What to Watch for in Brooklyn Nets vs. Hawks

The Brooklyn Nets will face off against the Atlanta Hawks for the second time this season, this time on the road. The Nets fell to the Hawks 117-112 on Oct. 29.

Brooklyn has been struggling as of late, losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder 105-86 on Friday a day after getting blown out by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Nets will be getting Nic Claxton (right ankle sprain) back after a two-game absence, which is incredible news for a team that is looking to rediscover its rhythm on the court.

Michael Porter Jr. hasn't been shooting the ball as well in recent games but looked better on Friday, finishing with 22 points on 6-of-16 shooting.

Claxton's should help create more open looks for Porter, given Claxton's screen setting and Porter's ability to get free off of off-ball curling actions or on cuts to the rim.

While Porter and Claxton will be the main players who can help the Nets emerge victorious, a lot of eyeballs will be on the Nets' five rookies, who have gotten a lot more burn in recent games.

Nolan Traoré could be in for another solid performance after finishing with 17 points on 5-of-11 shooting against a feisty OKC defense on Friday, but he'll have his work cut out for him matching up against defensive stalwarts Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Dyson Daniels.

Egor Dëmin struggled against OKC's defense, finishing with three points on a paltry 1-of-10 shooting, and he'll have his work cut out for him getting free off the ball against the same defensive backcourt.

Danny Wolf is a wildcard at this point. On some nights, he'll get hot from downtown, take advantage of open lanes, or rack up the assists, but on other nights, he'll rack up turnovers, post poor shooting lines, and get hunted on defense.

Drake Powell is also in desperate need of a break out performance for his morale, as he's struggled to do much with the ball in his hands or get going from deep.

The Nets will have their hands full in trying to stop Jalen Johnson, who has emerged as a perennial triple-double threat.

Brooklyn will also need to keep Onyeka Okongwu in check, as he can be an absolute menace inside on both ends of the floor and can extend his range out to the 3-point line. CJ McCollum can still get hot on any given night from all three levels.