Atlanta Hawks Game Preview: Dec. 30 Detroit Pistons

The Atlanta Hawks are coming off of an overtime win against the New York Knicks. Can they knock off the Detroit Pistons to keep their momentum rolling?

The Atlanta Hawks got a much needed victory Wednesday night at Phillips Arena. They defeated the New York Knicks in a weird, ugly basketball game that also saw Carmelo Anthony get ejected for striking Thabo Sefolosha in the face. It wasn’t pretty, but they got the job done.

Tonight they’re back at it. The Detroit Pistons waltz into Phillips Arena this evening, desperately seeking a win. The Pistons have had a rough start to the season. They are currently 15-19 and 11th in the Eastern Conference. They have lost six of their last seven games.

This is a group with a solid defense, but a struggling offense. Their current defensive rating is 7th (they allow 105 points per 100 possessions). They have the 20th ranked offense in the NBA, scoring 105.1 points per 100 possessions.

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Much like Atlanta, this is a team searching for consistency. What they really need is Reggie Jackson to start playing like himself again. After missing the first 21 games of the season, Jackson returned to the lineup on Dec. 4. Things haven’t exactly been smooth for him since his return.

Jackson is averaging 14.1 points and 5.1 assists per game, but shooting just 40.9 percent from the field and 32.7 percent from three-point range. The Pistons are 4-9 in games Jackson has played. That’s not what you want from your franchise point guard.

Their struggles appear to be causing conflict within the team. On Dec. 18 these struggles boiled over into a players only meeting. Stan Van Gundy has also voiced his frustration with their recent play. He still expressed a belief in his team to the media this morning.

"“We have a history with this group that has done it,” Van Gundy said. “So we’re not sitting there and saying, hoping that this is a group that can win games. We’ve seen it. We know it can happen. So that’s a positive side of it. The frustrating side of it is it’s not happening enough.”"

The last time these two teams played was the day before Jackson came back. The Pistons won in a blowout that night, 121-85. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope dominated, scoring 23 points on 9-for-20 shooting.

Detroit was absolutely on fire from three-point range. They shot 17-for-29 from distance, good for a 58.6 three-point percentage. It’s hard to lose when your team shoots the ball that effectively from outside. It was an offensive smack-down from the Pistons.

The Hawks struggled to score, shooting 36.4 percent from the floor and 25 percent from three-point range. They were also without Paul Millsap, who missed the game with a hip injury. Things will be different this time. Millsap will be in the lineup, as will Reggie Jackson.

Daily Fantasy Basketball Projections by numberFire

How will tonight’s game turn out? NumberFire’s projections give the Hawks a 56.92 percent of winning. They also project big performances from Dennis Schroder and Paul Millsap. Schroder has been outstanding lately. In December he’s averaging 20.6 points and 6.9 assists per game on 51.7 percent shooting and 40.5 percent on three-point attempts.

Millsap, on the other hand, has been struggling lately. He’s in the middle of a rough shooting slump. Over his last two games he’s shot 6-for-33 from the field. The Hawks will need him at his best if they’re going to beat Detroit.

Atlanta’s three-point shooting struggles have been the big story lately. They’re the second worst three-point shooting team in the NBA behind the Chicago Bulls. This is a team that is going to have to win with defense and win ugly.

Next: An Early Look At 2017 Free Agency

Who: Atlanta Hawks (16-16) vs. Detroit Pistons (15-19)

When: 8:00 PM EST, Friday Dec. 30, 2016

Where: Phillips Arena

How: FOX Sports Southeast

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