Hawks vs Jazz: Game Preview, Injury Report, Projected Starting Lineups

The Hawks host the Jazz tonight looking for their second straight win

The Hawks are looking for their second straight win tonight and they will be hosting the Utah Jazz at State Farm Arena. This is going to be the first time for former Hawks and current Jazz forward John Collins to play in Atlanta since he was traded last offseason and that will add something to a must-win game for the Hawks. 

With Trae Young out for at least the next four weeks, every game is a must-win for the Hawks. They started off on the right foot by getting a win over the Orlando Magic on Sunday night, but the Magic were on the second night of a back-to-back and missing their best player. Tonight is going to be more of a challenge for the Hawks and while Utah is likely not going to make the playoffs, they have players that can give the Hawks trouble like Lauri Markkanen and Collin Sexton. 

So how do these two teams match up tonight? 

Game Preview

The Hawks and the Jazz are two teams that are similar from a statistical standpoint. They are both good on the offensive end of the floor but have a hard time stopping the opposing team. 

Atlanta was not great on offense on Sunday against the Magic, but they got the job done and they were facing a much more formidable defense. The offense is something to keep an eye on without Trae Young. 

Dejounte Murray will be the leader for the Hawks on that end of the floor and he got off to a great start on Sunday. Murray finished with 25 points, 11 assists, and nine rebounds and he led the charge when Atlanta went on its 18-1 to take control of the game. Murray is going to have a chance to have another huge game tonight vs the Utah defense. 

Jalen Johnson also stepped up in the absence of Young and had a great all-around game. Johnson had 21 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, and two blocks and I think he will be guarding Markkanen tonight. 

The center position is one that concerns me for the Hawks. Clint Capela has been playing on a minutes restriction and looks like he is still fighting through an injury. His impact is non-existent on the offensive end and he has taken a step back on defense. Backup center Bruno Fernando does bring some energy off the bench but he has his limitations as well. With Onyeka Okongwu out with an injury and Capela still limited, the Jazz own the advantage at the center position. 

De'Andre Hunter has had a huge impact off the bench since coming back from his injury. He is shooting really well from three, rebounding the ball well, and playing solid defense. 

Coming into this game, Atlanta is 4th in PPG, 23rd in field goal percentage, 6th in three-point attempts, 20th in three-point percentage, 5th in free throw attempts, 1st in offensive rebounding, and 12th in turnovers. Per Cleaning the Glass, the Hawks are 9th in points per 100 possessions, 18th in effective field goal percentage, 8th in turnover percentage, 5th in offensive rebounding rate, and 8th in free throw rate. 

The Hawks played one of the top defensive teams in the NBA on Sunday, but that is not what they are going to be facing tonight. 

Dejounte Murray and Jalen Johnson against the Orlando Magic / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Utah is 25th in PPG allowed, 21st in field goal percentage allowed, and 29th in three-point percentage allowed. Per Cleaning the Glass, the Jazz are 25th in points allowed per 100 possessions and 23rd in effective field goal percentage allowed. 

On offense though, the Jazz are going to present problems for the Hawks. Utah is 9th in PPG, 19th in field goal percentage, 9th in three-point attempts, 23rd in three-point percentage, 11th in free throw attempts, 3rd in offensive rebounding, and 30th in turnovers. 

Markkanen is the All-Star of this team and he is having another fantastic season, averaging close to 24 PPG and 8 RPG. Collin Sexton has been the forgotten guy on the Jazz, but he is quietly having a very good season, averaging 17.8 PPG on 49% shooting. Murray is likely going to be guarding Sexton tonight and he will need to make sure he does not get hot. Off the bench, Jordan Clarkson is the guy the Hawks need to worry about. Clarkson is averaging 17 PPG and 5 APG this season off the bench on 42% shooting. 

Defensively, the numbers are pretty ugly for the Hawks. They are 29th in PPG allowed, 29th in field goal percentage allowed, and 27th in three-point percentage allowed. Per Cleaning the Glass, Atlanta is 28th in points allowed per 100 possessions and 30th in effective field goal percentage allowed. 

Injury Report

Onyeka Okongwu (left big toe sprain/sesamoiditis) and Trae Young (left fifth finger torn ligament) are out tonight. 

Viewing and Betting Information

Viewing and Betting Information

Tip-off time: 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time

Location: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA

Where to Watch: NBA League Pass, Bally Sports Southeast

Spread and Over/Under: The Hawks will be favorites at home tonight, as they are currently 1.5 point favorites and the over/under is at 236.5 according to the latest odds from the SI Sportsbook

Projected Starting Lineups

Hawks:

G- Bogdan Bogdanovic

G- Dejounte Murray

F- Jalen Johnson

F- Saddiq Bey

C- Clint Capela

Jazz:

G- Collin Sexton

G- Keyonte George

F- Lauri Markkanen

F- Taylor Hendricks

C- John Collins

Former NBA All-Star Comments On Trae Young's Recent Injury: "I Hope This is the Last Time We See Him in a Hawks Uniform"

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