Peachtree Hoops: Preview: Hawks return home to face Warriors

[Hawksquawk]

D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Hawks last took the floor at State Farm Arena on March 18 but, after an eight-game journey, Nate McMillan and company return home on Sunday evening. The Hawks finished up the lengthy road trip with back-to-back wins, inching above the .500 mark for the season, and Atlanta will look to keep it rolling against the Golden State Warriors.

One of Atlanta’s four wins on the trip came in San Francisco against a short-handed Warriors team, and this rematch will take place just nine days later. The Warriors are 23-26 for the season, but Steve Kerr’s bunch has lost six of the last seven games.

In fact, Golden State lost by 53 (!) points on Friday and, even when acknowledging they were without both Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, it can’t be argued the Warriors are playing well right now. Still, the Warriors bring a top-10 defense to the table from a full-season standpoint, and they do have some tangible strengths.

Injuries

For Atlanta, the injury report is quite busy, though it is a modest improvement from Friday night’s listing. After both players missed the game in New Orleans, Trae Young (left knee soreness) and Danilo Gallinari (left Achilles soreness) are listed as questionable against the Warriors.

De’Andre Hunter (right knee soreness) will miss his sixth consecutive game for the Hawks. and John Collins (left ankle sprain) is still sidelined. Cam Reddish (right Achilles soreness) and Kris Dunn (right ankle surgery) are also out.

On Golden State’s side, Curry is not listed on the injury report at all, indicating he is set to play. However, Green (finger) is listed as questionable, and Eric Paschall (hip) is out for the Warriors.

The Line

As of Saturday evening, Atlanta is listed as a small, 1-or-2 point home underdog at the handful of outlets providing early odds. That listing could change, though, based on the status of Young and/or Gallinari. With Curry set to play, the Warriors should, at minimum, be more competitive than they were in the first matchup, but Atlanta has a few advantages to potentially exploit.

Stay tuned throughout the day for all the latest.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Sunday, Apr. 4, 7:30 pm ET

Location: State Farm Arena

TV: Bally Sports Southeast, NBA League Pass (out of market)

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

Streaming: Fox Sports Go

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