Atlanta Hawks vs. Houston Rockets Preview

Background

While the Rockets are lightyears away from their contending teams of yesteryear, they are no longer the doormat they were last season. Since James Harden forced his way out in early 2021, the organization has fully embraced rebuilding.

What's sprung up is a promising core of young players; again, I cannot emphasize enough how far away they are from playing meaningful games again. The Rockets net rating (-5.8) is 26th in the league. One fatuous, yet glaring example of their growing pains in their foul shooting. The Rockets lead the league in free throw attempts per game and are dead last in free throw percentage.

Apart from the last vestige of those winning teams, Eric Gordon, the rotation consists of young players logging serious minutes. Center Christian Woods leads the team in points (16.7) and rebounds (11.3) per game. While Kevin Porter Jr. leads in assists (5.8) and steals (1.3) per game.

Perhaps what fans in Houston are most excited about is their rookie Jalen Green. The 19-year-old started in all 18 games he played this season before missing the last eight games (more on that later). Whenever Green returns to the lineup, he will get as much on-the-job training as possible.

Meanwhile in Atlanta, the Hawks are trying not to take on water. They have a .500 record and are dealing with a rash of injuries. Despite having the third-best offense rating and second-best three-point percentage, their team has a bad habit of turning the ball over and becoming stagnant late in games.

The Hawks have lost almost every single meaningful game they have played this season. However, it's early and they have not enjoyed a healthy roster yet. Not to mention, they have the second-best point guard in the league. Trae Young averages 26.5 points and 9.5 assists per game. No other NBA player is top-five in the league in both statistical categories.

Look at the flick of the wrist ❄️ pic.twitter.com/VnKRTWKg55
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) December 11, 2021

Young is only one facet of a three-headed monster. The frontcourt duo of John Collins and Clint Capela make up for most deficiencies on the roster. The two big men combined for roughly 28 points and 20 rebounds per game. The Hawks just have to continue treading water until the calvary arrives in January.

Outlook

Eric Gordon will be back in action for the Rockets tonight. However, Kevin Porter Jr. (thigh), Jalen Green (hamstring), Danuel House Jr. (ankle), and John Wall (?) remain out.

The Hawks injury woes are well-documented. Bogdan Bogdanovic (right ankle sprain), De'Andre Hunter (right wrist tendon surgery), and Solomon Hill (right hamstring tear) are all out of action.

SI Sportsbook lists the Hawks as 11.5-point favorites. I concur that the Hawks should win this game with ease. Not only should they win this game, but they kind of have to because they're not winning any of the big games. Whenever they get the chance to play an inferior opponent, the Hawks have to eat.

Final Thoughts

These two teams are in different tiers. One is a rebuilding organization, while the other fancies itself a legitimate contender. The Hawks should go back above .500 tonight and then focus on division rival Orlando Magic on Wednesday night.

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