3rd Quarter Report
After a tough loss on the road their last time out, the Hawks look much better today on their home court. After three quarters their offense has really been able to impose its will, dominating the Hornets 99-74.
The Hawks came into the game with some extra motivation after the defeat they were dealt the last time these two teams faced off. We'll see if they're able to flip the script or if it'll just be more of the same.
Who's Playing
Charlotte Hornets @ Atlanta Hawks
Current Records: Charlotte 17-52, Atlanta 30-39
How To Watch
- When: Saturday, March 23, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. ET
- Where: State Farm Arena -- Atlanta, Georgia
- TV: Bally Sports SE Charlotte
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $25.00
What to Know
The Charlotte Hornets will take on the Atlanta Hawks at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday at State Farm Arena after having had a few days off. The Hornets comes in on a streak of failing to score more than 98 points in their last three games, a trend the team is of course eager to reverse.
The defenses reigned supreme when the Hornets and the Magic played on Tuesday, rewarding bettors who took the risk on the low 203-point over/under. Charlotte found themselves the reluctant recipients of a 112-92 punch to the gut against the Magic. The defeat unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for the Hornets in their matchups with the Magic: they've now lost five in a row.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, the Hornets struggled to work together and finished the game with only 19 assists. They are winless (0-16) when they just don't pass the ball.
Meanwhile, it's hard to win when you nail ten fewer threes than your opponent, a fact the Hawks found out the hard way on Thursday. They took a 128-115 hit to the loss column at the hands of Phoenix. The Hawks got off to an early lead (up 14 with 5:55 left in the first quarter), but sadly they weren't able to maintain that momentum.
Dejounte Murray put forth a good effort for the losing side as he almost dropped a triple-double on 29 points, nine rebounds, and ten assists. He has been hot recently, having posted ten or more assists the last three times he's played.
Charlotte has not been sharp recently as the team's lost ten of their last 12 games, which put a noticeable dent in their 17-52 record this season. As for Atlanta, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 30-39.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: The Hornets haven't given up the ball easily this season, having only averaged 13.1 turnovers per game. However, it's not like the Hawks struggle in that department as they've been averaging only 12.5 turnovers per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
The Hornets are hoping to beat the odds on Saturday, as the experts think they're headed for a loss. Bettors picking them against the spread have some confidence (to put it mildly), as the team is sitting on a four-game streak of failing to cover when playing as the underdog.
Odds
Atlanta is a big 8.5-point favorite against Charlotte, according to the latest NBA odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Hawks as a 9.5-point favorite.
The over/under is 214.5 points.
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Series History
Charlotte has won 7 out of their last 10 games against Atlanta.
- Feb 14, 2024 - Charlotte 122 vs. Atlanta 99
- Oct 25, 2023 - Charlotte 116 vs. Atlanta 110
- Feb 13, 2023 - Charlotte 144 vs. Atlanta 138
- Jan 21, 2023 - Charlotte 122 vs. Atlanta 118
- Dec 16, 2022 - Atlanta 125 vs. Charlotte 106
- Oct 23, 2022 - Charlotte 126 vs. Atlanta 109
- Apr 13, 2022 - Atlanta 132 vs. Charlotte 103
- Mar 16, 2022 - Charlotte 116 vs. Atlanta 106
- Jan 23, 2022 - Atlanta 113 vs. Charlotte 91
- Dec 05, 2021 - Charlotte 130 vs. Atlanta 127
