Atlanta Hawks vs Golden State Warriors

When the Atlanta Hawks meet the Golden State Warriors at the State Farm Arena on Saturday night, they will continue their pursuit of an Eastern Conference top-six finish.

Even though the Warriors are playing at a high level, they will be hoping to snap a seven-year losing streak when they go to Georgia, where they have dropped their past five visits since December 2018.

The Atlanta Hawks defeated the Charlotte Hornets 134-102 on Tuesday night at the Spectrum Center, making 22 of 45 3-pointers and shooting 53% from the field.

Trae Young and Zaccharie Risacher each sank five three-pointers, combining for 10 of the Atlanta Hawks' 22 shots from beyond the arc. Risacher ended the game with 21 points, while Young led the team with 31 points, two rebounds, and eight assists, propelling Atlanta to a dominant win.

This victory came at a crucial time for the Hawks, who had recently seen their four-game winning streak snapped on March 15 with a 121-98 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. Four days later, they suffered another defeat, falling 122-114 to the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center.

Wednesday’s win was a significant boost in their quest to secure sixth place in the Eastern Conference. Under head coach Quin Snyder, the Hawks have missed out on an automatic playoff spot in each of the last three seasons, despite finishing fifth in the 2020-21 campaign. Currently, Atlanta holds a 33-36 record after 69 regular-season games, placing them seventh in the East. They trail the sixth-placed Detroit Pistons by six wins but have one fewer game played.

Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors are also fighting for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. On Thursday night, they edged out the Toronto Raptors 117-114 at the Chase Center. Draymond Green, coming off an impressive defensive performance against Giannis Antetokounmpo in their win over the Milwaukee Bucks, shined on offense with a team-high 21 points. Jimmy Butler added 16 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists, notching his third triple-double of the season.

The Warriors had their seven-game winning streak halted on March 18 with a 114-105 loss to the Denver Nuggets. However, they quickly rebounded the following day with a 104-93 victory over the Bucks, keeping their playoff hopes alive.