The Atlanta Hawks have grown accustomed to suiting up in the play-in tournament.
It’s a spot they’d like to avoid this season, however, and Atlanta can bolster its odds of finishing in the top six of the Eastern Conference with a victory over the visiting Sacramento Kings on Saturday.
Atlanta (41-33) has appeared in each of the last four play-in events. The Hawks, winners in 14 of their last 16 games, have pushed their way into the No. 6 seed and trail the fifth-seeded Toronto Raptors by a half-game.
Keying the Hawks’ hot stretch has been the team’s play at home and against subpar competition. Atlanta has won 11 straight games at State Farm Arena and hasn’t lost to a team eliminated from postseason contention since falling to the Indiana Pacers on Jan. 31.
“I think as a group we’ve been professional and that’s what it’s all about,” Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker said. “It doesn’t matter who they put in front of you. You’ve just got to be professional. It’s my job to play the game. It’s my job to play hard.”
Alexander-Walker is in consideration for the league’s Most Improved Player award, seeing his scoring average climb from 9.4 points per game last season with the Minnesota Timberwolves to 20.4 in 2025-26. First-time All-Star Jalen Johnson leads the Hawks with 22.9 points, 10.3 rebounds and 8.1 assists per contest.
Sacramento (19-55) hasn’t won a road game against an Eastern Conference team since a 127-111 victory over the Miami Heat on Dec. 6. The Kings own the worst record in the Western Conference — and fourth-worst overall — and have a chance to post their second 60-loss season in franchise history (Sacramento went 17-65 in the 2008-09 campaign).
On Thursday, the Kings showed signs of life before falling 121-117 to the Orlando Magic.
“Sometimes the ball doesn’t bounce your way, but the competitive first and foremost I thought was at a very high level,” Sacramento head coach Doug Christie said of the loss. “Close isn’t good enough, but I like the approach. I liked our mindset.”
With eight games remaining for his team, Christie is searching for signs of life from his players. A bright spot of late has been Daeqwon Plowden, who’s averaging 21.7 points across his last three outings.
Plowden, 27, has split time between the G League’s Stockton Kings and the parent club this season, but Christie believes he belongs in Sacramento.
“I watched (Plowden) play in the Summer League and then the G League and saw him have the success he’s had,” Christie said. “Defense is his calling card. That’s what makes me love him.”
Plowden is averaging 10.3 points in 24 games this season. Of the Kings’ available players, DeMar DeRozan leads the group with 18.4 ppg, while Malik Monk adds 12.7.
Atlanta breezed past Sacramento 133-100 on Nov. 12, thanks to Johnson’s 24 points, 10 boards and eight assists.
