Two teams headed in different directions will clash in Atlanta on Friday as the Hawks host the Sacramento Kings. Atlanta started the year with two wins but has been derailed by early-season injuries, leading to three consecutive losses.
Last season, the Hawks allowed 120.5 points per game, tied for the second-most in the NBA. Similar defensive issues have resurfaced this season, as Atlanta is surrendering 123.6 points per game, ranking third behind the Wizards and Raptors. Injuries haven’t helped, with key defenders Dyson Daniels and De’Andre Hunter missing a combined four games. Daniels, acquired from New Orleans in an offseason trade, is second in the NBA with 2.8 steals per game.
Hunter (knee) and Daniels (hip) aren’t expected to miss much more time, but the news is less favorable for other Atlanta players. Bogdan Bogdanovic, who averaged a career-high 16.9 points per game last season, underwent a non-surgical procedure on his hamstring and will be re-evaluated in four weeks. The team’s 2023 first-round pick Kobe Bufkin will also be re-evaluated in four weeks due to a shoulder subluxation.
The injury-plagued Hawks fell to Washington 133-120 on Wednesday, their second loss to the Wizards in as many games. Despite holding an eight-point halftime lead, Atlanta allowed Washington to score 76 second-half points. Trae Young leads the Hawks with 28.2 points per game, followed by Hunter’s 18. Both Hunter and Daniels have been ruled out for Friday’s game.
Sacramento, meanwhile, has won two straight after an 0-2 start. The Kings’ offense is led by a trio of stars: Domantas Sabonis averages 24.3 points per game, DeMar DeRozan 23, and De’Aaron Fox 21.5. The Kings recently secured a 113-96 road victory over the Utah Jazz, with Sabonis recording 28 points and 11 rebounds on 13-for-18 shooting.
Coach Mike Brown noted that the team struggled during an 0-5 preseason that extended into the first two games of the year. For a Sacramento team aiming to achieve three straight winning seasons for the first time in 19 years, Brown’s expectations are high. Brown and Sacramento swept the two-game season series with Atlanta last year.
