The last time we saw the Atlanta Hawks they were getting the Detroit Pistons up out of State Farm Arena posthaste. Their 122-104 victory put them at 2-1, currently seventh in the East, and sets them up to string some wins together before the schedule gets much tougher in early November.
After games against the tougher than expected Washington Wizards and scuddling Philadelphia 76ers, they take on the Nets in Brooklyn before five straight games against Western Conference teams including four straight on the road.
They won’t get a soft landing after all of that either as they’ll face the reigning champion, Milwaukee Bucks. That one will be back at State Farm Arena, though.
Before any of that, however, they need to take care of the New Orleans Pelicans
This game actually kicks off a three-game road trip for the Hawks. Consider it a warm-up to their West Coast getaway in November. Last season, they swept the two-game series between them, winning by an average of 124 to 105. Given the current state of both teams, a similar result could be expected on Wednesday.
New Orleans has been without Zion Williamson (foot) to start the season and is off to a 1-3 start.
Atlanta Hawks key to victory No. 1: Shutting Brandon Ingram down is the primary objective
Brandon Ingram is the focal point of the offense with Zion on the shelf. He’s currently 11th in scoring in the NBA with 27.0 points per game and is averaging 7.5 boards (both career-highs) to go with 4.8 assists.
He’ll be attended to by De’Andre Hunter (probable) and Cam Reddish. The latter is sporting a 92.7 defensive rating while the former is tight at 100. This despite both often sticking the opponent’s top option on the floor. With long arms and great lateral agility, they should provide ample defense on Ingram who missed both meetings between these two teams last season.
The Pels aren’t without other weapons that, if the Hawks choose to snooze on them, could pull off the upset.
And while this team should be fodder for a team with title aspirations like the Hawks, they can’t skip steps on the way to achieving victory. That includes not looking past the Pelicans other players.