Atlanta Faces Miami, Looks to Stop Home Slide
The Atlanta Hawks return to State Farm Arena this Friday, December 26, 2025, for a high-stakes Southeast Division showdown against the Miami Heat. For the Hawks, the Christmas season has been anything but merry; they enter the contest on a demoralizing four-game losing streak and a three-game slide at home.
With both teams hovering around the .500 mark—Miami at 15-15 and Atlanta at 15-16—this matchup is a critical battle for positioning in the Eastern Conference Play-In race. Atlanta currently holds the 9th seed, trailing the 8th-place Heat by just half a game.
The State Farm Arena Slump
Atlanta’s struggles at home have become the defining narrative of their December. Despite a solid 10-7 road record, the Hawks have been unable to defend their home court, limping to a 5-9 mark at State Farm Arena.
The nadir of this home stretch came in a back-to-back set against the Chicago Bulls. On December 21, the Hawks fell 152-150 in the highest-scoring NBA game of the season—a defensive catastrophe that saw Atlanta surrender 28 points to Bulls rookie Matas Buzelis. They followed that with a 126-123 loss to the same Bulls team on December 23, blowing an 18-point lead in the process.
“We have to figure it out on the defensive end,” head coach Quin Snyder said following the second Bulls loss. “Being a better team on the road than at home is a strange psychological barrier, but it starts with stops.”
Player Spotlight: The Jalen Johnson Era
If there is a silver lining for Atlanta, it is the continued ascension of Jalen Johnson. Emerging as a legitimate All-Star candidate, Johnson is currently leading the Hawks in nearly every statistical category.
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Scoring: Averaging 23.8 points per game.
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Versatility: Posting a staggering 10.5 rebounds and 8.3 assists per night.
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Recent Form: Johnson exploded for 36 points in the 152-150 loss to Chicago, nearly dragging Atlanta to a win single-handedly.
Opposite him, the Heat have relied on Norman Powell (23.7 PPG) and the surprising defensive development of rookie center Kel’el Ware, who is averaging a double-double with 12.2 points and 10.7 rebounds.
Injury Report: A Battle of Attrition
Both rosters are battered as they head into the final week of 2025. Atlanta is particularly thin in the frontcourt and on the wings.
| Team | Player | Status | Injury |
| ATL | Dyson Daniels | Out | Right hip inflammation |
| ATL | Kristaps Porzingis | Out | Reconditioning (Expected return Dec. 28) |
| ATL | N’Faly Dante | Out | Season-ending ACL surgery |
| MIA | Tyler Herro | Questionable | Right big toe contusion |
| MIA | Nikola Jovic | Questionable | Elbow injury |
The absence of Dyson Daniels has been felt acutely on the defensive end, where Atlanta has lacked a lockdown perimeter defender to slow down opposing guards. Meanwhile, the Heat continue to wait on the “decision” regarding Tyler Herro, whose return would provide a massive boost to their 9th-ranked offense.
Key Matchup: Trae Young vs. Davion Mitchell
With Terry Rozier away from the Heat, Davion Mitchell has taken over primary point guard duties. Mitchell, a former Hawk, will be tasked with slowing down Trae Young, who is coming off a season-high 35-point performance.
Young has been elite as a playmaker, but his efficiency has fluctuated during this four-game slide. If Mitchell can replicate the “Off-Night” defensive pressure he was known for in Sacramento, Miami can force Atlanta into the stagnant half-court sets that have plagued them during their home losses.
The Bottom Line
Atlanta averages 118.8 points per game, which is slightly more than the 117.6 points Miami allows. However, the Hawks’ defense gives up 119.6 points per contest, ranking near the bottom of the league. To stop the home slide, Atlanta must find a way to keep Miami under the 115-point threshold—a feat they haven’t accomplished in over a week.
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