Atlanta Hawks Game Preview: March 29th vs. Philadelphia 76ers

The Atlanta Hawks put an end to their seven-game losing streak on Tuesday night. Can they follow up their win over the Phoenix Suns with a win over the Philadelphia 76ers?

Sound the alarm! The Atlanta Hawks won a basketball game! The Hawks put a stop to their seven-game losing streak Tuesday night by defeating the Phoenix Suns. Still, the Suns were missing Devin Booker, are in the midst of tanking, and Atlanta blew an 18-point lead and had to claw back to make it happen, but a win is a win. Now is not the time to worry about how the Hawks win their games. We can save that angst for next season.

Next up on the docket is another team low on the NBA totem pole. Atlanta’s next opponent is none other than the Philadelphia 76ers. Atlanta and Philly haven’t squared off on the court since Nov. 12, but they have been linked together since then.

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As you might remember, the Hawks acquired Ersan Ilyasova at the Trade Deadline from Philadelphia for Tiago Splitter, a second-round pick, and a second-round pick swap.

Ilyasova has been a welcome addition in Atlanta. Through 18 games, Ilyasova is averaging 10.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game on 42.8 percent shooting and 39.3 percent from three-point range. Splitter made his season debut last night for the 76ers, scoring two points and grabbing three rebounds in seven minutes of action.

Despite their injury issues, this is a game the Hawks should win. Much like the Suns, Philadelphia has their tank thrusters fully engaged to finish out the regular season. Of course, they did beat the Brooklyn Nets last night (a team that happened to beat Atlanta on Sunday), so a loss is not out of the question.

Philadelphia’s season has gone from a season filled with promise to another season that shows just how far the “process” has to go. With eight games remaining in the regular season they have compiled a 28-46 record. That is tied for the fifth worst record in the NBA. Oh, but there was a time with the 76ers were the talk of the NBA.

Their season took a turn for the worse when starting center, and Twitter superstar, Joel Embiid went down with a season ending knee injury. Embiid only played in 31 games this season, but they sure were magical.

Embiid averaged 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game on 46.6 percent shooting and 36.7 percent from three-point range. Embiid was finally bringing hope to Philly fans. His game was filled with style, raw energy, and production. The process was paying off!

Then Embiid got hurt and sadness reigned supreme. Even for non-Sixer fans, Embiid’s energy was a devastating blow. Embiid’s 31 games were delightfully entertaining. Hopefully he can put these injury issues behind him.

With Embiid on the court, Philadelphia was 11.5 points per 100 possessions better than they are without him. Unsurprisingly, the team has gone 11-18 since Embiid last played a game. Maybe next year Embiid will be healthy, number one overall pick Ben Simmons will be healthy, and they’ll draft another elite prospect during the 2017 NBA Draft. Dreams do come true.

Overall it’s been a rough season in Philadelphia. Although, when you compare it to their recent seasons, it doesn’t seem so bad. Baby steps, am I right? They have the worst offense in the NBA, scoring just 103 points per 100 possessions. Their defense isn’t bad. Their defensive rating is 13th, as they allow just 108.1 points per 100 possessions. A full season of Embiid likely would’ve helped that offense climb out of the gutter. See, 76ers fans. You’re so close!

Without Embiid, Dario Saric has asserted himself as Philadelphia’s best player. Over his last ten games, Saric is averaging 19.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game on 44.8 percent shooting. Saric has also nudged ahead of Milwaukee Bucks’ guard Malcolm Brogdon as the favorite to win the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award.

At The Step Back, Adam McGee describes what makes Saric such an interesting young player. His game is extremely well-rounded.

"At his base of talent, Saric is already a capable scorer, strong rebounder, wily passer and a defender who at least shows good awareness if not always the end result. Even without major improvements, that sets Saric up to be an outstanding complementary option on a championship contender. In a modern setting, a solid example of what Saric could be in terms of role even if never like-for-like ability is Draymond Green, but it doesn’t take a look too far into the past to find an even more apt comparison."

The talent surrounding Saric leaves something to be desired. Robert Covington is a real NBA rotation player, but his three-point shooting percentage has dipped to 33.3 percent this season. Richaun Holmes is a nice player, but he’s more of a backup big man than a starter.

T.J. McConnell would be an excellent backup point guard on a contending team. As a starter in Philadelphia he has his moments, but he can be over-matched at times. A reliable three-point shot would improve his chances of becoming an impact player at some point during his career.

The rotation is rounded out by guys like Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Justin Anderson, Nik Stauskas, Jahlil Okafor, Sergio Rodriguez, and Gerald Henderson. Okafor, Rodriguez, and Henderson each missed last night’s win over Brooklyn due to injury.

Who knows how many of those guys will remain on the roster when their rebuilding process is finally complete.

The Hawks won ugly last night. They should win ugly again tonight. They’ll still be without Paul Millsap and Thabo Sefolosha, but reports suggest Kent Bazemore may finally return to the lineup. Bazemore has had a tough season, but Atlanta’s depth is suffering at the moment. His return would help.

Daily Fantasy Basketball Projections by numberFire

The projections from numberFire agree that the Hawks should win this game. The projections give them a 63.69 percent chance of winning.

The losing streak is over. Now it’s time for the Hawks to start a winning streak.

Next: Playoff Dwight Has Arrived Early

Who: Atlanta Hawks (38-36) @ Philadelphia 76ers (28-46)

When: 7:00 PM EST, Wednesday, March 29th, 2017

Where: Wells Fargo Center

How: Fox Sports Southeast

Prediction: Hawks 102 76ers 95

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