Atlanta Hawks Game Preview: Jan 1. San Antonio Spurs
The Atlanta Hawks finish off their current homestand tonight against the San Antonio Spurs. Can they knock off an elite opponent to keep their winning streak alive?
Welcome to 2017. I know everyone is excited to ring in the New Year with Hawks basketball. The Atlanta Hawks currently have a two-game winning streak going, but they’re staring an elite opponent in the face tonight. The San Antonio Spurs are in town, and in 2017 the Spurs are still really good.
San Antonio comes into this contest with a 27-6 record. They’re the 2nd seed in the Western Conference, just 1.5 games back of the vaunted Golden State Warriors. Their record is even better than the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers. The league continues to evolve, yet the Spurs keep winning.
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They’re not the “pace and space” Spurs of a few years ago, they rank 26th in the NBA in terms of pace, but they’re still an elite offensive club. They have the 5th best offensive rating in the league, scoring 112 points per 100 possessions.
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Kawhi Leonard leads them in scoring, he averages 24.4 points per game and is asserting himself as a true two-way superstar. They have remarkable balance around Leonard. Four other players average double figures in scoring, while nine players average six points per game or more.
The summer of 2015’s most prized free agent, LaMarcus Aldridge, is also having a nice season. He’s scoring 17 points per game on 48.7 percent from the field and 43.5 percent from outside. His front-court partner is veteran Pau Gasol, who’s averaging 12.2 points per game on 50.3 percent shooting in his first season with the Spurs.
The Spurs don’t take many three-pointers, but when they do they make it count. They lead the NBA in three-point shooting percentage, shooting a blistering 41 percent from deep. They’re a well-oiled machine offensively, as always.
They’re also an elite defensive team. They have the 4th best defensive rating in the NBA, allowing only 104.2 points per 100 possessions. Being a top five team in both offensive and defensive rating is title contender secret sauce. In other words, these guys are pretty good.
Atlanta’s saving grace might be the status of Kawhi Leonard. Leonard has missed San Antonio’s last two games due to an illness. He’s listed as questionable for tonight’s game. Even without their best player, the Spurs have the depth to win. They trounced both the Phoenix Suns and Portland Trail Blazers without Leonard. Did I mention they’re very good?
The Hawks might have found their recipe for success this season. They’re going to have to win ugly and with their defense. After back-to-back stingy defensive outings against the Pistons and Knicks, their defensive rating is back to 7th best in the NBA. If Dwight Howard stays healthy and Thabo Sefolosha remains in the starting lineup, it should keep getting better.
You might be saying, “Well, at least the Hawks are playing at home. Kawhi Leonard is questionable. That gives the Hawks a shot.” I’ve got some bad news for you. The Spurs are 16-2 on the road. They’re robots. This is not a game I’d expect the Hawks to win, but crazier things have happened.
Can the Hawks ring in the New Year with a win over one of the best teams in the NBA? I can think of no better way to start 2017.
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Who: Atlanta Hawks (17-16) vs. San Antonio Spurs (27-6)
When: 6:00 PM EST, Sunday Jan. 1, 2017
Where: Phillips Arena
How: FOX Sports Southeast