Atlanta Hawks vs Minnesota Timberwolves: Preview, Injury Report, Projected Starting Lineups for Today's Matchup

After dropping a winnable game against the Hornets, the Hawks have an important test against the Timberwolves tonight.

Dec 31, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) and Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu (17) battle near the basket during the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Hawks had plenty of opportunities to stop the momentum of one of the hottest teams in basketball. Despite getting dominated on the boards and a cold stretch for the offense throughout the third quarter, their game against the Hornets ultimately came down to two big shots. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, unfortunately, missed a possible game-tying shot after making the game-winner one game earlier against the Jazz. After a relatively quiet second-half effort, Hornets rookie sensation Kon Knueppel stepped into a dagger three-pointer and sank it.

Now, the Hawks are back in action tonight against the Minnesota Timberwolves. While they're still 9th in the Eastern Conference, the risk of getting caught by Charlotte is starting to become very real. Atlanta could really use a win in order to give themselves some temporary breathing room, and tonight's game is an excellent opportunity.

The Timberwolves didn't land Giannis, but they did bring in former Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu to bolster their backcourt. Dosunmu gives the Wolves another ball-handler who can fluctuate between starter and sixth man depending on the night. Even so, the Hawks have reason to be confident. They blew this Wolves team out by a 126-102 margin during their last matchup.

It likely won't be as easy this time, but the Hawks should be able to get a win and draw one step closer towards a .500 record if they improve on their mistakes against Charlotte.

By the Numbers

Dec 31, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) dribbles past Atlanta Hawks guard Vit Krejci (27) during the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Atlanta's offense was almost exclusively Jalen Johnson down the stretch and they struggled to find a consistent performer. Still, they are 8th in points, 10th in FG%, 5th in 3P%, 20th in FT%, 25th in rebounds (25th in OREB, 19th in DREB), 1st in assists, and 10th in turnovers per game. They're 17th in offensive rating this year.

The Hawks' defense continues to struggle on a nightly basis and they posed little resistance against the Hornets. They are 24th in points allowed, 21st in FG% allowed, 11th in 3P% allowed, 26th in rebounds allowed, 5th in steals, and 17th in blocks. They're 16th in defensive rating this year.

Minnesota's offense has been one of the most productive units in the league. They're 5th in points, 5th in FG%, 5th in 3P%, 29th in FT%, 12th in rebounds (15th in OREB, 8th in DREB), 14th in assists, and 15th in turnovers per game. They're 8th in offensive rating this year.

Despite their poor showing against the Hawks, they've also largely been a very good defense for most of the season. They are 12th in points allowed, 9th in FG% allowed, 11th in 3P% allowed, 9th in rebounds allowed, 11th in steals, and 17th in blocks. They're 10th in defensive rating this year.

Three Reasons the Hawks Can Win This Game

Dec 31, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) dribbles past Atlanta Hawks guard Vit Krejci (27) during the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Free throws made the difference in the game against Charlotte. LaMelo Ball hitting clutch free throws played a massive role in the win. If they get into a situation where the game comes down to free throws, they should have an advantage against Minnesota. They've been one of the worst FT shooting teams all season and they're shooting under 75% from the charity stripe despite having the fifth-most attempts in the NBA. In the fourth quarter, they've taken the second-most attempts yet are shooting the third-worst percentage from the free-throw line in the NBA. For context, Charlotte has the fourth-best FT% in the fourth quarter throughout the league. As long as they don't put Anthony Edwards at the line, there's a good chance the Hawks can exploit this advantage.

Zaccharie Risacher hasn't looked like himself for a lot of the season. However, his game against the Hornets was definitely a step in the right direction. He went 4-4 from deep against the Hornets and it seemed like every three came when the Hawks really needed it. He finished with 18 points, three rebounds and three blocks. It's understandable that the Hawks want to be cautious with his workload, but he's made a strong argument for more minutes.

One of the key factors behind their win last time was Atlanta's dominance in the paint. They scored a whopping 64 points in the paint compared to the Timberwolves' 36 points. That's especially surprising considering that Rudy Gobert anchors the paint for the Wolves and he's having another DPOY-caliber year. Surprisingly, they were able to establish a strong presence in the paint and doing so will be key again.

Three Reasons the Hawks Might Lose This Game

Dec 31, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte Divincenzo (0) passes the ball against Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher (10) during the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Poor games from Donte DiVincenzo and Rudy Gobert played a massive role in the Timberwolves' loss during their last matchup with the Hawks. Both of them combined to finish as a -33 in the blowout while failing to contribute on the ends of the floor, where they are usually excellent. Gobert was unable to protect the rim while DiVincenzo went 2-6 from the field, scoring six points in 26 minutes of action. The Hawks can't rely on those performances to continue. They need to close out on DiVincenzo and continue driving at Gobert or force him to chase shooters on the perimeter.

The Hawks aren't a great perimeter defense and that could be a big problem in this matchup if the Timberwolves now can fall back on Ayo Dosunmu. He made his debut against the Clippers in a blowout loss for the Wolves, so it's hard to take much away from his first game. Still, Dosunmu is a player that has tormented the Hawks many times with his defense and he's done an especially good job of slowing down Trae Young. Atlanta's guards have to be careful not to let him grind the offense to a halt.

While it doesn't have much to do with any schematic or talent advantage the Wolves have, they have lost five straight and will be viewing Atlanta as a get-right game. The Hawks can absolutely not afford to let this opportunity to get a win over a slumping opponent slip away due to their own mistakes. There were several examples of poor rotations, over-helping or careless turnovers in the Hornets game. The focus and attention to detail just has to be there against a team that has played as listless as Minnesota recently.

Injury Report

Atlanta Hawks: Dyson Daniels is questionable while Jonathan Kuminga is out.

Minnesota Timberwolves: They are on a back-to-back and will release their report later.

How to Watch

Here is how you can watch tonight's game:

Tip-off time: 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time

Location: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN

Where to Watch: FanDuel Sports Network

Projected Starting Lineups

Hawks:

G - Nickeil Alexander-Walker

G - Dyson Daniels

F - Zaccharie Risacher

F - Jalen Johnson

C - Onyeka Okongwu

Wolves:

G - Anthony Edwards

G - Donte DiVincenzo

F - Jaden McDaniels

F - Julius Randle

C - Rudy Gobert