Thanksgiving NBA Games: Hawks & Magic Headline
Marvin Williams has come on strong as of late for the Hawks.
Magic & Hawks Battle for Early-Season Eastern Conference Supremacy
Orlando Magic @ Atlanta Hawks 8:00 PM EST Live on TNT
The Atlanta Hawks have much to be thankful for heading into Thursday’s holiday. The young dynamic team that has been seemingly on the rise for a handful of years now may finally be putting it all together.
They are currently 11-3 on the season, including a perfect record at home in the Phillips Arena in seven games there. Their overall record places them tied for first in the Southeast Division and also tied for the best record in the Eastern Conference, both with their Thanksgiving opponent, the defending Eastern Conference Champion Orlando Magic.
Atlanta has finally began playing like many around the league have expected them to. Starting Guard Joe Johnson has done it all so far this season, averaging 22.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game. Starting Forward Josh Smith is averaging 15.6ppg, and 9.3rpg while shooting 54% from the field and chipping in on the defensive end with an outstanding 2.6 blocks and 1.57 steals per game.
The Magic have played nearly all season without key players and have still managed to begin the season 11-3. Firstly, Starting Forward Rashard Lewis was suspended the first ten games of the season for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. Starting Guard Vince Carter missed four games with a sprained ankle. And finally, starting Point Guard Jameer Nelson went down with a knee injury, and is expected to miss another 4-5 weeks.
The Magic have been sparked by All-Star Center Dwight Howard’s presence down low, the addition of Vince Carter, and their tremendous bench depth. Howard is averaging 17.4ppg and 11.1rpg, and is the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Last season in four games against the hawks, he averaged 20.5ppg and 16.8rpg to go along with 3.25bpg.
This will be the first time the teams play each other this season. Last season they kicked off the regular season against one another, ending in a 99-85 Hawks victory in Orlando. The Magic then knocked them off in their next three matchups, handing the Hawks two of their 10 losses in Atlanta last year.
Jazz fans will be thankful #23 doesn't play for the Bulls anymore.
Jazz Look to get back to Winning Ways Against Struggling Bulls
Chicago Bulls @ Utah Jazz 10:30 PM EST Live on TNT
The Utah Jazz began the season without any consistency, following up their first four wins with losses in the next game. They then rolled off three straight victories before losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night.
Deron Williams and company will be looking to start another win streak as they take on the Chicago Bulls, who have lost three in a row, all on the road during their annual “Circus Road Trip”.
Every November, the Bulls schedule a long road trip because the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is in Chicago, performing at the United Center. The trip has typically not gone well for the Bulls in recent years, and they’ve started out 1-3 in this year’s.
The game will feature two of the league’s best young Point Guards, the Bulls’ Derrick Rose and the Jazz’ Deron Williams. The contrast between the Jazz’ Power Forward Carlos Boozer and the Bulls’ defensive-minded Center Joakim Noah should also be an interesting matchup.
This will be the first time the two teams meet this season, and Chicago won both meetings a year ago.
- Editor’s Note: Statistics used in this article are prior to the completion of all games on Wednesday, November 25.
John Cahill can be reached at John@PeteProse.com. His Archives could be viewed here. Fans could also follow him on twitter @KrukYou.
One of the best signings of the year – Jamal Crawford.