Hawks vs Grizzlies: Game Preview, Injury Report, Projected Starting Lineups
It is going to be a battle of two short-handed teams tonight in Memphis.
The Hawks take their two game winning streak on the road to try and beat the Grizzlies, whose season has just been ruined by injuries. Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart, Brandon Clarke, and others are all out tonight. Memphis has had to rely on players it did not envision playing at the start of the year and as a result, they are near the bottom of the Western Conference Standings. However, they are a well coached team and play hard every night. They have won some games you would not expect because of that. They also still have the super talented Jaren Jackson Jr.
Atlanta is in no position to take this game lightly. The Hawks need every win they can get to stay in the play-in tournament race and they are also missing plenty of key players tonight. Trae Young, Onyeka Okongwu, Jalen Johnson, and Kobe Bufkin are all out tonight. Memphis won the first meeting between these teams back in December, but neither team resembles the one that took the floor that night.
It could end up being another low-scoring game for the Hawks, but one they certainly can win. Let's preview tonight's game.
Game Preview
The Hawks's offense has seen a dip in production without Trae Young on the floor, but that was to be expected. Dejounte Murray has been a consistent player in terms of scoring and getting assists, but it is going to be up to the players around him to step up and pick up the production.
Bogdan Bogdanovic had a rough stretch of games on the offensive end leading into Wednesday's game vs Cleveland, but he had one of his best games in a while. He scored 23 points and had a great fourth-quarter performance. With Johnson and Young out, Bogdanovic can't afford to have an off game, even against Memphis.
Saddiq Bey has had his struggles this season, but he had a big game vs Cleveland on Wednesday. He scored 23 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter, and also had a big night pulling in rebounds. When he is hitting his three-point shots and rebounding well, Bey is a useful player to have on the floor and it makes up for his defensive shortcomings.
The center duo of Clint Capela and Bruno Fernando has been hit or miss with Okongwu out. With Johnson out, the Hawks won't have the ability to play small.
The question will be who starts in Johnson's place tonight. The easy answer might be De'Andre Hunter, but he has been playing so well off the bench that you wonder if Quin Snyder might keep him there and start Garrison Matthews instead. Hunter is playing arguably the best basketball of his career, at least on the offensive end. His growth in terms of scoring over the past month has been a nice development to an otherwise tough season for Atlanta.
Mar 5, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray (5) runs up court after a basket against the New York Knicks during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
The rotation for the Hawks will be interesting to watch tonight. If Hunter starts, I would expect Matthews, Fernando, and Trent Forrest to get minutes, but someone else on the Hawks might have to play some minutes tonight. Vit Krejci came in after Johnson got hurt, but he only played three minutes. It could be a heavy minutes night for players like Bey, Bogdanovic, and Murray.
Coming into this game, Atlanta ranks 5th in PPG, 21st in field goal percentage, 8th in three-point attempts, 21st in three-point percentage, 5th in free throw attempts, 1st in offensive rebounding, and 13th in turnovers. Per Cleaning the Glass, the Hawks are 9th in points per 100 possessions, 18th in effective field goal percentage, 9th in turnover percentage, 5th in offensive rebounding percentage, and 8th in free throw rate.
Under Taylor Jenkins, Memphis has always been a tough defensive team and that has not changed this year despite all of the injuries. The Grizzlies are 9th in PPG allowed, 15th in field goal percentage allowed, and 23rd in three-point percentage allowed. Per Cleaning the Glass, they are 9th in points allowed per 100 possessions and 15th in effective field goal percentage allowed.
Most of it is the fault of injuries, but the Grizzlies are near the bottom of every meaningful offensive stat. Memphis is 30th in PPG, 30th in field goal percentage, 5th in three-point attempts, 29th in three-point percentage, 23rd in free throw attempts, 21st in offensive rebounding, and 26th in turnovers. Per Cleaning the Glass, Memphis is 30th in points per 100 possessions, 29th in effective field goal percentage, 28th in turnover percentage, 21st in offensive rebounding percentage, and 22nd in free throw rate.
The Hawks defense has really bad all season long, but over the past five or six games they have played better, although some of that is due to the opponents and the injuries they are dealing with. Atlanta is 29th in PPG allowed, 27th in field goal percentage allowed, and 28th in three-point percentage allowed. Per Cleaning the Glass, the Hawks are 25th in points allowed per 100 possessions and 29th in effective field goal percentage allowed.
Injury Report
The Hawks are going to be without Trae Young (left fifth finger torn ligament), Onyeka Okongwu (left big toe sprain/sesamoiditis), Jalen Johnson, and Kobe Bufkin.
The Hawks provided an update on Johnson yesterday:
"Forward Jalen Johnson left last night’s game vs. Cleveland in the third quarter with a right ankle injury. X-rays taken at State Farm Arena were negative, and he has been diagnosed with a right ankle sprain. He will not travel with the team for tomorrow’s game at Memphis, and his status is day-to-day."
They also provided an update on Bufkin, who looks like he will be out for a longer period of time:
"Guard Kobe Bufkin (left big toe injury) underwent an MRI on Monday in New York, and had a follow-up examination with Hawks team physicians last night at State Farm Arena. He has been diagnosed with a left big toe sprain. Bufkin will be in a walking boot for the next 10 days, and his status will be updated as appropriate."
The Hawks also had this to say about Okongwu's injury:
"Center Onyeka Okongwu (left big toe sprain/sesamoiditis) has transitioned out of a walking boot. He will be re-evaluated in seven-to-10 days and his status will be updated as appropriate."
Memphis will be without Desmond Bane, Brandon Clarke, Ja Morant, Scotty Pippen Jr, Derrick Rose, Marcus Smart, Yuta Watanabe, and Ziaire Williams. Luke Kennard is doubtful and GG Jackson is questionable.
Viewing and Betting Information
Tip-off time: 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Location: FedEx Forum, Memphis, TN
Where to Watch: NBA League Pass, Peachtree TV
Spread and Over/Under: The Hawks will be favorites on the road tonight, as they are currently 2.5 point favorites and the over/under is at 215.5 according to the latest odds from the SI Sportsbook
Projected Starting Lineups
Hawks:
G- Bogdan Bogdanovic
G- Dejounte Murray
F- De'Andre Hunter
F- Saddiq Bey
C- Clint Capela
I think it will be either Hunter or Garrison Matthews in the starting lineup tonight for the Hawks
Grizzlies:
G- Jordan Goodwin
G- John Konchar
F- Vince Williams
F- Santi Aldama
C- Jaren Jackson Jr
