The Atlanta Hawks secured an exhilarating road victory over the Sacramento Kings on Monday evening. That win offset a frustrating loss for the team in Portland the previous day and undoubtedly lifted the spirits of the team at the halfway point of a four-game road trip. On Wednesday, the Hawks take on the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center in the first meeting between the clubs this season
Taking on the Warriors
Golden State is enjoying an excellent start to the 2024-25 campaign, posting a +9.4 net rating and a 10-3 record to rank in the top five of the league in both categories. In a familiar way to the past decade-plus, the Warriors are led by Steph Curry and Draymond Green, with Curry unlocking the offense and Green captaining a strong defense.
The Warriors are firmly in the top five of the NBA in defensive efficiency and opponent shooting efficiency while creating turnovers at a high level. It will be paramount for the Hawks to avoid ugly turnovers in this matchup, which has been a theme this season when Trae Young leaves the floor. On the other end, slowing Golden State’s three-point shooting is the top priority, as the duo of Curry and Buddy Hield leads the Warriors to top-tier marks in three-point accuracy (39.0 percent) and three-point volume (almost 42 attempts per game).
The Injury Situation
The Hawks could have their cleanest injury report of the season by the time the game tips off after 10 pm ET on Wednesday. Dom Barlow, Mo Gueye, and Seth Lundy (who is also injured) remain assigned to the team’s G League affiliate in College Park, and Cody Zeller remains away from the team at this juncture. However, only Jalen Johnson (left lateral lower leg inflammation) is on the injury report beyond that, and he is listed as questionable after being a late scratch on Monday.
Johnson’s importance to the team is well-documented, and the Hawks have struggled mightily without him on the court this season. However, it is positive that he is listed as questionable, rather than out, and Atlanta will hold its breath on his availability until Wednesday evening. For the Warriors, Kyle Anderson (neck) is listed as questionable and De’Anthony Melton (knee) is out. Stephen Curry (knee) and Kevon Looney (illness) are officially listed as probable as of Wednesday morning.
