Mavericks forward Luka Doncic
The Dallas Mavericks (2-1) and Atlanta Hawks (1-2) made a potentially all-time, franchise-altering trade on the night of the 2018 NBA Draft this year. Although it didn’t involve much, the important details were a draft pick swap, which sent Atlanta’s No. 3 to Dallas for No. 5. The Mavericks took Luka Doncic, the Hawks selected Trae Young. The rest will unfold.
Wednesday night’s matchup between the Mavs and Hawks is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ESPN (nationally), Fox Sports Southwest-Dallas (locally in Mavericks markets) and Fox Sports Southeast-Atlanta (locally in Hawks markets). If you don’t have cable or can’t get to a TV, you can still watch a live stream of the game (or DVR it) on your computer, phone or streaming device by signing up for one of the following cable-free, live-TV streaming services:
In addition to a Netflix-like on-demand streaming library, Hulu also offers a bundle of 50-plus live TV channels, including ESPN, FS Southwest-Dallas (in local markets) and FS Southeast-Atlanta (in local markets). You can sign up for “Hulu with Live TV” right here, and you can then watch a live stream of the game on your computer via the Hulu website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Hulu app.
If you can’t watch live, “Hulu with Live TV” also comes with 50 hours of Cloud DVR storage (with the ability to upgrade to “Enhanced Cloud DVR,” which gives you 200 hours of DVR space and the ability to fast forward through commercials).
There’s no ESPN, but for those who are in-market of either team, FS Southwest-Dallas (in local markets) and FS Southeast-Atlanta (in local markets) are in the main Fubo bundle, which includes 85 total channels and is largely tailored towards sports. You can sign up for a free 7-day trial right here, and you can then watch a live stream of the game on your computer via the FuboTV website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the FuboTV app.
If you can’t watch live, FuboTV comes with 30 hours of Cloud DVR (with the ability to upgrade to 500 hours), as well as a “72-Hour Lookback” feature, which allows you to watch the game up to three days after it airs even if you forgot to record it or signed up late.
ESPN is included in the “Sling Orange” channel package, while FS Southwest-Dallas (in local markets) is included in the “Sling Blue” bundle. FS Southeast-Atlanta is not included with Sling. You can sign up for a free 7-day trial of either or both, and you can then watch a live stream of the game on your computer via the Sling TV website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Sling TV app.
If you can’t watch live, you can get 50 hours of cloud DVR storage as an additional add-on.
ESPN Platforms
Additionally, you can also watch a live stream of the game on your computer via ESPN.com, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. You’ll need to log in to a cable provider to watch this way, but if you don’t have that, you can still sign up for one of the above options and then use your Hulu or Sling TV credentials to sign in and watch on the ESPN digital platforms.
Preview
Doncic has already proven his future in the NBA as a point-forward type is bright. Doncic fills the stat sheet in multiple ways; he is a fluid passer, capable rebounder and ever-improving three-point shooter. While Doncic will struggle with consistency, he was arguably the best player in this year’s draft class. He shined with 19 points against the Chicago Bulls in a win on Monday.
2017 first-round draft pick Dennis Smith Jr., however, did not. Smith Jr. went just 2-for-11 (18%) with seven points in Dallas’ victory vs. Chicago. It was a disappointing outing for Smith Jr. coming off the heels of a 19-point performance (on 7-of-14 shooting) including the game-winner at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves.:
Doncic also had 26 in that contest, asserting himself early as one of the two odds-on favorites (Phoenix Suns center DeAndre Ayton) in this year’s Rookie of the Year race.
DeAndre Jordan has also had a terrific start as a Maverick. Jordan is the first Dallas player in 24 years to record a double-double in three straight games to start a season.
Young erupted for 35 points in the Hawks’ victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday. Young finished 13-for-23 overall, hitting 6 of 14 from downtown. His scoring outputs has consistently gone up in three games (14 vs. New York Knicks; 20 vs. Memphis Grizzlies), and he will be relied on to keep Atlanta in games.
After a semi-breakout 2017-18 campaign, the Hawks are still awaiting the return of forward John Collins. Collins, who was being held out the first three games of the season by head coach Lloyd Pierce, is nursing an inflamed ankle, which didn’t require surgery. Collins was re-evaluated Monday, and it looks like the No. 19 selection in the 2017 NBA Draft will be held out for one more game.
Key Matchup: The key is in the ignition for Smith Jr., but hasn’t been turned yet. After a solid, yet unspectacular start so far, head coach Rick Carlisle needs his second-year guard to push the tempo more and get aggressive with his shot selection. Young is expected to take as many shots as he wants; that’s what he was drafted for. Smith Jr. should look for his shot more often in a better matchup against Atlanta.