Tip-off: 4/13/2022 – 7:00pm EST
Location: State Farm Arena, Atlanta Georgia
Season Meetings
3/16/2022: Hornets: 116 – Hawks: 106
1/23/2022: Hawks: 113 – Hornets: 91
12/5/2021: Hornets: 130 – Hawks: 127
11/20/2021: Hawks: 115 – Hornets: 105
Starting 5 for Atlanta:
PG: Trae Young
SG: Kevin Huerter
Sf: De’Andre Hunter
PF: Danilo Gallinari
C: Clint Capela
Atlanta Keys to The Game
Crowd LaMelo early: Do not allow LaMelo Ball to set up the offense and move the ball. Once he crosses half court, trap sporadically to provide different looks. Make someone else beat you. Stopping, or slowing the fast break will have the biggest impact on the game. Atlanta is the superior half court team and the superior shooting team. Fast breaks on one end means fast breaks on the other. The Hawks prefer a slower paced game.
Kevin Huerter: Atlanta will look to run set plays through Trae Young while other players get free. Once Trae starts making shots from the 3-point line, the defense will be forced to respect, which will free up other shooters, Like Kevin Huerter the primary benefactor.
Rebound on the defensive side of the floor: The Atlanta Hawks need to avoid cheap put backs on their own end. If Capela is positioned properly and helps swallow loose balls, he can control the defensive boards.
Starting 5 for Charlotte:
PG: LaMelo Ball
SG: Terry Rozier
SF: Miles Bridges
PF: PJ Washington
C: Mason Plumlee
Charlotte Keys to The Game
Shut Down the Hawks Bench: The Hornets best chance to gain is when the starters are out, however the Atlanta Hawks have two players off the bench in Kelly Oubre Jr; and Bogdan Bogdanoiv who average more than 15 points per game, allowing starters to get fresher and the Hawks not losing much production. If the Hornets can put the clamps on these two, it will force the starters back on the floor sooner, thus fatiguing faster.
Offensive Rebounds: The Hornets must steal opportunities on their side of the floor. One of the greatest killers of home crowd momentum is a defensive rebound turned into an offensive rebound. Charlotte will need as many extra chances as they can get.
LaMelo Plays 45 minutes or more: LaMelo is the best player on the team, and the best playmaker on the floor. The longer he sits the less likely Charlotte is to win this game. The Hornets need LaMelo’s best game, and as many minutes as he can give.
Prediction:
Atlanta: 129
Charlotte: 113
