Venue: Spectrum Center, Charlotte, North Carolina
Broadcast: FanDuel Sports Network Southeast, Local Channels
The Atlanta Hawks (15-12) roll into Charlotte to face the struggling Hornets (8-18) in an Eastern Conference matchup. Atlanta sits solidly in play-in contention with strong road play, while Charlotte looks to build on a rare upset win but remains hampered by injuries and inconsistency. This is the second meeting this season if applicable, but focus turns to potential returns of star guards Trae Young and LaMelo Ball.
Injury Report (As of Thursday Morning – Subject to Game-Time Decisions)
Atlanta Hawks:
Trae Young (Right Knee MCL Sprain): Questionable – Returned to practice but limited; major boost if he plays.
Kristaps Porzingis (Illness): Out – Ongoing testing; thins frontcourt depth.
N’Faly Dante (G League Assignment): Doubtful.
Nikola Djurisic (G League – Two-Way): Out.
Core rotation otherwise healthy; Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, and Onyeka Okongwu expected available.
Charlotte Hornets:
LaMelo Ball (Left Ankle Bone Bruise): Questionable – Nearing return after two-week absence; huge if upgraded.
Pat Connaughton (Right Calf Strain): Out.
Tre Mann (Right Knee Bone Bruise): Out.
Collin Sexton (Left Quad Strain): Out.
Grant Williams (Right Knee): Out.
Additional depth players (e.g., Drew Peterson, Antonio Reeves, Liam McNeeley): Out.
Brandon Miller, Mark Williams (if healthy), and Josh Giddey carry heavy load.
Both teams could get star PGs back, dramatically shifting offensive ceilings. Hornets far more depleted overall.
Key Player Matchups
Trae Young (if active) vs. Hornets Backcourt: Young’s playmaking and scoring (averaging ~25 PPG, 11 APG when healthy) exploits Charlotte’s poor perimeter D. Without Ball, easier drives.
Dyson Daniels vs. Brandon Miller: Daniels’ elite defense (team-high steals/blocks recently) tasked with slowing Miller’s scoring bursts (~22-25 PPG).
Jalen Johnson/Onyeka Okongwu vs. Hornets Frontcourt: Atlanta’s athletic bigs dominate rebounding and transition against injury-thinned Charlotte interior.
LaMelo Ball (if active) vs. Hawks Guards: Ball’s dynamic scoring/passing could spark Hornets, but Atlanta’s length (Daniels) disrupts.
Bench Battle: Hawks’ depth (Bogdanovic, Bufkin if up) vs. Charlotte’s limited options due to injuries.
Game likely high-scoring if both stars play; more grind if not.
Team Records and Standings Context
Atlanta Hawks: 15-12 (Mid-tier Eastern Conference, strong road record 10-6 noted in sources).
Charlotte Hornets: 8-18 (Near bottom of East, rebuilding mode evident).
Recent Team Form
Hawks: Coming off a 120-117 home win over Philadelphia (Dec 14), led by Dyson Daniels’ 27 points. Mixed earlier in December with a blowout loss at Detroit (142-115 on Dec 12). Atlanta strong on road, balanced scoring, top-10 offense when healthy.
Hornets: Upset win in OT over Cleveland 119-111 (Dec 14), with strong performances from Knueppel (29 pts) and Miller (25). Prior close loss to Chicago (129-126 on Dec 12). Charlotte flashes potential but plagued by injuries and poor defense.
Hawks enter with momentum; Hornets seeking consistency at home.
Series History
All-Time Regular Season: Hawks lead 74-65 (including Bobcats era).
Recent (Last 10): Split, with Atlanta winning 5 of last 10 overall. Hawks dominant lately in some stretches (5-0 SU in one trend noted).
2025-26 Season: First meeting if none prior; historically competitive but Atlanta favored in Charlotte.
Betting Trends
Hawks 3-8 ATS last 11 vs. Charlotte but strong road covering trends.
Overs hitting in Hawks’ games; Charlotte games mixed but recent high-scoring (e.g., OT win).
Public leaning Hawks spread/ML; sharps watching Young/Ball statuses for over potential.
Atlanta strong SU vs. sub-.500 teams; Hornets home underdogs drawing some contrarian action.
Game Odds
Atlanta Hawks – 5.5
Charlotte Hornets 241.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Wednesday, December 17, 2025
