Hawks vs. Clippers Game Day Preview

Preview

It's well documented that the Hawks stood pat at the trade deadline on February 11. The following day, general manager Travis Schlenk gave a ringing endorsement of the team, and head coach Nate McMillan unveiled the team's new mantra, 'Win The Race.'

Since that time, the Hawks are 5-6. They are 3-4 since the All-Star Break. The questions surrounding this team have gone unanswered - is it the players, coaching, front office, or something else? Fans overwhelmingly blame the players.

One player we can't blame is Trae Young. The All-Star point guard has scored 30+ points in five of the last eleven games. Young averages 27.8 points and 9.4 assists per game. If not for him, the Hawks would be in the Draft Lottery.

Despite inconsistent performances from role players, the team still has the second-ranked offense rating in the league. However, lack of hustle, over-helping, and sheer confusion on defense puts the Hawks' defensive rating at bottom-four in the league. Until they improve greatly on that end of the floor, they will remain a fringe playoff team.

While the Hawks have underachieved this season, the Clippers have exceeded expectations without their two star players - Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. They actually were aggressive at the trade deadline. Although they are yet to reap the benefits of their newly acquired players, it speaks to the Clippers' whole being greater than the individual parts. Something the Hawks are sorely lacking this season.

Good looks with the no-look pass.@Ipjh55 ➡️ @terance_mann pic.twitter.com/ih4g7S5NcQ
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) March 10, 2022

The Hawks lost to the Clippers 106-93 on January 9. To avoid a similar outcome, the Hawks have to push the pace and move the ball around on offense. They are their best when they play with a sense of joy and swagger. Simply outscoring their opponent is the only answer because who are we kidding? This team isn't stopping anyone with their defense.

Injury Report

The Hawks' injury report is spotless - not a single player listed, which is music to fans' ears. Unfortunately for the Clippers, they have been ravaged by injuries. Check out the tweet below from SI's Farbod Esnaashari.

Same injury report as yesterday for the Clippers. No Covington. Along with Kawhi, Paul George, Norman Powell, Jason Preston, and Jay Scrubb
— Farbod Esnaashari (@Farbod_E) March 10, 2022

Odds

SI Sportsbook lists the Hawks as 5.5-point favorites and the over/under is set at 227.5 points. It's a home game, and the Clippers are very shorthanded. It should be a win for the Hawks. It just depends on which version of this team shows up tonight.

As always, we will be live-tweeting the game and back here later for your post-game recap. Stay locked into Sports Illustrated's AllHawks.com for breaking news, highlights, and analysis.

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