Charlotte Hornets vs. Atlanta Hawks Preview
Background
Two weeks ago, the Atlanta Hawks defeated the Charlotte Hornets in a 115-105 shootout in Atlanta. The Hornets have fared well in a seemingly never-ending road trip. Tonight will mark their seventh away game out of the last eight matchups. Mercifully, they return home for three home games after tonight.
For the Hornets to end their sojourn on a high note, they will need their defense to match their prolific offense. Thanks to freewheeling LaMelo Ball, the Hornets have the highest-scoring offense in the league (114.9 points per game) and the best three-point percentage (38.3%). Unfortunately, the team will be without Ball and several other key players (more on that below).
The Hornets like to get out and run. They have the second-highest pace of play in the league (101.86). Love them, hate them, but you cannot ignore them. It might not always be pretty, but the Hornets are making their name in a competitive Southeast Division.
After stringing together seven straight wins, the Hawks have dropped two of the last three contests. December will be challenging for the Hawks as they will be without multiple starters for most of the month.
Even without integral pieces of their roster, the Hawks are a dangerous team. Trae Young, Clint Capela, and John Collins are among the best big threes in the NBA. An offensive rating of 112.1 (third-best in the NBA) is good enough to keep them in any game. However, a haphazard defense and a propensity for turning the ball over (second-most in the NBA) is enough to take them out of any game.
Outlook
So you have probably heard by now, but the Hornets will be without LaMelo Ball, Jalen McDaniels, Mason Plumlee, and Terry Rozier. They have been placed in the NBA's Health & Safety Protocols.
As I mentioned above, the Hawks are also working with a skeleton crew. Trae Young (left knee soreness), Kevin Huerter (left quad soreness), and Cam Reddish (non-COVID illness) are questionable. In addition, Bogdan Bogdanovic (right ankle sprain), De'Andre Hunter (right wrist tendon surgery), and Onyeka Okongwu (right shoulder injury recovery) remain out.
SI Sportsbook lists the Hawks as 7-point favorites. It makes sense, given the Hornets are playing without 43% of their offense tonight. Even if Young and Huerter are scratched at the last moment, the Hawks should have no trouble with the depleted Hornets.
Final Thoughts
This is obviously a winnable game for the Hawks. To survive this month without key players, they must take care of business in games like this one. Young is putting together an MVP caliber season, and the frontcourt should be in All-Star consideration.
Hopefully, the Hornets get healthy soon. They are such a fun and exciting group of players. This is the third consecutive NBA season marred by the pandemic. Players going into Health & Safety Protocols makes our debates about load management seem so quaint in retrospect.
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