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GAME PREVIEW AND INJURY REPORT: Brooklyn Nets vs. Atlanta Hawks
The Brooklyn Nets are four games behind the tenth-seeded Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference standings, which might look like a significant lead, but Brooklyn can cut that deficit in half with the next two games.
It is a monumental game for both teams, as the Hawks could cement themselves in the Play-In Tournament spots, but it will be a big challenge since All-Star guard Trae Young is out with an injury.
The Hawks without Young is still a formidable team
Most people might count out the Hawks without their All-Star, but that is a mistake. Since Young suffered a hand injury, Atlanta has won two games in a row, both in dominant fashion. The Hawks blew out the Orlando Magic and the Utah Jazz, two teams the Nets have struggled to put away.
Dejounte Murray is the biggest threat on the Hawks roster, as he is having a fantastic season amidst the heavy trade rumors. The 27-year-old averages 21.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.6 assists, and he will elevate his performance without his backcourt partner.
Apart from Murray, the Hawks have Jalen Johnson, a candidate for this season’s Most Improved Player award. After averaging 5.6 points per game in the 2022/23 season, Johnson got a more significant role under Coach Quin Snyder and elevated his performances with averages of 15.9 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.
Coach Kevin Ollie is looking for a better performance than the Nets’ abysmal game against the Magic. Mikal Bridges only scored four points in that game, and he will be relied on as the go-to guy on offense. Expect other players to contribute, as Dennis Schroder, Nic Claxton, and Cameron Johnson are ready to produce.
Injury report
Ben Simmons will play this game, as it’s not the second leg of a back-to-back. Unfortunately, the Nets lost Cameron Thomas to an ankle injury after the 22-year-old guard stepped on Day’Ron Sharpe’s planted foot. Thomas is day-to-day with his injury, which means his timetable is not as severe as his previous ankle injury earlier in the season.
Hawks' big man, Onyeka Okungwu, is in a walking boot and is sidelined until mid-March, while Trae Young is out with a hand injury that requires surgery. He will be re-evaluated in late March, which could play a pivotal role in the battle between Brooklyn and Atlanta for the tenth seed in the East and a spot in the Play-In Tournament.
