Five Atlanta Hawks Christmas Day Matchups We Would Have Liked To Have Seen

Why is it a must-see? Ever since the 2021 playoffs, the Hawks and the Knicks have had a rivalry that has seen many heated contests, especially while in New York. Every time Young and the Hawks play at Madison Square Garden, it features a ruckus crowd and heightened audience viewership due to the unexpected nature of the two teams and the possible memorable moments. Both teams have formidable rosters that have shown the ability to be competitive with one another and have had multiple meetings with close finishes, as four of their five meetings last season finished within single digits.

2. Miami Heat - A rivalry that has been around for decades

Why is it a must-see?: The Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat have had a rivalry spanning the past three decades, and it was on display again in this year's Play-In Tournament. Since Trae Young has come to Atlanta, the Heat and Hawks have always been one of the more entertaining chippy back-and-forth games we've gotten to see, and as a result, we've witnessed Trae have some big moments where he's scored 50 points, had double-doubles, and had big moments on prime time TV. One of the more memorable games was the Hawks Game 3 comeback in the 2022 NBA Playoffs, where they were down 18 and came back to win the game off a Young floater, as well as the last two Play-In Tournament games the teams have played.

3. Charlotte Hornets - Another southern rivalry with two All-Star point guards in Trae Young and Lamelo Ball

Why is it a must-see? When the Hornets and Hawks play, it's usually a back-and-forth game with some blowouts here and there, but generally highly competitive as the two teams' best players lead as one of the league's underrated matchups. In the last 10, the teams are 5-5 with both Young and Ball averaging a near double-double. Young averages 23.2 points, 9.5 assists, and 3.7 rebounds in 10 games against Ball; however, Ball averages 22.2 points, 8.3 assists, and 6.4 rebounds in 10 games against Young. Recently, both players have put up some entertaining performances against each other. In a Christmas Day matchup with entertaining fan favorite young guards, this would for sure be a matchup they would put on a show for the fans watching on a peak day for NBA games.

4. Lakers - Trae Young versus Luka Doncic 2018 Draft Class Rivals

Why is it a must-see? The Hawks, facing off against the Lakers, would be a significant moment for both teams and the fans, as the Trae-Luka matchup has had hype since the 2018 NBA Draft, where both players were traded for each other. Both players tend to step their game up when playing against each other, and with the bright lights of an NBA Christmas Day audience, this would be no different, especially with Lebron James playing, who is known to have big games against the Hawks as well. In the nine games they've played against each other, Young has averaged 21.7 points, 11 assists, and three rebounds, while Doncic averages 29 points, 8.8 rebounds, and eight assists. James averages 27.6 points, eight rebounds, and 7.5 assists against the Hawks, good enough for nearly a triple-double. The Lakers play regularly on Christmas Day and would likely pull in a large audience regardless of the matchup, providing good exposure for the young Hawks roster to many casual NBA fans.

5. Detroit Pistons - Trae Young vs Cade Cunningham another underrated point guard matchup

Why is it a must-see? In this matchup, as with the others, it comes down to entertainment and All-Star caliber players that fans could look back on with fond memories. When it comes to Young versus Cunningham, this is another underrated box office type of matchup, with two of their last four meetings coming down to the wire, with game winners made by both players. In their previous nine matchups, Young has averaged 28.9 points, 10.9 assists, and 2.3 rebounds, and Cunningham has averaged 29.8 points, 9.9 assists, and 7.1 rebounds. This matchup has the potential to go down as an all-time Christmas classic if the two teams were to play against each other, especially if it came down to the wire.

With the moves that the Hawks made this offseason, they have proven themselves to be legitimate contenders and a team that should be in the running for a Christmas Day game. Until next time, the Hawks will continue to have to prove themselves as a team on the rise, and maybe with a helping of Milk and Cookies under commissioner Adam Silver's tree, they could end up on his good list for a marquee Christmas game.

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