The Atlanta Hawks (9-7) visit the New Orleans Pelicans (2-14) tonight at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans.
Both teams enter on losing streaks: Atlanta has dropped two straight after a five-game surge, while New Orleans is in a full collapse, losing eight in a row.
Zion Williamson has returned to the lineup, though he’ll be out for tonight’s game. Still, the Pelicans’ issues run deeper. Last night’s loss to the struggling Dallas Mavericks summed up their season: four starters scored 20 or more, yet New Orleans still couldn’t close.
Injuries continue to drain their already thin rotation, but there may be a silver lining to this season: the emergence of rookie Derik Queen.
Queen nearly forced overtime with a 23-footer in the final seconds but missed. Even so, he delivered another impressive outing with 20 points, seven rebounds, and 11 assists following his 30-point effort against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday.
Atlanta, meanwhile, continues to compete without Trae Young. The Hawks’ young core has shown it can carry the scoring load by committee. On Thursday, it was Nickeil Alexander-Walker exploding for 38 points on 13-of-17 shooting in a loss to San Antonio. That versatility and depth give Atlanta a clear advantage tonight.
Prediction
Atlanta has steadier secondary scoring, better health, and more lineup flexibility. Unless the Hawks self-inflict mistakes, they should control this matchup from the second quarter onward.
Prediction: Hawks 121, Pelicans 112
Injury Report
Atlanta Hawks
Onyeka Okongwu – Out
Keaton Wallace – Out
Eli John N’Diaye – GTD
N’Faly Dante – Out
Trae Young – Out
New Orleans Pelicans
Herbert Jones – GTD
Jordan Poole – Out
Karlo Matkovic – Out
Zion Williamson – Out
Dejounte Murray – Out
How to Watch Hawks vs. Pelicans
Tip-off for tonight’s Atlanta Hawks vs. New Orleans Pelicans game is set for 7:00 PM Eastern / 6:00 PM Central at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans.
The game airs live locally on FanDuel Sports Network Southeast and Gulf Coast Sports Network.
Fans in the Atlanta broadcast market without a FanDuel Sports Network subscription can purchase one on Amazon here.
Out-of-market viewers can stream the matchup on NBA League Pass for free on Amazon Prime Video with a 7-day free trial here.
Amazon also offers a discounted subscription that starts at $12.74 for the first two months (then $16.99/month). The subscription also includes access to NBA TV.
Fans can also choose a Team Pass to follow one team’s games for $13.99 per month.
Atlanta Hawks vs. New Orleans Pelicans
Date: Saturday, November 22, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM Eastern / 6:00 PM Central
Venue: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, Louisiana
TV: FDSSE, Gulf Coast Sports Network / Pelicans+
Streaming: NBA League Pass (out-of-market)