Six games left. That is the total amount of dates before we can set our eyes on a brighter future.<\/p>\n
A few days ago, Brooklyn was belittled by a red hot Charlotte Hornets team that have been enjoying the fruits of its labor. Including their victory against the Nets and their 20 point win against the Phoenix Suns yesterday, the Hornets have won seven of their last nine contests and are one game ahead of the Orlando Magic for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. They are a few steps away from making their first playoff appearance exactly 10 seasons ago.<\/p>\n
Tonight, the Nets will be taking on a similar opponent who have been red hot in their own right. The Atlanta Hawks, currently fifth in the Eastern Conference, have become one of the league\u2019s most exciting teams after they parted ways with their former star guard in Trae Young. As the Nets look for more advantages to increase their draft odds, this game may be in their favor.<\/p>\n
And if you\u2019re wondering \u2014 of course you are \u2014 the Nets are currently in what is essentially a three-way tie for best odds in the May 10 Lottery. At this point<\/a>, they are second, a game behind the Wizards, tied with the Pacers for second. They are also a game and a half ahead of the Kings and two and a half ahead of the Jazz.<\/p>\n Catch the action at 7:30 p.m. ET on the YES Network and NBA League Pass as well as streaming on the Gotham Sports App.<\/p>\n MPJ (left hamstring strain), Egor Demin (left plantar fascia injury management), Danny Wolf (left ankle sprain), and Day\u2019Ron Sharpe (left thumb surgery) will be out of action. The Nets three two-ways and two 10-days including new hire, Trevon Scott, should be available. This will be their third game in four days, a G League playoff game sandwiched between two NBA contests.<\/p>\n For the Hawks, Jock Landale (ankle) will miss tonight\u2019s game.<\/p>\n If I\u2019m the Atlanta Hawks, I couldn\u2019t ask for a better situation.<\/p>\n First, they have not one, but two stars that have taken the rise to become what looks like an epic duo. Jalen Johnson is a matchup nightmare due to the fact that he is a 6\u20198 point forward who can do everything and fly through the air at the same time. Johnson is currently averaging a near triple double in 22.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 8.1 assists. A couple of months ago, he became the eighth player in league history to record four straight triple doubles.<\/p>\n In the backcourt, Nikeil Alexander-Walker has come to his own in Quinn Snyder\u2019s offense. Averaging 20.6 points, he has taken the point guard duties of this team and made the most of it. Because he is not as ball dominant as Trae Young and he could move without the ball, Alexander-Walker has been able to flourish in this offense, especially with that Alexander-smoothness that he and Shai Gilgeous Alexander both possess. The two are cousins.<\/p>\n Both are great tributes to the Hawks development model. Johnson was drafted at No. 20 by Atlanta. Slowed by injury, he averaged 2.4 points and 5.6 points in his first two years before taking off. Alexander-Walker is more of a mid-career success story. He\u2019s a bit older at 27 and taken a little earlier, at No. 17 (by the Nets who traded his rights to preserve cap space for the Clean Sweep in 2019.)<\/p>\n Secondly, the Hawks match up very well with the powerhouses of the Eastern Conference. With key victories against the Boston Celtics and the Detroit Pistons, they have proven they could make some damage in the playoffs. Besides Alexander-Walker and Johnson, the Hawks have a complete team, especially with other newcomers like C.J. McCollum and Jonathan Kuminga. With so many bigger bodies, playing against guards like Jalen Brunson or James Harden could possibly work in their favor as we head into the Spring.<\/p>\n But before we get to that point, let\u2019s see how the Nets can approach this game. The Kings defeated the Raptors a couple of days ago, which makes this race for draft odds that much more closer.<\/p>\n Alexander-Walker may not be the success story that Jalen Johnson is, but he may be a better story. NAW, as noted up top, is SGA\u2019s cousin, and now after four teams in seven years, he has found a home. (Jordi Fernandez is familiar with both because they were part of Team Canada when he was head coach.)<\/p>\n Zach Langley of Soaring Down South wrote<\/a> earlier Friday:<\/p>\n Nickeil Alexander-Walker\u2019s breakout seventh campaign isn\u2019t slowing down.<\/a><\/p>\n That\u2019s what\u2019s confirmed this year to be no fluke. His full-season emergence as a two-way star,<\/a> with career-high averages in every major statistical category, has transformed the outlook of this Hawks team in both the immediate and long-term future.<\/p>\n