The Spurs (4-12) have lost their last five games and don't have the roster to right the ship this season. For the past few years, they have been a franchise stuck in neutral. The tension is building as they have already had a players-only meeting which is usually a tradition saved for hopeless teams in late winter.
Coach Gregg Popovich's offense isn't yielding the results necessary to win on a consistent basis. The Spurs rank last in three-point attempts (28.8) and next to last in three-point attempts makes (9.8) per game. Even worse, they are next to last in free throw attempts and last in made free throws (11.4 out of 16.8) per game.
Nevertheless, they lead the league in field goals made (43.1) and are second in assists (27.8) per game. Add all that up and you have a team with a -2.1 net rating which is bottom-eight in the league. The saving grace is Dejounte Murray who leads the team in points, assists, and steals. He's also a close second in rebounds behind Jakob Poetl with 8.3 boards per game for what it's worth.
After losing six straight games, the Hawks have won their last five. Albeit, they were all at home against teams weakened by injuries and illness. After 18 games, they are 9-9 and sitting just outside of the 10th playoff spot. Combine the losing streak with the injury suffered by De'Andre Hunter and it's an inauspicious first month.
Of course, the season is long and the Hawks have all the pieces required to contend. Trae Young is averaging a clean 25 points and 9 assists per game. John Collins is building a case for an All-Star selection with his 16.7 points, 8.1 rebounds, and multiple highlight dunks per game.
Yes, Young and Collins are enjoying career years, but their supporting role players are coming along. Clint Capela, Kevin Huerter, and Bogdan Bogdanovic are warming up after a rough few weeks. The Hawks offensive rating (111.2) has risen to sixth in the league, while their defensive rating (110.5) is bottom-four.
Outlook
Both teams are enjoying relatively good health. Doug McDermott is questionable while Zach Collins (foot) remains out. The Hawks injury report only lists De'Andre Hunter (right wrist surgery) and Onyeka Okongwu (right shoulder injury recovery) as out.
SI Sportsbook lists the Hawks as 3.5-point favorites. As long as the team isn't thinking about their big meal tomorrow or rematch against Eastern Conference foe New York Knicks on Saturday, they should cover that spread with ease.
Final Thoughts
These are two teams traveling in different directions. The Spurs have dropped five straight, while the Hawks have won their last five outings. Coach Popovich is a legend and Murray is a phenomenal player, so you can never sleep on the Spurs. But it's safe to say it would be a total shock if the Hawks blow this layup right before they get two days off for a mini-Thanksgiving break. Take the road win, go above .500, and prepare for the Knicks on Saturday night in State Farm Arena.
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