Dallas Mavericks vs. Atlanta Hawks: 3 Big Things to Watch
The Dallas Mavericks (24-21) play host to the Atlanta Hawks (22-22) on Wednesday in hopes of ending their two-game losing streak.
Dallas is coming off back-to-back losses to the Portland Trail Blazers on the road over the weekend with Luka Doncic missing the second contest. However, Doncic, as well as some other reinforcements, should be back in action against the Hawks.
In Sunday's 140-123 loss, Mavs rookie Jaden Hardy was one of the few bright spots, as he scored a career-high 25 points on 8-of-17 shooting from the floor in 27 minutes off the bench. We'll see where he fits in the rotation once the Mavs' roster is healthy again.
“I thought [Hardy] was really, really good tonight,” said coach Jason Kidd. “As we get healthy, we'll see how this affects his minutes, but he definitely needs minutes out there."
The Hawks have won three straight games coming off a 121-113 victory over the Miami Heat on Monday. Dejounte Murray and Trae Young combined for 54 points and 15 assists in the win over the Heat. Can the Mavs pick things up defensively with two of their best defenders likely returning to action?
Here are the 3 big things to watch in tonight's game.
Finney-Smith & Green Back?
In tonight's contest, the Mavericks are slated to get Dorian Finney-Smith and Josh Green back from injury.
On Tuesday, both Finney-Smith and Green were full partipcants in practice, giving Jason Kidd hope that the two should be good to go tonight against the Hawks.
"(Green) and (Finney-Smith) participated in practice today," Kidd said on Tuesday. "They did great, so we'll see how they feel tomorrow."
The addition of Finney-Smith and Green back into the Mavs lineup adds two of Dallas' best perimeter defenders and an abundance of effort and energy back onto the floor.
With Finney-Smith missing the last 14 games and Green out for the last 20, it will be interesting to see if either are on any sort of minutes restriction or how Kidd plans to adjust his rotation. Whether they're rusty or not, it will be a welcomed sight for the rest of the roster seeing these guys back on the floor, because the defense has been running on fumes.
Defending Atlanta's Backcourt Duo
Playing against the Hawks means focusing on Young with the ball in his hands. But now with Murray in the backcourt alongside him, Atlanta has a strong duo who can create for themselves and their teammates.
The two combine for 47.8 points and 15.9 assists per game and should be the focus of Dallas' defense in Wednesday night's matchup.
Though he's gotten off to a slow start to the season shooting from deep at just 33 percent, Young has found his groove as of late, shooting 45.9 percent from 3-point range over the last six games. Perhaps the return of Green and Finney-Smith can cool Young's hot streak down a little bit on Wednesday night.
Historically, Dallas has played Young well, as he's averaging just 20 points per game in eight career matchups against the Mavericks, his lowest against any team. If the Mavericks can slow down Atlanta's duo, they should be able to snap their two-game skid. Playing at home for the first time in nearly two weeks helps too.
Wood vs. Hawks Frontline
Christian Wood has been Dallas' second-best player so far this season as his three-level scoring ability and ascending impact on the defensive end have been a godsend for the Mavericks. Tonight against the Hawks, though, Wood will have a tough test down low playing against the likes of Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu.
Capela, who missed 13 of the Hawks' last 15 games due to injury, returned to the lineup on Monday, finishing with 12 points, six rebounds, and three blocks. In Capela's absence, Okongwu averaged 11.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game.
Both of Atlanta's big men are ultra active on the the glass and positively impact the game on the defensive end by blocking shots and deflecting passes.
For Wood and the Mavericks to find their groove tonight, getting the Hawks' bigs in foul trouble and stretching the floor for Doncic and company to attack the basket is the way to go.
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