Atlanta Hawks (20-19, ninth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Chicago Bulls (18-22, 10th in the Eastern Conference)

Chicago; Wednesday, 8 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Bulls -2; over/under is 245

BOTTOM LINE: Atlanta visits the Chicago Bulls after Trae Young scored 43 points in the Hawks’ 122-117 win against the Phoenix Suns.

The Bulls are 15-13 against Eastern Conference opponents. Chicago is 10-13 in games decided by at least 10 points.

The Hawks are 13-7 against Eastern Conference opponents. Atlanta is eighth in the league scoring 17.2 fast break points per game. Jalen Johnson leads the Hawks averaging 3.6.

The Bulls average 118.1 points per game, 1.7 fewer points than the 119.8 the Hawks give up. The Hawks average 13.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.3 fewer makes per game than the Bulls allow.

TOP PERFORMERS: Nikola Vucevic is averaging 20.3 points, 10.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists for the Bulls.

Johnson is scoring 19.8 points per game and averaging 10.1 rebounds for the Hawks.

LAST 10 GAMES: Bulls: 5-5, averaging 120.7 points, 48.1 rebounds, 30.8 assists, 8.1 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 47.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.8 points per game.

Hawks: 6-4, averaging 120.2 points, 42.5 rebounds, 29.8 assists, 11.1 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 47.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 120.4 points.

INJURIES: Bulls: Adama Sanogo: day to day (knee), Torrey Craig: day to day (leg), Ayo Dosunmu: day to day (achilles).

Hawks: Kobe Bufkin: out for season (shoulder), Larry Nance Jr.: out (hand), Jalen Johnson: day to day (shoulder), Cody Zeller: day to day (personal), De’Andre Hunter: day to day (foot).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

ATLANTA – Residents across Georgia can expect a mix of rain, cold, and the possibility of snowflakes in the coming days as winter weather patterns continue to shift. 

What we know:

According to FOX 5 Storm Team Chief Meteorologist David Chandley, widespread rain is forecast for the weekend, with extreme northern areas possibly seeing snowflakes late Sunday into Monday. Significant snow accumulation is not expected.

“Yeah, this go-around into the weekend, really, we’re just going to see some rain across North Georgia,” Chandley stated. He added that next week’s forecast remains uncertain, with Arctic air potentially influencing weather conditions. “We’ve got a whole week to kind of hash that out. All the things can change.”

The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Monday will likely be chilly but dry for much of Georgia. “It’s going to be chilly, but it looks like dry conditions for the MLK holiday celebration,” Chandley explained.

In metro Atlanta, Tuesday could bring a slight chance of wintry precipitation as temperatures drop. “January is very active, no doubt about it,” Chandley noted.

Metro Atlanta forecast

• Tonight: Partly cloudy, low near 30°F.
• Wednesday: Sunny, high around 48°F.
• Thursday: Sunny, breezy, high near 53°F.
• Friday Night to Saturday: Rain moves in late Friday, with showers likely Saturday. Highs in the mid-50s.
• Sunday: Mostly cloudy, high near 48°F. A few snowflakes possible in extreme North Georgia late.
• MLK Day (Monday): Mostly sunny, high near 37°F. A slight chance of rain or snow.

Extreme North Georgia Mountains forecast

• Tonight: Partly cloudy, low near 20°F.
• Wednesday: Sunny, high near 42°F.
• Thursday: Sunny, breezy, high near 46°F.
• Friday Night to Saturday: Showers likely Friday night into Saturday, high near 49°F.
• Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, low near 20°F.
• MLK Day (Monday): Slight chance of snow, mostly sunny, high near 34°F.

Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., the snow should move out before noon for the swearing-in ceremony on Capitol Hill. Highs will be in the 20s and lows will be around 12 degrees under mostly cloudy skies.

Possible snow in Georgia?

