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Five Atlanta Hawks Christmas Day Matchups We Would Have Liked To Have Seen

The Atlanta Hawks were left off the Christmas Day NBA schedule, but here are some matchups that would have been fun to see them in.
Kahlil McCuller|
Dec 11, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) brings the ball up court against New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Dec 11, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) brings the ball up court against New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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Atlanta Hawks

The NBA has announced its Christmas Day schedule, and the Atlanta Hawks are unfortunately left off the slate for the holiday. The upcoming 2025-26 Christmas slate will be the third time in three seasons that they aren't playing on the holiday, and today I'll do a deep dive into whether they did play, who they would best matchup against for a Christmas Day classic.

1. Hawks vs. Knicks - 2022 rematch with Trae playing in his first Christmas Day game

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Nov 6, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) is defended by New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) during the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Why is it a must-see? Ever since the 2021 playoffs, the Hawks and the Knicks have had a rivalry that has seen many heated contests, especially while in New York. Every time Young and the Hawks play at Madison Square Garden, it features a ruckus crowd and heightened audience viewership due to the unexpected nature of the two teams and the possible memorable moments. Both teams have formidable rosters that have shown the ability to be competitive with one another and have had multiple meetings with close finishes, as four of their five meetings last season finished within single digits.

2. Miami Heat - A rivalry that has been around for decades

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Apr 18, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) and guard Davion Mitchell (45) fight for the ball with Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) during overtime at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Why is it a must-see?: The Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat have had a rivalry spanning the past three decades, and it was on display again in this year's Play-In Tournament. Since Trae Young has come to Atlanta, the Heat and Hawks have always been one of the more entertaining chippy back-and-forth games we've gotten to see, and as a result, we've witnessed Trae have some big moments where he's scored 50 points, had double-doubles, and had big moments on prime time TV. One of the more memorable games was the Hawks Game 3 comeback in the 2022 NBA Playoffs, where they were down 18 and came back to win the game off a Young floater, as well as the last two Play-In Tournament games the teams have played.

3. Charlotte Hornets - Another southern rivalry with two All-Star point guards in Trae Young and Lamelo Ball

TRAE LAMELO
Apr 13, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) dribbles defended by Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (2) during the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Why is it a must-see? When the Hornets and Hawks play, it's usually a back-and-forth game with some blowouts here and there, but generally highly competitive as the two teams' best players lead as one of the league's underrated matchups. In the last 10, the teams are 5-5 with both Young and Ball averaging a near double-double. Young averages 23.2 points, 9.5 assists, and 3.7 rebounds in 10 games against Ball; however, Ball averages 22.2 points, 8.3 assists, and 6.4 rebounds in 10 games against Young. Recently, both players have put up some entertaining performances against each other. In a Christmas Day matchup with entertaining fan favorite young guards, this would for sure be a matchup they would put on a show for the fans watching on a peak day for NBA games.

4. Lakers - Trae Young versus Luka Doncic 2018 Draft Class Rivals

TRAE LUK
Feb 14, 2020; Chicago, Illinois, USA; World forward Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks shoots over USA guard Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks during the NBA Rising Stars basketball game at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-Imagn Images | Dennis Wierzbicki-Imagn Images

Why is it a must-see? The Hawks, facing off against the Lakers, would be a significant moment for both teams and the fans, as the Trae-Luka matchup has had hype since the 2018 NBA Draft, where both players were traded for each other. Both players tend to step their game up when playing against each other, and with the bright lights of an NBA Christmas Day audience, this would be no different, especially with Lebron James playing, who is known to have big games against the Hawks as well. In the nine games they've played against each other, Young has averaged 21.7 points, 11 assists, and three rebounds, while Doncic averages 29 points, 8.8 rebounds, and eight assists. James averages 27.6 points, eight rebounds, and 7.5 assists against the Hawks, good enough for nearly a triple-double. The Lakers play regularly on Christmas Day and would likely pull in a large audience regardless of the matchup, providing good exposure for the young Hawks roster to many casual NBA fans.

5. Detroit Pistons - Trae Young vs Cade Cunningham another underrated point guard matchup

TRAE CAD
Jan 22, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) and Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) react after the Pistons defeated the Hawks at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Why is it a must-see? In this matchup, as with the others, it comes down to entertainment and All-Star caliber players that fans could look back on with fond memories. When it comes to Young versus Cunningham, this is another underrated box office type of matchup, with two of their last four meetings coming down to the wire, with game winners made by both players. In their previous nine matchups, Young has averaged 28.9 points, 10.9 assists, and 2.3 rebounds, and Cunningham has averaged 29.8 points, 9.9 assists, and 7.1 rebounds. This matchup has the potential to go down as an all-time Christmas classic if the two teams were to play against each other, especially if it came down to the wire.

With the moves that the Hawks made this offseason, they have proven themselves to be legitimate contenders and a team that should be in the running for a Christmas Day game. Until next time, the Hawks will continue to have to prove themselves as a team on the rise, and maybe with a helping of Milk and Cookies under commissioner Adam Silver's tree, they could end up on his good list for a marquee Christmas game.

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Kahlil McCuller
KAHLIL MCCULLER

Kahlil McCuller started covering Virginia Tech Athletics for Virginia Tech On SI in July 2024 and the Atlanta Hawks For Atlanta Hawks On SI since April 2025. Kahlil is also the co-host of the Burg Bros Sports Podcast and has extensive experience in the sports industry with a high knowledge of both professional and collegiate sports. His work concentrates on comprehensive and insightful analysis, making him a highly reliable source in the sports media industry.

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