Atlanta Hawks: 3 keys to victory vs the Charlotte Hornets

Atlanta Hawks key No. 3) Key Matchup: De’Andre Hunter vs Gordon Hayward.

If Hunter is able to beat Gordon Hayward then the Hawks should win. Young is always going to get his numbers, and so is Terry Rozier of the Hornets so that is a given. The job done on Hayward is the variable of the night.

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Hunter has been incredible all season. He has been scoring in a multitude of ways so it is impossible for his defender to get a handle on what he is going to do next. As a result, he is the team’s third-leading scorer. He has also played so good defense throughout the first seven games.

While he may not be a superstar, Hayward is the Hornets’ best player at the moment. He would want to be at $30 million a year, plus the $9 million stretch of Nicolas Batum over the next three years.

Hayward is second on the team in scoring with18.7 per game. He is third on the team in assists with 4.7 per game as well as being fourth in rebounds with 5.6 per game. On the defensive end, he is second in steals of any Hornet who has played more than one game with 1.6.

Without Hayward, the Hornets are not anywhere near as good as they are with him firing. A solid defensive performance on Hayward should go a long way to the win. The Hawks certainly need it to stop the two-game losing streak. While they still have a heap of guys out, they should still get the job done. For full injury list click here.