The Atlanta Hawks (24-25; 9th in Eastern Conference) host the Houston Rockets (28-17; 4th in Western Conference) on Thursday night at State Farm Arena. The two teams are both playing the second leg of back-to-back sets, as the Hawks are coming off a quality win in Boston while the Rockets look to bounce back after a loss to the Spurs at home. Here’s everything you need to know about tonight’s showdown in Atlanta.
1. Atlanta’s new-look lineup starting to gel: The Hawks made one of the biggest moves of the season earlier in January, trading Trae Young to the Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. It can take time for a team to adjust after a centerpiece like Young is traded, but Atlanta is starting to regain its footing. The Hawks have rattled off four straight wins and are 7-4 since the trade. Two of those wins during this current run have come against playoff-caliber opponents in the Suns and Celtics. Atlanta’s 3-point shooting has seen a boost since the trade, as the Hawks have hit 15.6 3s per game in that span, which ranks third in the league. Nickeil Alexander-Walker has been a huge factor, averaging 19.6 points per game over the last 11 games with 3.6 3PM per game.
2. Two of the league’s best defenders in action: Houston’s Amen Thompson and Atlanta’s Dyson Daniels both finished in the top five in Defensive Player of the Year voting last season and are showing no signs of slowing down. Thompson’s elite athleticism makes him a terror on the defensive end. He averages 1.4 steals and 0.6 blocks per game while also continuing to evolve as a scorer, as he’s enjoying a career year with 18.3 points per game. On the other side is Daniels, the DPOY runner-up last year. He’s got the size and speed to guard seemingly any position. He ranks sixth in the league in steals (1.6) and racked up five swipes against Boston in Wednesday’s win. Both teams will be challenged with limiting the defensive impacts from Thompson and Daniels tonight.
3. Clash of styles: The Hawks and Rockets have very different philosophies and play styles. Atlanta has no problem playing an up-and-down game, as they rank 2nd in the league in pace. Houston, meanwhile, ranks 27th. The Hawks also whip the ball around to find the open shot, ranking 2nd in assist percentage. Houston, meanwhile, is more comfortable playing iso ball and letting their stars like Thompson, Kevin Durant and Alperen Şengün create. The difference in preferred tempo and play style makes this a must-watch showdown on tonight’s eight-game slate.
