Atlanta Hawks were expected to be one of the best teams in the eastern conference, and pose a serious challenge to teams like Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors. But, the Hawks have not been able to impress much, as they languish on the 10th spot in the table with 13 wins and 14 losses.
The Hawks' task is not going to get any easy as they face Russell Westbrook's Oklahoma City Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Monday. The Thunder might be in a better position, compared to Hawks, winning 16 matches and taking the seventh position, but they cannot take Hawks lightly. The Thunder's performances in the last ten games have been good with seven wins and three losses only.
The home team have definitely missed their star player from last season, Kevin Durant, who enjoyed a brilliant partnership with Westbrook before joining Golden State Warriors. The Thunder have moved on from that and they need to think of a great season without their star, and Westbrook has shouldered responsibility in a majority of the matches this season.
Westbook has been incredible for the Thunder, scoring consistently. The star has an overall average of 30.4 ppg, and also leads in the rebounds and assists for his team this season. It is such stunning performances that have helped the Thunder, but they cannot rely on him alone. Other players such as Anthony Morrow and Steven Adams have to contribute in their respective departments against the Hawks.
The visitors, on the other hand, are a strong team as well with some splendid individual players. The Hawks are hugely dependent on Paul Millsap, but his participation in the game is doubtful. The final call about his availability is only expected to be taken before game.
Even if the player does not become available for the clash, they have other stars such as Dwight Howard, Kyle Korver, who have it in them to script a win. The problem with Hawks have been their consistency, losing five of their last eight games, but a victory against Thunder could give them the much needed confidence to take on other teams in the near future.
Where to Watch Live
Oklahoma City Thunder vs Atlanta Hawks is set to begin at 10.30 pm ET (3.30 am GMT, 9 am IST next day). Live Streaming and TV guide for the NBA match is below.
India: No coverage.
USA: NBA League Pass.
Philippines: TV: ABS-CBN Sports + Action
China: CCTV 5, BesTV
International: NBA Online.
