Hawks vs Wizards: Three Major Storylines for Tonight's Game

What are the storylines to look for tonight when the Hawks face the Wizards in Washington?

Oct 27, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher (10) shoots over Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Hawks dropped a game vs the Washington Wizards on Monday, but they have a chance for revenge tonight on the road. Atlanta started the year off 2-0 with wins over the Nets and the Hornets, but have followed it up with losses to the Thunder and the Wizards. Injuries are also going to play a big factor in tonight's game and there is no other way to say it.

De’Andre Hunter (right knee inflammation) is questionable, Dyson Daniels (right hip flexor strain), Bogdan Bogdanovic (hamstring), Kobe Bufkin (shoulder), and Vit Krejci (adductor) are out. The Hawks also updated the status of Bogdanovic, Bufkin, and Krejci yesterday. Bufkin and Bogdanovic are going to be re-evaluated in four weeks while Krejci will be re-evaluated in two weeks. Daniels is day-to-day.

This is going to be tough for the Hawks to navigate for the time being, but they can still beat Washington, who will be without Kyle Kuzma and Malcolm Brogdon.

So what are the big storylines heading into this game?

1. Can Trae Young bounce back?

Young has been awesome this season, but last night was rough. He scored six points and hit two shots in the first few minutes of the game, but he missed his final 13 shots, including the game-winner. Young finished with 14 points and 13 assists on 2-15 shooting, including 2-10 from three. He did not hit a two-point shot and seemed to struggle with Bilal Coulibaly all night long. No player is immune from a bad game and the Hawks are asking Young to do a lot with the backups out, but it was not a good performance. With so many injuries, Young is going to be counted on to lead the Hawks against one of the worst defenses in the NBA. I think he gets right after a tough outing on Monday.

2. Who is the backup point guard/ball-handler?

Coming into the year, one of the concerns for the Hawks was the backup point guard situation. They were hoping that Kobe Bufkin would be the guy, but he has been injured and not played in the regular season. Then it was Vit Krejci, but he got hurt in Monday's loss to the Wizards. Bogdanovic and Daniels were secondary options, but they are also hurt. This is a problem for the Hawks and how they handle it tonight will be interesting. I am anticipating seeing Keaton Wallace in some capacity, but is there anything else that Quin Snyder can do?

3. Will the Wizards have the same amount of success from three?

The Hawks have one of the weirdest defensive profiles in the NBA. They are 9th in overall field goal percentage allowed, but they are dead last in the NBA in three-point percentage allowed, 30th in three-pointers allowed per game, and 29th in three-point attempts allowed. In each game this year, the opposing team has shot the ball well from three and last night was no exception. Washington finished 21-44 (48%) from three and they were 13-25 in the second half. Whether it was Kyle Kuzma, Jordan Poole, or Corey Kispert, the Hawks could not slow the Wizards three point attack and it cost them last night.

Now, the Wizards won't have Kuzma tonight, but Poole, Kispert, and Bub Carrington are capable of getting hot from three. Can the Hawks finally slow an opponent down from three? It might be tough without their best perimeter defender tonight.

Additional Links:

Hawks vs Wizards: Spread and Score Predictions

Hawks vs Wizards: Game Preview, Injury Report, Betting Odds, Projected Starting Lineups For Tonight's Game

Which Backup Point Guard Could Atlanta Add in Free Agency?