ed welch
The Atlanta Hawks will have to show gratitude for the gift of a game against the reeling Houston Rockets on the Friday following Thanksgiving, November 24, 2022.
Atlanta has gotten off to a decently strong start with their new star backcourt duo of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray.
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While they could be more dominant than they’ve been so far, their fans can’t complain too much with their 10-7 record to open the season, firmly entrenching them in the playoff picture at sixth in the Eastern Conference.
The Houston Rockets fans can’t say the same, as the young team has struggled under Head Coach Stephen Silas at just 3-14, in perilous danger of becoming the first team in NBA history to finish with the worst record in the league for three years in a row — outdoing even the "Process" era Philadelphia 76ers under former President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo.
Their young backcourt of Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green have both put up decent numbers and strong individual outings, but it hasn’t led to team success on the court yet.
Perhaps the most disappointing part of the season so far for the Rockets has been the abysmal start for their third-overall pick in the previous draft, Jabari Smith Jr. out of Auburn. Strongly considered as possibly the best prospect in the entire class due to his combination of a picture-perfect shooting stroke, versatile defensive abilities, and size, Smith Jr. has failed to translate much of his game to the NBA level outside of some flashes as a multi-positional stopper.
Through 16 games, the former Tiger has averaged just 10.9 points while immensely struggling to score efficiently, shooting just 33 percent from the field and 30 percent from deep.
While he’s missed a few good opportunities in his young career, Houston has done their first selection a disservice, rarely drawing up plays for him and completely playing away from his strengths. Head Coach Stephen Silas has to be feeling his seat grow hotter with each passing loss, and the Rockets would be wise to find a play caller who’s more willing to cater to his young stars’ developments.
This game — like any of them for the rest of the season — could mark Silas’s last on the sidelines for Houston. The Atlanta Hawks have an incendiary offense that’s capable of lighting it up from deep at any given moment.
The Rockets’ dysfunctional defense may be one of the most ill-suited units to try to contain Trae Young and company.
WELCOME TO THE NBA pic.twitter.com/kk7js988V8
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) November 20, 2022
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| Title: Atlanta Hawks vs Houston Rockets betting preview
| Author: Andy Quach
| Date: Nov 24, 2022
