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

Can the Hawks get their fifth win in six games when they face Orlando tonight in Mexico City?

There are only two NBA games on the slate tonight, and one will take place in Mexico City. 

The Atlanta Hawks and the Orlando Magic will face each other tonight and both teams are looking to rebound from tough losses in their last games. Atlanta had their four-game winning streak snapped against Oklahoma City on Monday in a poor offensive performance for one of the NBA's best offenses. Orlando lost to the Dallas Mavericks on Monday and they have been one of the surprising teams in the NBA this season. After spending the past few seasons building their roster through the draft and a couple of good trades, the Magic might be ready to push for a spot in the play-in tournament. 

Game Preview

The Hawks come into this game 2nd in the NBA in PPG, 12th in field goal percentage, 21st in three-point field goal percentage, 3rd in rebounding, and 15th in turnovers. The advanced numbers look good for the Hawks too. Per Cleaning the Glass, Atlanta is 3rd in points per 100 possessions, 13th in effective field goal percentage, 14th in turnover percentage, 3rd in offensive rebounding rate, and 2nd in free throw rate. The second-chance points opportunities created by the offensive rebounding and the ability to get to the line have made up for the lack of three-point shooting so far this season. 

The numbers for the Atlanta offense look good, but I think they can be much better. Trae Young is only shooting 33.3% from the field and 27.3% from three-point range this season and if he can get going on offense, the Hawks will only be better. 

Dejounte Murray is currently in the midst of a strong start to the season, averaging 22.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 6.1 APG. Young might be shooting below his standards, but he is still averaging 10.4 APG, good for second in the NBA. 

Atlanta's offense will be challenged by the Orlando defense tonight / Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

The Hawks offense is going to be challenged by an Orlando defense that has been one of the best in the NBA so far. The Magic are 3rd in the NBA in PPG allowed, 15th in field goal percentage allowed,  and 13th in three-point field goal percentage allowed. Per Cleaning the Glass, Orlando is 5th in points allowed per 100 possessions, 15th in effective field goal percentage allowed, and 2nd in turnover percentage. 

Their backcourt of guards is built to give Atlanta trouble. Jalen Suggs has taken a step forward this season on defense and he will be tasked with guarding one of either Murray or Young. 

The game will likely come down to the Orlando offense vs the Atlanta defense. 

Orlando is 25th in PPG, 22nd in field goal percentage, and 27th in three-point field goal percentage. Atlanta's defense has shown flashes of being solid but has yet to find any consistency. They are 23rd in PPG allowed, 20th in three-point field goal percentage allowed, and 22nd in field goal percentage allowed. Cleaning the glass does see the Hawks's defense as being a bit better, ranking them 15th in points allowed per 100 possessions. 

Atlanta also needs to start the game faster. Orlando has a really good defense and if the Hawks follow their pattern of starting games slow and letting a below-average offense get ahead, their defense could prevent the Hawks from coming back. 

In terms of 1st quarter points allowed (per teamrankings.com), Atlanta is currently 25th in the NBA, allowing 31.6 points in the first quarter, and the Hawks are 23rd in first-half points allowed (59.3).

The Atlanta Hawks Must Find A Way to Start Games Faster

Viewing and Betting Information

Tip-off time: 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time

Location: Mexico City Arena, Mexico City, Mexico

Where to Watch: NBA League Pass, Bally Sports Southeast, and NBATV

Spread and Over/Under: The Hawks will be favorites in Mexico City tonight, as they are currently 3.5 point favorites according to the latest odds from the SI Sportsbook and the over/under is set at 232.5

Injury Reports

In terms of injuries, Atlanta is relatively healthy coming into the game.

Rookie guard Kobe Bufkin remains out with a left thumb fracture and Wesley Matthews remains out with a mild right calf strain, but the rest of the Hawks injury report is good. Matthews has yet to play in a game this season and Bufkin has not seen many minutes. Mouhamed Gueye was added to the injury report yesterday with a lower back strain. While Atlanta has a relatively clean bill of health going into this game, the same can't be said of the Orlando Magic.

Orlando is going to be banged up heading into this game. Wendell Carter Jr remains out, as does Gary Harris. Point guard Markelle Fultz is questionable going into tomorrow night's game and he did not play in their last game. Jonathan Isaac is probable for tomorrow night.

If Fultz is out, it will make the Orlando backcourt interesting. Jalen Suggs, Cole Anthony, and rookie Anthony Black will see a lot of time should Fultz be out.

Projected Starting Lineups 

Hawks:

G- Trae Young

G- Dejounte Murray

F- De'Andre Hunter

F- Jalen Johnson

C- Clint Capela

I don't see Quin Snyder making any changes to the starting lineup tonight. 

Magic:

G- Markelle Fultz

G- Jalen Suggs

F- Paolo Banchero

F- Franz Wagner

C- Goga Bitadze

I will have Fultz in the starting lineup for now, but if he is out, look for rookie Anthony Black to get the start. Bitadze has been getting the starts with Carter out, but Mo Wagner will see time at center as well. 

Hawks Player to Watch- Trae Young

I have talked at length about Young's struggle to shoot the ball early in the season, but at some point, I think he get going and play like one of the best point guards in the NBA. He is going to be challenged by the Orlando defense tonight and I want to see if he can finally put together a complete performance. 

Magic Player to Watch- Jalen Suggs

Suggs had a rocky start to his NBA career, but he looks like he is finally living up to his top-pick status. Suggs will play a huge role in guarding the Hawks backcourt tonight and he might have to take on a larger offensive role if Fultz is indeed out. 

Prediction

Atlanta is going to bounce back from their loss on Monday and get a win in Mexico City. Orlando is a good team, but they have yet to beat a good team this season and I don't think their offense is going to be able to keep with the Hawks. 

Final Score: Atlanta 118, Orlando 108

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