Atlanta Hawks: 10 Best Games on 2018-19 Schedule
By Chris Guest
Hawks at Thunder, Friday Nov. 30, 8:00 p.m. EST
Now this is a juicy one. After being mostly disgruntled last season for the Hawks despite putting up career-high numbers, Dennis Schröder was traded this offseason to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
This game against the Thunder marks the first time that the two teams will meet in the regular season, and fans can expect some fireworks.
DS17 would seem like the kind of player who holds grudges and remembers slights (both perceived and real); if his performance against Trae Young in the preseason is any indication, Hawks fans can expect to see a vintage Schröder performance in this tilt.
Beyond Dennis, Russell Westbrook is always must-watch theater, and rookie Hamidou Diallo is one of the most electric athletes in the league – immediately after being drafted late in the 2nd round.
Hawks at Wolves, Friday Dec. 28, 8:00 p.m. EST
The final top story of the offseason, which is still ongoing at this juncture, has to be the Jimmy Butler saga in Minnesota.
Last year, the Atlanta Hawks and Wolves played some excellent games. One saw the Hawks hold on late for a hard-fought victory, and the other saw Karl-Anthony Towns destroy Atlanta with 56 points (a career-high).
Who knows what the Wolves will look like after a Jimmy Butler trade is completed (or maybe I should say IF a Jimmy Butler trade is completed), but the Timber-Bulls will still be a feisty team to compete against, even if they don’t quite have that superstar-level player to focus on, though KAT is close.
This game is also sandwiched on the calendar between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, so there should be plenty of cheer and holiday spirit in the air still.