Hawks' Trae Young, Bulls' Nikola Vucevic look to get teams on track
Sat Nov 9 9:16am ET
Field Level Media
The Atlanta Hawks will try to bounce back from a disappointing last-minute loss when they host the slumping Chicago Bulls on Saturday night in the second game of a back-to-back set.
The Hawks, who allowed 40 points in the opening quarter, erased a 24-point deficit against the Detroit Pistons on Friday but lost 122-121 on a bucket by Cade Cunningham with 8.5 seconds remaining. Atlanta had a chance to win at the buzzer, but Onyeka Okongwu's shot under the basket was blocked by Cunningham.
The Bulls have lost four straight games, most recently 135-119 to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday.
This will be the first of four meetings between the Bulls and Hawks this season. Chicago won two of three against Atlanta last year. The Bulls have lost the past two games in Atlanta.
This will be Atlanta's third back-to-back of the season. The Hawks were swept in the first and split the second.
In Friday's loss, Atlanta wasted a 35-point, 13-assist effort from Trae Young, who is averaging 24.9 points and 11.1 assists a game. Jalen Johnson, who is averaging 19 points and 10.4 rebounds, had 20 points and nine rebounds in the loss.
Dyson Daniels had a career-high seven steals against the Pistons, giving him 24 this season. The seven steals are the most in a single game in the NBA this season and the most for an Atlanta player since Josh Smith had seven against Dallas on Feb. 26, 2010.
"I mean, that's what I do, just active hands, getting deflections, trying to make it tough," Daniels said.
No. 1 overall draft pick Zaccharie Risacher had a poor shooting night on Friday and scored seven points. The youngster was coming off a career-best 33-point performance against the New York Knicks on Wednesday.
The Bulls, who traded star DeMar DeRozan over the summer, have few household names on their roster.
"Regardless of personnel or who is on the floor for us, our guys play hard, play the right way, play together, play unselfish," Chicago guard Josh Giddey said after the latest loss. "When you put all that together, it's a tough team to play against. We love what we've got in this locker room, we believe we have enough, and we really do believe that."
Chicago's Nikola Vucevic scored 25 points against Minnesota and has at least 20 points in four games. Over his past four games, Vucevic is averaging 22.5 points on 69.8 percent shooting from the field and 50 percent on 3-pointers.
Vucevic consistently has been a tough matchup for the Hawks. In 42 career games against them, Vucevic is averaging 17.4 points on 51.6 percent shooting, 11.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists. He has a double-double in seven of his past 10 games against Atlanta.
Coby White is averaging 19.6 points a game; Giddey averages 13.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and a team-leading 7.0 assists.
The Hawks continue to play without DeAndre Hunter (right knee soreness), Bogdan Bogdanovic (right hamstring), Kobe Bufkin (right shoulder) and Vit Krejci (right adductor strain). For Chicago, Lonzo Ball (right wrist sprain) is out while Zach LaVine (right adductor strain) is listed on the injury report as questionable.
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Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) is listed as probable for Sunday's game against the Brooklyn Nets due to right patella tendinopathy.. The former MVP is on the injury report once again, but all signs point to him being ready for Sunday's matchup. Giannis has been playing at an elite level, posting at least 30 points and 11 rebounds in each of his last two games, showcasing his usual dominant performance on both ends of the floor.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton (ankle) is probable for Sunday's game against the Brooklyn Nets. The veteran guard made his season debut on Friday night against the Celtics, playing 23 minutes in his return. Middleton made an immediate impact, contributing 11 points, three rebounds, and five assists. As he continues to regain his rhythm, Middleton could see a similar workload on Sunday. The Bucks will need him to stay healthy and perform at a high level if they hope to contend this season.
Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (shoulder) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Denver Nuggets. Johnson may have sustained a right shoulder injury during Friday's game against the Lakers. If he is unable to play, De'Andre Hunter and Bogdan Bogdanovic are expected to see more minutes on Sunday. Johnson has been playing at a high level this season, nearly averaging a double-double with 19.8 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. His presence on both ends of the floor has been valuable, making his potential absence a significant blow for both Hawks fans and fantasy owners.
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (back) is considered questionable for Sunday's matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans. After missing the last two games due to bilateral low back soreness, the 20-year-old could make his return to the court on Sunday. Wembanyama has been a fantasy standout this season, averaging 23.5 points, 10.4 rebounds, and leading the league with 3.4 blocks per game. Fantasy managers will want to check back for updates as game time approaches.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Chicago Bulls. The former MVP has been sidelined for the last seven games due to a left knee injury, but there's a possibility he will return for Sunday's contest. If Embiid is unable to go, Andre Drummond and Guerschon Yabusele are expected to continue taking on expanded roles. Embiid has struggled to find a rhythm this season, and fantasy managers are hoping he can return to full health soon to help get the 76ers' season back on track.
Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (Achilles) is considered probable for Sunday's matchup against the Denver Nuggets. Young has been managing right Achilles tendinitis, but it hasn't impacted his performance. The All-Star point guard recently put up a remarkable 31 points and 20 assists in Friday's win over the Lakers, marking the second time in six games he's reached at least 20 assists. With over 12 assists per game, he continues to lead the league in that category.
New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson (back) will remain in the lineup on Saturday versus Detroit. He was initially regarded as questionable for the contest due to a back issue. With Karl-Anthony Towns (knee) on the shelf, Brunson is looking at extra offensive duties on Saturday. However, with the Pistons allowing the sixth-fewest fantasy points in the league to opposing point guards, it might not be a very good night for Brunson, especially if he's not at 100 percent.
