After nearly a week off, the Atlanta Hawks are back on the court tonight. They are on the road to face the top team in the Eastern Conference, the Detroit Pistons. The two teams have already faced each other twice this season, with the Pistons winning both matchups. The last game came down to the wire and Detroit escaped with a one point win.
Can the Hawks reverse their fortune tonight? The Hawks should be well rested after six days off, but they are going to be missing center Kristaps Porzingis and point guard Trae Young tonight. Young has not played since Oct. 29th, but there has reportedly been optimism that Young is going to be able to return this month, but that night won’t be tonight.
Closer look at the Hawks
Dec 5, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) shoots against the Denver Nuggets in the second quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The Hawks are 11th in points, 8th in FG%, 8th in 3P%, 19th in FT%, 25th in rebounds (25th in OREB, 19th in DREB), 1st in assists, and 17th in turnovers per game. They’re 14th in offensive rating this year.
On a per-game basis, the Hawks rank 17th in points allowed, 14th in FG% allowed, 9th in 3P% allowed, 23rd in rebounds allowed, 4th in steals, and 18th in blocks. They’re 11th in defensive rating on the year, which puts them in an above-average tier. They have had poor performances in recent games, including against the Denver Nuggets last Friday.
Detroit continues to look like one of the best teams in the NBA. They’re 8th in points, 10th in FG%, 18th in 3P%, 29th in FT%, 2nd in rebounds (4th in OREB, 9th in DREB), 14th in assists, and 26th in turnovers per game. They’re 9th in offensive rating this season.
The Pistons are 6th in points allowed, 2nd in FG% allowed, 15th in 3P% allowed, 7th in rebounds allowed, 5th in steals, and 2nd in blocks. They’re 4th in defensive rating, so many of the metrics point to Detroit’s defense being among the best in the NBA.
Who Wins?
The Pistons have been a matchup problem for the Hawks dating back to last season and I don’t expect that to suddenly change tonight considering that Porzingis is not going to be able to play. Detroit is a tough matchup for Atlanta due to their size and their defense, not to mention that tonight is a road game. I think it will be a tough game for the Hawks and while it will be close, the Pistons grab the win at home.
Final Score: Pistons 113, Hawks 106
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