11/21 vs IND — I Know, the desk before tip-off Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in. Atlanta comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 120, shooting 48 percent and 38 from three, 26 free throws a game; Young at 26 and Murray at 19 a game. Without Fernando (4 straight), Mathews (2 straight). 3 days' rest. Indiana comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 127 a night and allowing 127, shooting 49 percent and 36 from three, 25 free throws a game; Haliburton at 23 and Turner at 18 a game. It has lost the glass by 5 a night. One day's rest. So: Atlanta wins, and the game turns on the turnovers, Atlanta giving it away 16 times a game to Indiana's 12 and the defense, Atlanta allowing 120 a night to Indiana's 127. Call it Atlanta 123, Indiana 121, Indiana keeping it close.

11/22 vs BKN — I Know, the desk before tip-off Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in. Atlanta comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 123 a night and allowing 127, shooting 51 percent and 40 from three, 26 free throws a game; Young at 26 and Murray at 22 a game. That is 3 straight losses. Without Fernando (5 straight), Mathews (3 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. Brooklyn comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 109 a night and allowing 112, shooting 46 percent and 38 from three, 20 free throws a game; Bridges at 20 and Walker IV at 17 a game. It has won the glass by 7 a night. Without Thomas (5 straight), Simmons (6 straight), Clowney (13 straight). 2 days' rest. So: Atlanta wins, and the game turns on the defense, Brooklyn allowing 112 a night to Atlanta's 127 and the glass, where Brooklyn has been plus-7 a night and Atlanta plus-0. Call it Atlanta 119, Brooklyn 117, Brooklyn keeping it close.

11/25 @ WAS — I Know, the desk before tip-off Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in. Washington comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 128, shooting 49 percent and 35 from three, 18 free throws a game; Kuzma at 23 and Poole at 21 a game. That is 5 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 10 a night. Second night of a back-to-back. Atlanta comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 131 a night and allowing 133, shooting 51 percent and 39 from three, 28 free throws a game; Young at 30 and Murray at 21 a game. Without Fernando (6 straight), Mathews (4 straight). 2 days' rest. So: Atlanta wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where Atlanta has been minus-2 a night and Washington minus-10 and the line, where Atlanta takes 28 free throws a game to Washington's 18. Call it Atlanta 126, Washington 123, Washington keeping it close.

11/26 @ BOS — I Know, the desk before tip-off Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in. Boston comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 109 a night and allowing 111, shooting 46 percent and 34 from three, 23 free throws a game; Tatum at 26 and Brown at 18 a game. It has lost the glass by 5 a night. One day's rest. Atlanta comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 133 a night and allowing 130, shooting 51 percent and 41 from three, 27 free throws a game; Young at 29 and Bogdanović at 19 a game. Second night of a back-to-back. So: Boston wins, and the game turns on the defense, Boston allowing 111 a night to Atlanta's 130 and the arc, Atlanta at 41 percent from three to Boston's 34. Call it Boston 121, Atlanta 117, Atlanta keeping it close.