San Antonio @ Atlanta preview
State Farm Arena
Last Meeting ( Dec 19, 2024 ) Atlanta 126, San Antonio 133
A new era could begin for the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night when they collide with the host Atlanta Hawks.
Guard De'Aaron Fox could make his San Antonio debut after the Sacramento Kings shipped him to the Spurs as part of a three-team trade that also involved the Chicago Bulls. The 27-year-old did not play in San Antonio's 128-109 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, a game that tipped off just hours after the deal was officially announced.
Fox is averaging 25.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 6.1 assists this season, and the Spurs are eager to pair him with second-year phenom Victor Wembanyama.
"Who do you stop between those two?" San Antonio guard/forward Devin Vassell asked. "I think we're going to play a lot faster and we're going to be out in transition a lot. I think it's just going to open up a lot with Fox being our point guard. Him and Wemby on the screen-and-roll?
"Then you have me and (Julian) Champagnie and certain shooters around. It's going to be an exciting offense, and I think defensively we're going to be able to get after people, too."
Wembanyama finished with team highs in points (27) and rebounds (10) against Memphis. Stephon Castle contributed 21 points, and Jeremy Sochan came off the bench to provide 14 points and eight boards.
Atlanta could also be looking to get active with the trade deadline set for Thursday at 3 p.m. ET. The Hawks have been linked to Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George, who could take some pressure off an Atlanta frontcourt that lost Jalen Johnson to a season-ending shoulder injury.
For now, the Hawks have been receiving a boost from within, as No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher has averaged 21.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists over his past three games. He is scoring 11.3 points per game this season.
Risacher netted 17 points on Monday, when Trae Young nailed a go-ahead jumper with 1.6 seconds remaining to give Atlanta a 132-130 victory over the Detroit Pistons. Young led the way with 34 points and nine assists, and De'Andre Hunter posted 20 points.
Dyson Daniels stuffed the stat sheet, collecting 19 points, six rebounds, seven assists, four steals and three blocks to help the Hawks end an eight-game losing streak. Atlanta coach Quin Snyder has been pleased with Daniels' growth throughout the season.
"One of the things we've talked to him about is just his aggressiveness attacking the basket, and that's another thing that I think, as the season's progressed, he's been more aggressive," Snyder said of Daniels. "Whatever it is he's doing in there -- if he's passing or finishing or shooting a floater or layup -- just the fact he's getting in the paint is big for us."
Daniels has scored in double figures in 13 of 16 games since the start of 2025. He has averaged 14.9 points, 5.8 boards and 4.3 assists during that stretch and leads the league in steals with 137 on the season.
Wednesday marks the second meeting between the Hawks and Spurs this season. San Antonio beat visiting Atlanta 133-126 in overtime on Dec. 19.
--Field Level Media