Report: Atlanta Hawks to host Detroit Pistons on Martin Luther King Day

The Atlanta Hawks are one of the "go to" franchises with regard to hosting an NBA game on Martin Luther King Day, and the 2014-2015 campaign will reportedly continue in that tradition. In addition to that, the Hawks will be hosting an old friend for the occasion, as they will reportedly face off with Josh Smith and the Detroit Pistons.

The NBA's big MLK day schedule is Pistons-Hawks, Mavs-Grizzlies, Bulls-Cavs, and Lakers-Suns

— Matt Moore CBS (@MattMooreCBS) August 13, 2014

It is nice to see the NBA continue to blow things out in a big way for the holiday, and regardless of whether Detroit is considered to be a "marquee" opponent, the game will have increased local interest because of Smith. The Pistons are a franchise in transition under Stan Van Gundy, but it appears that Smith will remain in the fold, setting up a face-off between him and former tag-team partner Al Horford.

The full NBA schedule will be released at 6:00 pm ET with a television special on NBA-TV. Stay tuned.