Atlanta Hawks lineups and keys vs the Washington Wizards
The Atlanta Hawks lost in overtime last time out against the Brooklyn Nets, thanks to their big three all having huge nights. It showed that the Hawks should be heading to playoff basketball now that they have the majority of their players back.
The Wizards, on the other hand, have the worst record in the NBA which is understandable given that the franchise has suffered the most in the NBA from health and safety protocols due to COVID-19.
They have also had injury issues with injury as starting center Thomas Bryant is out for the season with a torn ACL. They also have had superstar point guard Russell Westbrook in and of the team with injury as well.
Atlanta Hawks key No. 1) They need to play their game.
The Hawks have shown that they are capable of mixing it with the best teams in the NBA when they play their game. When Trae Young is creating, Clint Capela is dominating in the paint and all the ancillary pieces are doing their jobs, the Hawks are really hard to beat.
There is a tendency for young teams to play down to the level of the opposition. They may be more talented than their opposition but lose due to not playing at their optimum. A loss of five percent of their edge is enough to lose a game in this league.
Atlanta Hawks key No. 2) Stop Bradley Beal.
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The Wizards star is currently leading the NBA in scoring at 35.4 points per game. He is also second on the team with 4.9 assists per game. The offense runs through Beal for the most part, yes Russell Westbrook is almost averaging a triple-double again but Beal is the man to stop.
This is a job that De’Andre Hunter was born to do. He is the best wing defender on the Hawks squad and relishes the opportunity to take on the opposition’s best player. His skill-set keeps improving every game he plays and he will continue to learn when taking on players like Beal.
Atlanta Hawks probable lineup.
The Hawks lineup is mostly set. Clint Capela is the starting pivot with his usual frontcourt mate John Collins. These two are proving to be very hard to score against as their rim protection is elite. Capela had his triple-double with 10 blocks and Collins had a career-high against the LA Clippers with five blocks.
Hunter is the small forward with Trae Young starting at the point. However, the starting two-guard spot is still up for grabs. Kevin Huerter played well when he first came into the starting lineup but gas struggled over the last couple of games.
Recap of Clint Capela's historic week. dark. Next
Cam Reddish has played really well off the bench and should probably continue doing so for the next few games. This, in fact, could be a winning formula for the Hawks this season.