Peachtree Hoops: Preview: Hawks face Clippers to begin home back-to-back

[Hawksquawk]

Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

The Atlanta Hawks saw their three-game winning streak come to an end on Sunday night, falling to the Milwaukee Bucks on a night in which Trae Young and Clint Capela were sidelined. Lloyd Pierce and company will be keeping a close eye on the injury report yet again on Tuesday when the L.A. Clippers come to State Farm Arena, but the visitors will definitely be short-handed as they arrive.

The Clippers will be without their two superstars — Kawhi Leonard and Paul George — due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols, and neither made the trip to Atlanta. Patrick Beverley (right knee soreness) is also ruled out for L.A., taking a bit of buzz out of the match-up from the perspective of an outside observer.

With that said, it could be a reprieve for Atlanta, as the Clippers enter on a seven-game winning streak and elite statistical metrics, particularly on the offensive side. L.A. is still capable of competing without their top options, but the Hawks still benefit from the absence of Leonard and George.

From there, Atlanta’s injury report is still busy, with the status of four players up in the air at the time of this post. Cam Reddish (right Achilles tightness) is listed as probable, indicating that he is likely to appear, but Young (back spasm), Capela (right hand soreness) and Danilo Gallinari (right ankle sprain) are all listed as questionable. Atlanta’s approach could vary wildly depending on the final verdict from an injury perspective, leaving all kinds of uncertainty in this match-up.

The Hawks and Clippers split their two meetings last season, with the Clippers absolutely dominating in a 49-point home win and the Hawks returning the favor in a seven-point victory back in January 2020. This time around, Atlanta could be seen as the betting favorite if Young, Capela and/or Gallinari are in uniform.

Stay tuned throughout the day for all the latest.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Tuesday, Jan. 26, 7:30 pm ET

Location: State Farm Arena

TV: Fox Sports Southeast, NBA TV

Radio: 92.9 The Game (Atlanta); Hawks Radio Network

Streaming: Fox Sports Go; NBA League Pass (out of market)

View the full article