New York Knicks point guard Cameron Payne (elbow) is not ready to rejoin the lineup on Saturday against Detroit. A left elbow problem will keep Payne sidelined for a second consecutive game. Miles McBride and Tyler Kolek will get additional work off the bench on Saturday. The pair may also benefit from the fact that Jalen Brunson (back) is dealing with an injury and might not have a full workload. Kolek has yet to prove his worth as a rookie, but McBride has been performing well off the Knicks bench all year.
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (knee) has been ruled out for Saturday's matchup against Detroit. He's dealing with a knee issue and is missing only his second game of the season. It's been a superb debut campaign for Towns in New York, and it will be difficult to replace him. Jericho Sims will start in his absence, while Precious Achiuwa and Ariel Hukporti should fill some of the minutes at the five position as well. Sims' only previous start this season resulted in a four-point, seven-rebound effort in 18 minutes.
Toronto Raptors center Kelly Olynyk (back) is set to make his 2024-25 regular-season debut on Saturday against the Dallas Mavericks. This is exciting news for the 33-year-old, who has been sidelined since October due to a back strain. Last season, Olynyk appeared in 28 games for Toronto, contributing 12.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game while playing a key role in the rotation. His minutes will likely be limited in his return, but his presence provides valuable depth to the Raptors' frontcourt. Hopefully, he can stay healthy and make an impact moving forward.
Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (foot) will take the court on Saturday against Memphis. He has been upgraded from probable to available. White is dealing with a right foot sprain but is good to go as Boston closes out a back-to-back. He's likely delighted to quickly get a new opportunity to play, as White had a season-low six points on horrible 1-for-10 shooting in Friday's 111-105 win over Milwaukee. That's now two rough shooting nights on the bounce for White, who is typically quite efficient with his scoring and has been averaging a career-high 17.6 points this season.
Boston Celtics forward/center Kristaps Porzingis (leg) will return to the lineup for Saturday's contest against Memphis. He was kept out of action on Friday versus Milwaukee as Porzingis continues to manage a leg injury. The Latvian big man will be a natural replacement for Al Horford (toe), who will exit the lineup on Saturday. Porzingis only recently made his season debut and has averaged 21.0 points and 7.8 rebounds in 27.3 minutes across four games. He faces a tough matchup on Saturday, as Memphis has shown strong defensive numbers against opposing big men this season.
Raptors center Jakob Poeltl (illness) is available for Saturday's game against the Dallas Mavericks, limiting his absence to just one game after missing Thursday's contest against the Thunder. This is great news for Toronto, as Poeltl has been a force in the paint, consistently delivering on both ends of the floor. The big man has recorded at least one block in six straight games and tallied double-doubles in eight of his last 10 outings, showcasing his invaluable presence for the Raptors.
Miami Heat shooting guard Pelle Larsson (ankle) will not play against Phoenix on Saturday. He sprained his right ankle in Friday's practice and will come out of the lineup after enjoying a good stretch of games in the rotation. The rookie from Sweden has logged 15-plus minutes in six of the last seven contests. Jaime Jaquez Jr. figures to take care of most of Larsson's minutes on Saturday, although fantasy managers might still not get enough value out of him.
Dallas Mavericks guard Jaden Hardy (ankle) has been ruled out for Saturday's game against the Raptors. His next opportunity to return will be Tuesday against the Thunder. Hardy's playing time often fluctuates based on the health of the Mavericks' roster, but he's shown the ability to score in bursts, as evidenced by his 13 points in just six minutes during his last outing. With Hardy sidelined, Spencer Dinwiddie could see increased minutes in the backcourt.
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (knee) will be active against Phoenix on Saturday. He was listed as probable on the initial injury report. The Heat star recently missed one game with a sore knee but looked great last time out against the Lakers. He finished a blowout win on Wednesday with 17 points, nine rebounds, five assists, one block, and two steals in 29 minutes. Butler's presence in the lineup limits Jaime Jaquez Jr.'s fantasy appeal. He logged only 17 minutes off the bench on Wednesday.
Toronto Raptors guard Davion Mitchell (hip) is available for Saturday's game against the Dallas Mavericks. The 26-year-old has been dealing with right hip stiffness but will play through the issue. He's expected to continue logging 20-plus minutes off the bench. While Mitchell went scoreless in his last outing, the Raptors will count on his energy and defense to help contain the talented Dallas backcourt.
Dallas Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber (illness) will not suit up for Saturday's matchup against the Toronto Raptors. Kleber has been unproductive lately, failing to score in three of his past four games, so his absence shouldn't disrupt the Mavericks' rotation too much. In his stead, P.J. Washington and Quentin Grimes are expected to pick up additional minutes. Kleber's next opportunity to return comes Tuesday against the Thunder.
Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (calf) will not be available for Saturday's clash against Washington. He was downgraded from probable to questionable earlier in the day, and Denver has now ruled Gordon out. The Nuggets begin a back-to-back with Saturday's outing, so it's possible Gordon can make a quick return on Sunday versus Atlanta. We should see Peyton Watson run with the starters against the Wizards with Gordon unavailable. The young forward has averaged 12.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 11 previous starts this season.
Denver Nuggets guard/forward Christian Braun (quadriceps) has been upgraded from probable to available ahead of tip-off against Washington on Saturday. A right quadriceps contusion isn't enough to keep Braun off the court. On Saturday, he also gets an opportunity to play a larger role, as two of Denver's starters -- Jamal Murray (hamstring) and Aaron Gordon (calf) -- will be missing from the lineup. Braun is enjoying a fine campaign with averages of 15.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.3 steals.
