The San Antonio Spurs are currently on a 12-game losing streak and might be without their most talented player tonight. Rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama is questionable coming into this game and if he is out, that is going to create a lot of problems for the Spurs in this game.
After a couple of losses, Atlanta could use a win. The Hawks have not looked like the same team since Jalen Johnson went out with an injury and they are struggling to find ways to replace his two-way versatility. If Wembanyama does play, it is going to be interesting to see how Atlanta decides to try and match up with him.
So who wins tonight? Let’s preview the game.
Game Preview
Will Victor Wembanyama play tonight?
The Hawks’ offense vs the Spur’s defense is going to be a huge mismatch in this game, even with Johnson out. Atlanta is coming into today’s game 2nd in PPG, 15th in field goal percentage, 12th in three-point percentage, 3rd in offensive rebounds per game, 5th in free throw attempts per game, and 20th in turnovers.
Per Cleaning the Glass, Atlanta is 3rd in points per 100 possessions, 12th in effective field goal percentage, 3rd in offensive rebounding percentage, 4th in free throw rate, and 17th in turnover rate.
Trae Young had a rough game vs Cleveland, but he was playing very well before that. He started the year off not shooting the ball well, but he should not have a lot of trouble facing this terrible Spurs defense tonight.
It is also going to be the return of Dejounte Murray to San Antonio. The former Spurs guard has been slumping as of late after a great start to the season. He is averaging 19.6 PPG, 5.4 APG, and 4.3 RPG this season.
De’Andre Hunter came into the year as one of the most important players for the Hawks’s success this season and that is going to be even more true in the absence of Johnson. Hunter is the best wing defender on the Hawks by a mile now and he has to avoid injury and foul trouble until Johnson comes back. Saddiq Bey is starting now and his defense has been very poor right now.
San Antonio’s defense is atrocious. The Spurs rank 28th in PPG allowed, 29th in field goal percentage allowed, and 29th in three-point percentage allowed. Per Cleaning the Glass, San Antonio is 27th in points per 200 possessions allowed and 30th in effective field goal percentage allowed. Unless they have an off-night shooting, Atlanta should be able to score and score often vs the Spurs.
The Spurs’ offensive and the Hawks’ defensive battle should make for the most entertaining game. The Spurs are not a strong offensive club, but Atlanta has a very poor defense.
The Spurs rank twenty-first in offensive rebounding, twenty-fourth in field goal percentage, twenty-seventh in three-point percentage, and twenty-eighth in turnovers. San Antonio is ranked 26th in turnover %, 27th in points per 100 possessions, 24th in effective field goal percentage, 23rd in offensive rebounding percentage, and 30th in free throw rate, according to Cleaning the Glass.
This Spurs squad doesn’t have many offensive threats, but if Wembanyama plays, the Hawks will have a difficult game since I don’t know how they will try to stop him. Doug McDermott, Cedi Osman, and Devin Vassell are capable three-point shooters who the Hawks can use if their rotation problems are resolved.
Atlanta’s field goal %, three-point percentage, and points per game allowed rank them 27th, 21st, and 26th, respectively. Atlanta ranks 25th in terms of effective field goal percentage allowed and 23rd in terms of points per 100 possessions allowed, according to Cleaning the Glass.
The best chance the Spurs have to win this game is if they perform well offensively and Wembanyama proves to be a matchup nightmare for the Hawks.
reports of injuries
Due to right hip pain, Wembanyama is listed by the Spurs as questionable to play. The Hawks will be the underdog in this game, but even if they aren’t playing well without Jalen Johnson right now, if Wembanyama is out, things could get out of hand.
Rookies Mouhamed Gueye and Kobe Bufkin are still sidelined, and Jalen Johnson is obviously listed as hurt for Atlanta.
Information for Watching and Betting
Time of tip-off: 8:00 p.m. Eastern
Frost Bank Center is located in San Antonio, Texas.
Where to Watch: Bally Sports Southeast, NBA League Pass
Spread and Over/Under: The Hawks are presently 7.5-point favorites on the road tonight, and the over/under is set at 246.5 based on the most recent SI Sportsbook odds.
Estimated Beginning Lineups
Hawks guard Dejounte Murray will be facing his old team tonight
Estimated Beginning Lineups
Hawks:
G: Trae Young
G: Murray Dejounte
F: De’Andre Hunter
F: Saddiq Bey
C: Clint Capela
Spurs
G: Jeremy Sochan
G. Branham Malaki
F: Keldon Johnson
F: Wembanyama Victor
C: Zachary Collins
Keep an eye out to see if Wembanyama plays tonight; if not, it will be interesting to see who steps in for him.
De’Andre Hunter is the Hawks player to watch.
As I indicated before, Hunter is one of Atlanta’s most valuable players at the moment. With Johnson out, he will be expected to play significant minutes and perform a lot of defensive work. Hunter has to avoid foul trouble and make sure the Hawks have enough offensive production.
Jeremy Sochan is a Spurs player to watch.
The Spurs will suffer a significant loss if Wembanyama is sidelined, and they will need to find a method to score points. As the starting point guard, Sochan has had an inconsistent year; nevertheless, the Hawks’ defense may allow him to have one of his greatest games of the year. Despite being a raw talent, Sochan may still cause problems for a weak Hawks defense.
Forecast
The Hawks will win this game, in my opinion, since they sorely need it. San Antonio won’t be able to contain their offense, but the Hawks will find ways to force stops on defense. Atlanta needs to demonstrate tonight that they are a far superior team to San Antonio.