Atlanta Hawks Game Preview: Jan. 18 Detroit Pistons

Key To The Game For Atlanta: It’s Okay To Win Ugly

This is going to sound crazy, but good things happen when basketball teams make three-pointers. The Atlanta Hawks are no different. Sunday against the Milwaukee Bucks the Hawks shot 13-for-26 from three-point range. They won the game easily, 111-98.

The team has potent three-point shooters all throughout the roster, they just didn’t make shots early in the season. Things look to be changing. Malcolm Delaney has been hot in the month of January. Mike Dunleavy Jr. has already shown what he’s capable of when he heats up. Kent Bazemore may be finally breaking out of his season long slump. Heck, Dennis Schroder is even shooting 36.1 percent from outside.

Hawks fans know that all of those players having good shooting performances on the same day is like seeing a unicorn in the wild. The Hawks have a tendency to go cold from outside. Winning games with sparkling shooting displays isn’t their best course of action. The good news is, this team can win with defense.

The Hawks have the 5th best defensive rating in the NBA, allowing just 105.1 points per 100 possessions. The Pistons have the 22nd best offensive rating in the NBA, scoring just 105.5 points per 100 possessions. That’s a recipe for a good old fashioned brick-fest!

The last time these two played Atlanta got the win 105-98. They held Detroit to 41.7 percent from the field and 29 percent from three-point range. Look for more of the same tonight.