Hawks face the shorthanded 76ers, but a key player's absence impacts their lineup. Can Atlanta extend its winning streak?
The Atlanta Hawks are looking to win their sixth straight game as they prepare to take on the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night. Tip-off is at 6 p.m. EST, but Atlanta will be without Jonathan Kuminga for a second straight game, according to the team's latest injury report. Aside from Kuminga, no other Hawks players are dealing with injuries.
However, the 76ers have several players out of their lineup, which gives Atlanta a clear advantage at home. The Hawks are sitting at 32-31, and Philly is 34-28. Saturday night's matchup is huge for the Hawks' quest for the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. The 76ers will be without Joel Embiid, Paul George, and VJ Edgecombe.
Hawks coach Quin Snyder's Hawks suffered through a seven-game losing streak in December to fall four games under .500. They didn't get back over .500 until Wednesday's 131-113 triumph over the Milwaukee Bucks. Nickeil Alexander-Walker continued his breakout season with a team-high 23 points. Johnson added 20 points and nine assists, and Onyeka Okongwu contributed 21 points and eight rebounds.
"It's a really good win for us to get back above .500 for the first time in a few months," Snyder said. "The thing that I'm most impressed with is how unselfish they are. Everybody's sacrificing something for one another."
CJ McCollum added 18 points and eight assists as Atlanta spread the wealth offensively. Five different players have led the Hawks in scoring during their win streak.
He scored 27, 17, and 20 in the three games he played with the Hawks, and looked like a strong presence on the court aside Jalen Johnson, but it appears this left knee issue has been bothering him ever since.
On the Philadelphia side, Paul George is suspended for 25 games without pay for violating the NBA's anti-doping policy and is not eligible to return until March 25. Embiid will miss his fourth straight game with a strained right oblique. Edgecombe, a rookie who suffered a back contusion in a loss to San Antonio on Tuesday, is listed as doubtful. Kelly Oubre Jr. missed Wednesday's game due to illness but is available Saturday. That's roughly 72 points worth of production that sat out against the Jazz on Wednesday, yet Philadelphia still managed a 106-102 victory. Tyrese Maxey had 25 points and six assists, while Jabari Walker came off the bench to post 22 points and 10 rebounds in 28 minutes — more than double his season average.
Atlanta will enjoy another five-game home stretch, facing the 76ers, Mavericks, Nets, Bucks, and Magic. Every one of those games feels winnable for the Hawks, who need to pick up some wins before the tough final 10 games on the schedule.
The Hawks will continue to lean on their strong defensive efforts as they try to extend the winning streak, but will have to rely on more minutes from forwards Zaccharie Risacher, Mouhammed Gueye, and Corey Kispert.
This 76ers game would be another key win if the Hawks can pick it up. With no Embiid or Edgecombe, Atlanta is favored by about six points. This five-game home stretch could be the perfect opportunity for the Hawks to even out their home record, which currently sits at 14-16 with just 11 home games left on the schedule.