Will Warriors vs. Hawks Entertain?

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Lance Roberson | Last updated Nov 20, 2024 1:10 PM ET

On Monday, the Golden State Warriors nail-biting affair led to a 102-99 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. Following such a let-down game, the Warriors seek a bounce-back victory over the underwhelming 7-8 Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday evening. Will the Warriors make quick work of the Hawks, or will the Chase Center crowd witness a close contest?

Golden State's 11-2 run in the third quarter vs. the Clippers included vintage Stephen Curry, who rattled off three triples in less than six minutes. Imagine the monstrous numbers Curry could produce against the Hawks, which rank 22nd in defensive rating.

Furthermore, the Warriors' bench has an opportunity to excel more meaningfully than Monday's contest against the Clippers, who have the sixth-best defensive rating. Theoretically, the Hawks have players who make life difficult for the Warriors. However, having athletic wings doesn't mean as much as deploying skilled and defensively-intuned athletes at elite players such as Curry.

However, one player on the Hawks could muddy up possessions for the Warriors: Dyson Daniels.

Daniels' defensive metrics support the former New Orleans Pelicans guard as a legitimate defender. Perhaps it's easy to stand out on defense, given the Hawks' lackluster effort on that side of the ball. Nonetheless, Daniels' 2.2 defensive box plus-minus is the highest on the Hawks, and none of his teammates come close to the number.

Although such a metric doesn't tell the entire story, it provides tea leaves for a broader conversation.

Overall, Golden State has the necessary advantages over Atlanta. Yet, with Young, Daniels, and Jalen Johnson as a triple threat, the Hawks could make for an adequate night for the Chase Center crowd.