Hawks Eye Redemption Against Kings in Pre-New Year Showdown
As the Atlanta Hawks prepare to host the Sacramento Kings at State Farm Arena, fans are eager for a turnaround after a string of challenging games. The Hawks have been navigating through a turbulent season, and their recent performances have left much to be desired. With a 12-18 record following their last game against the Chicago Bulls on December 27th, where they lost by five points with a final score of 113-118, it's clear that adjustments are needed.
In that game against the Bulls, despite an impressive second-quarter rally scoring 39 points and leading for over 18 minutes of playtime, defensive lapses proved costly. The Hawks allowed 118 points against them with an efficiency game score of only 84.2. Their three-point shooting was notably lackluster at just 29 percent from beyond the arc.
However, there is reason for optimism as we look ahead to their matchup with the Kings. The Hawks' performance on December 24th against the Memphis Grizzlies showed flashes of brilliance despite falling short by six points (119-125). They led for nearly half the game and demonstrated strong offensive capabilities with an assist-turnover ratio of 2.8 and bench contributing significantly with 29 points.
The key to victory will lie in tightening up defensively while maintaining offensive fluidity. Atlanta's ability to convert inside paint has been one strength this season; they posted a solid paint scoring percentage of over sixty percent in recent games.
The Sacramento Kings will not make it easy though; they come into this contest looking to exploit any defensive weaknesses ATL might exhibit. It's imperative that Atlanta leverages its home-court advantage and feeds off the energy from its supporters.
Looking back at ATL’s previous encounter on December 23rd against Miami Heat shows potential areas for improvement — particularly in reducing turnovers which stood at fourteen — but also highlights their resilience as they kept pace throughout most of that game before succumbing by nine points (113-122).
Fans should expect Coach McMillan’s squad to come out determined and focused on executing both ends of the floor effectively if they wish to close out this year on a high note.
Mark your calendars for December 29th at State Farm Arena where tip-off is scheduled for sharp at half-past seven in the evening Eastern Time Zone (ET). Fans can catch all live action broadcasted locally on BSSE channel number six hundred forty-nine or follow along remotely via NBCS-CA channel number six hundred ninety-eight if cheering from afar.