What we don’t know:

While the immediate forecast is becoming clearer, there is still uncertainty surrounding next week’s weather patterns. FOX 5 Meteorologist Jonathan Stacey highlighted the potential for snow but emphasized that forecasts remain in flux. “I know many of you are thinking about some snow because you’re hearing about some snow,” Stacey said. “At this point, all we can do is just pay attention and see what’s out there. As we get closer, we’ll look for consistency.”

Key questions remain:

• Will Arctic air and other weather systems converge to create snow across Georgia?
• How might fluctuating temperatures impact the likelihood of wintry precipitation?

Snow next week?

Timeline:

Here is a look at the timeline of weather for the next week:

• Tuesday: Slight chance of wintry precipitation in metro Atlanta as temperatures drop.
• Friday Night to Saturday: Rain moves into the region.
• Sunday to Monday: Snowflakes possible in extreme North Georgia; the rest of the state remains chilly with mostly dry conditions.
• MLK Day: Chilly but dry conditions for holiday celebrations.

What’s next:

Meteorologists will continue monitoring weather models throughout the week. Residents are encouraged to stay updated via trusted local forecasts, including FOX 5, and prepare for any changes in the weather as Arctic air moves closer. “All we can do is just pay attention,” Jonathan Stacey advised, underscoring the importance of staying alert to new developments.

The Phoenix Suns (19-19) embark on a five-game road trip tonight when they take on the Atlanta Hawks (19-19), looking to extend their win streak to four games and move above .500 in a crowded Western Conference.

Phoenix could be facing a very short-handed Atlanta team tonight, as the Hawks listed Trae Young (illness) and Bogdan Bogdanovic (right knee inflammation) as questionable, while Jalen Johnson (right shoulder inflammation) remains out.

For the Suns, only Jusuf Nurkic (illness) is out, while Grayson Allen (left knee soreness) is probable.

After having a game postponed due to weather conditions on Saturday, the Hawks have not played since falling to the Suns 123-115 last Thursday at Footprint Center. Meanwhile, the Suns have picked up victories over the Utah Jazz and Charlotte Hornets since this meeting.

With a fully healthy rotation, one big key for the Suns tonight is to continue to utilize their depth and solidify the lineups that work the best in this stretch.

Bradley Beal coming off the bench has provided a huge spark for that unit, but Phoenix’s other bench players have stepped up as of late as well.

In Sunday’s 120-113 win over Charlotte, the Suns ran a nine-man rotation and closed with a lineup that consisted of three bench players – Beal, Royce O’Neale and Oso Ighodaro alongside Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. O’Neale and Ighodaro hit some huge shots in the closing minutes to seal the game.

The only bench player that did not play in the clutch was Allen after he left the game at halftime with left knee soreness after recording 13 points before halftime.

Phoenix’s bench all of a sudden looks like one of the best in the league, and it all began in the Atlanta game when Allen and Beal combined for 48 points. O’Neale returning from a six-game absence due to an ankle injury against Charlotte strengthened the unit even more.

With a depleted Hawks roster, expect Phoenix to once again try to take advantage of its firepower coming off the bench.

One area for improvement tonight for the Suns is their paint defense and rebounding. In their last two games, the Suns have been outrebounded by a combined 25 rebounds, giving up 15 offensive rebounds to Charlotte and 21 to the Jazz Saturday.

Mark Williams feasted against Phoenix’s centers in the first half Sunday, recording a season-high 22 points and 13 rebounds in the first half alone.

However, the Suns made a lot of good defensive adjustments that worked against Williams (0 field goals in second half) and the Hornets down the stretch (won fourth quarter 27-15).

Phoenix will have to fine-tune its defense to make sure it comes out of the gates stronger, but has shown that it can adjust as needed on that side of the ball.

Right now for the Suns as they begin this road trip, it’s all about finding an identity on both sides of the ball and discovering the best methods for victory as they look to continue to build momentum.

Tonight’s game tips off shortly after 5:30 p.m. Arizona time.