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Hawks guard Trae Young dribbles the ball against Hornets guard LaMelo Ball.

Charlotte Hornets at Atlanta Hawks Play-In Preview

The Hawks host the Hornets in a win-or-go-home matchup.
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Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
Charlotte Hornets
Charlotte Hornets

Hornets at Hawks Preview

Scouting Report

Jan 23, 2022; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Delon Wright (0) looks to pass as he is defended by Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (2) during the first half against the Charlotte Hornets at The Spectrum Center.

Minutes after the Hawks clinched the 9th seed and a home game in the Play-In Tournament, head coach Nate McMillan was talking about next season. He reminded his guys that they didn't want to relive this underwhelming feeling again in 2023.

When asked about McMillan's comments, Trae Young said, "My season ain't over yet." The 23-year-old point guard is right. This team got to where they are right now by overlooking the task at hand. It's win-or-go-home now.

These two teams are evenly matched. They split the four regular season contests and finished with the same record of 43-39. Even better, they both are offensive-minded teams. The Hornets are top-five in pace, points per game, and three-point shooting percentage. Meanwhile, the Hawks rank second in offensive rating and three-point shooting percentage.

As I said in a podcast appearance earlier this week, this is our first postseason matchup between Trae Young and LaMelo Ball. Norman North vs. Chino Hills. Adidas vs. Puma. Only one will advance to play the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night. The future of the basketball world hangs in the balance.

Injury Report

Atlanta Hawks forward John Collins (20) dunks against the Charlotte Hornets in the second quarter at State Farm Arena.

The Hornets injury report lists only Gordon Hayward (left foot soreness) as out. The Hawks injury report lists two players. Lou Williams (low back discomfort) and John Collins (right ring finger sprain/right foot strain) as out. Yesterday, I tried to untangle the Hawks' messaging surrounding Collins over the past month.

Odds

Jan 23, 2022; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward center Mason Plumlee (24) is defunded by Atlanta Hawks center Onyeka Okungwu (17) during the first half at The Spectrum Center.

SI Sportsbook lists the Hawks as 5.5-point favorites and the over/under is set at 235.5 points. The Hawks are a great team when playing at State Farm Arena. They have won 19 of their last 22 home games.

However, keep in mind the Hawks are one the worst teams in the league against the spread. During the regular season, they were 37-45 against the spread. But the silver lining is they were 19-15 as home favorites. 

Uniforms

Charlotte Hornets at Atlanta Hawks uniforms for April 13, 2022.

Thanks to NBA LockerVision, we know what each team will be wearing so you can plan your gear accordingly. The Hawks will wear their Statement Edition (black) uniforms, while the Heat wear their City Edition (teal) uniforms.

Television, Streaming

Charlotte Hornets forward P.J. Washington (25) attempts a dunk against the Atlanta Hawks in the second quarter at State Farm Arena.

National Broadcast: ESPN

Live Stream: Click here for fuboTV free trial!

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