Hawks vs Mavericks: Game Preview, Injury Report, Projected Starting Lineups For Tonight's Game

Fresh off a disappointing loss to the Blazers, can the Hawks get back on track against the Mavericks tonight?

Nov 25, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu (17) shoots against the Dallas Mavericks in the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Hawks are back in action against the Mavericks and things aren't as positive as they were heading into their earlier game against the Portland Trail Blazers. In a game that they were favored in, the Hawks ended up losing by 14 points to a young Blazers team missing several pieces in their lineup. Shaedon Sharpe (33) and Deni Avdija (32) both went for over 30 points and the Hawks had no answers for them. Sharpe also pulled down 10 rebounds while Avdija stuffed the stat sheet by grabbing 15 boards and dishing out 10 assists. Atlanta also shot a putrid 21.9% from deep, which ruined any chances they had of making up the point deficit.

Trae Young scored 29 points (7-20 shooting) and handed out 15 assists, Dyson Daniels had 22 points, 10 rebounds, and three steals. No other Hawk had more than 13 points. It was a rough night for Zaccharie Risacher, who scored just nine points one game after setting his career high against Milwaukee. The Hawks bench was mostly non-existent tonight, as none of Caris LeVert, Georges Niang, Vit Krejci, Terance Mann, or Dominick Barlow were particularly effective.

They'll have to turn the page quickly against a struggling Mavericks team that has obviously not looked the same after trading away Luka Doncic. Even so, Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson are more than enough to give Atlanta problems and the Hawks can't afford to take this game lightly.

Game Preview

Coming into tonight's game, the Hawks are 5th in the NBA in PPG, 14th in FG%, 15th in 3PA, 20th in 3P%, 2nd in FTA, 26th in turnovers, and 13th in rebounding. Per Cleaning the Glass, Atlanta is 16th in points per 100 possessions, 17th in effective field goal percentage, 22nd in turnover percentage, 12th in offensive rebounding percentage, and 8th in free throw rate.

Currently, the Hawks rank 27th in PPG allowed, 29th in field goal percentage allowed, 15th in three-point attempts allowed, and 28th in three-point percentage allowed. Per Cleaning the Glass, Atlanta is 18th in points allowed per 100 possessions and 28th in effective field goal percentage allowed.

Because the Mavericks have gone through so much turnover on offense, it makes more sense to evaluate the offense after the trade deadline. Since then, they're 20th in points per game, 10th in FG%, 28th in 3PA, 13th in 3P%, 14th in FTA, 3rd in turnovers, and 30th in rebounding. For the whole season, per Cleaning the Glass, Dallas is 13th in points per 100 possessions, 13th in effective field goal percentage, 8th in turnover percentage, 22nd in offensive rebounding percentage, and 6th in free throw rate.

Dallas's defense isn't overly impressive, but having Davis in the lineup makes any defense tougher. They are 17th in PPG allowed, 17th in field goal percentage allowed, 4th in three-point attempts allowed, and 17th in three-point percentage allowed. Per Cleaning the Glass, Dallas is 19th in points allowed per 100 possessions and 9th in effective field goal percentage allowed.

Atlanta really struggled on the boards in their game against Portland and that trend cannot continue. Dallas theoretically isn't good at getting to rebounds, but the Hawks have gone into games against weak rebounding teams and lost on the boards. The Mavericks will be without Dereck Lively, which should make it easier to score in the paint in the non-Davis minutes. However, they have to capitalize on that advantage.

After a great game against the Bucks, Risacher looked less comfortable against the Blazers partially due to their defenders being able to keep up with him in transition and close out on his shots. The Mavericks just allowed a rebuilding Nets team to shoot 39% from deep, so it isn't the strongest unit. They do have some length on the perimeter with Kai Jones, Naji Marshall and P.J Washington, as well as a strong backcourt defender in Brandon Williams. Still, I think this is a matchup where Risacher could rebound nicely.

The matchup between Onyeka Okongwu and Anthony Davis should be an interesting watch tonight. Okongwu has been a positive for Atlanta throughout the back half of the season, but it wasn't his finest offensive showing against the Trail Blazers. He did a good job of keeping Donovan Clingan largely in check, holding him to 11 points and only 4 offensive boards. Davis is a more versatile challenge.

Young is coming off of a good game against the Blazers (29 points), but it was on 7-20 efficiency. While the final tally looked strong, he struggled to find his shot and largely relied on racking up free throws to power the Hawks' offense. It'll be important that he delivers a more efficient outing tonight for Atlanta's chances of winning this game.

Injury Report

The injury report has not been released for the Hawks yet because they are on a back-to-back.

For Dallas, Dereck Lively is listed as questionable against Atlanta, but he is not expected to play, and Dante Exum is out. Caleb Martin and Anthony Davis are both probable for the Mavericks.

Odds

According to Fanduel Sportsbook, the Mavericks are 3.5 point favorites against the Hawks tonight and the total is set at 240.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER. 

Projected starting lineups

Hawks:

G- Trae Young

G - Dyson Daniels

F - Zaccharie Risacher

F - Mouhamed Gueye

C - Onyeka Okongwu

Mavericks

G - Spencer Dinwiddie

G - Klay Thompson

F - P.J Washington

F - Anthony Davis

C- Daniel Gafford

Additional Links

Hawks Fall to Blazers As Portland Gets Big Nights From Shaedon Sharpe and Deni Avdija

Zaccharie Risacher Named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for March

Dyson Daniels Or Cade Cunningham For MIP? Zach Lowe Says, "Nobody Has Made A Bigger Leap Than Dyson."