Atlanta Hawks vs Chicago Bulls: Game Preview, Injury Report, Projected Starting Lineup for Tonight's Matchup

Saying that the Atlanta Hawks haven't been playing up to their standards as of late is an understatement.

After failing to handle a relatively easy matchup with the Charlotte Hornets, the Hawks then got blown off the court by the Spurs in a 126-98 game that never even felt close. Their defense has been extremely sub-standard throughout the recent stretch of their schedule and their offense hasn't been consistent enough to make up for it. Their reserves have struggled to stay on the court as of late and it seems like the Hawks are in desperate need of a win so that they can pull themselves out of their funk.

Fortunately, they have a relatively achievable pathway towards doing that against the Bulls tonight. To be fair, this is not a team the Hawks can underestimate. Chicago split the series with Atlanta last season and they've usually done a good job of limiting Trae Young. They're also coming into the game with some momentum, having beaten a more talented Cleveland Cavaliers team in back-to-back games. However, there are several reasons to be optimistic about Atlanta's chances tonight.

By the Numbers

Hawks, Atlanta Hawks, Trae Young, Young, NB — Oct 27, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Tre Jones (30) drives to the basket against Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

After a poor showing on offense against the Spurs, the Hawks took a hit in their overall offensive metrics. They are 14th in points, 8th in FG%, 10th in 3P%, 13th in FT%, 25th in rebounds (24th in OREB, 21st in DREB), 1st in assists, and 19th in turnovers per game. They're 16th in offensive rating this year.

On a per-game basis, the Hawks' defense rank 22nd in points allowed, 17th in FG% allowed, 14th in 3P% allowed, 21st in rebounds allowed, 5th in steals, and 14th in blocks. They're 16th in defensive rating on the year, which is an indictment of how poorly they've recently played on that end in comparison to where their ceiling is.

Josh Giddey has been having an excellent season for the Bulls and they're not a bad offense, but they're by no means a juggernaut. They're 11th in points, 12th in FG%, 13th in 3P%, 11th in FT%, 8th in rebounds (21st in OREB, 3rd in DREB), 6th in assists, and 17th in turnovers per game. They're 22nd in offensive rating this season.

Their defense isn't much to write home about and it's been one of the things holding them back from solidfying themselves as a playoff team. They are 27th in points allowed, 22nd in FG% allowed, 19th in 3P% allowed, 26th in rebounds allowed, 19th in steals, and 17th in blocks. They're 21st in defensive rating this year.

Three Reasons Atlanta Can Win This Game

Hawks, Atlanta Hawks, NBA, Dyson Daniels, Daniels, — Jan 15, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) shoots against Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) and guard Zach LaVine (8) during the second half at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

It's no secret that Dyson Daniels' jump shot has been broken this season. He's shooting an abysmal 13.7% from deep and has a TS% of just 51.1%. The regression from last year's progress as a shooter has hit him hard and he's now being guarded by centers since teams can afford to ignore him as a viable offensive threat. Fortunately, Chicago's defense is 1.5 points per possession worse with Bulls starting center Nikola Vucevic on the floor (41st percentile) and he's in the 26th percentile for on-off differential. This is a very weak defensive matchup and Vucevic doesn't have the lateral agility to really keep up with Daniels. Even if Daniels doesnt light it up from deep, he should be able to take advantage of the veteran center in space.

The Hawks having Vit Krejci in this matchup is an advantage they did not have last time. The Bulls won the last game in large part due to a massive Ayo Dosonmu game off the bench where the young guard scored 21 points. Krejci hasn't been on fire in his last two games, but he's had double-digit points in two of his last five games and is shooting 45.2% from deep on 5.4 attempts a game. Bringing that type of shooting off the bench is a different element that the Bulls' porous perimeter defense may not be able to shut down.

If the game does get close, the Hawks have played better in the fourth quarter than the Bulls have throughout the season. Atlanta has the ninth-best net rating in the fourth quarter and the seventh most points while Chicago is 27th and 17th in those categories respectively. The addition of Trae Young as another scorer who can get hot down the stretch and draw some attention away from Johnson will also be massive in a late-game situation.

Three Reasons Atlanta Might Lose This Game

Hawks, Atlanta Hawks, NBA, Onyeka Okongwu, Okongw — Oct 27, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu (17) defends against Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

While Nikola Vucevic may be a relatively soft defensive matchup, he almost posted a 17 point, 17 rebound and 9 assist triple-double the last time that the two teams faced off. This is a massive game for Okongwu, who has gotten embarassed defensively in his last two games. Shutting down Vucevic isn't easy, but it's a far easier job than trying to slow down Wembanyama. Even so, Okongwu has to prove that he can take on these matchups before the playoffs come around, Vucevic is still a true seven-footer who offers some help on the boards and rim deterrence through sheer. It's a good measuring point for how much the Hawks can actually rely on Okongwu as a full-time starting center in their current lineup.

Luke Kennard is also becoming a defensive target that is too difficult to ignore. The Hawks' defense is almost 4 points per possession better when he sits and he's not shooting the ball well enough to make up for it. He's only playing 14-20 minutes on most nights, but those minutes can be incredibly destructive and they're especially bad when he's playing with other flawed defenders. He needs to be out of the rotation, surrounded by neutral defenders or traded by the deadline if his play continues at this level.

While his second season has gone through its fair share of ups and downs already, Bulls forward Matas Buzelis had one of his best games thus far against the Cavaliers. He had 24 points with five rebounds, two assists and two blocks while serving as Chicago's source of energy throughout the game. He is at his best when he's relentless and attacking the basket, which could be a problem for a Hawks defense that has looked hapless for multiple games in a row. They need to match his physicality on both ends and Jalen Johnson is more than capable of doing it. It's just a matter of execution. Even so, another strong night from Buzelis could swing things in the Bulls' favor.

Injury Report

Atlanta Hawks: Kristaps Porzingis is out.

Chicago Bulls: Coby White is questionable.

How to Watch

Here is how you can watch tonight's game:

Tip-off time: 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time

Location: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA

Where to Watch: FanDuel Sports Network and NBATV

Projected Starting Lineups

Hawks

G - Trae Young

G - Dyson Daniels

F - Zaccharie Risacher

F - Jalen Johnson

C - Onyeka Okongwu

Bulls

G - Josh Giddey

G - Coby White

F - Isaac Okoro

F - Matas Buzelis

C - Nikola Vucevic