Hawks at Nets
The Brooklyn Nets try for their eighth straight victory over the visiting Atlanta Hawks on Sunday after snapping a seven-game losing streak, and hope that Rodions Kurucs’ performance in Friday’s victory over Miami marks a turning point for the second-year forward. Kurucs scored a season-high 19 points in the 117-113 triumph, shooting 4-for-5 from 3-point range, and played well defensively as Brooklyn overcame a nine-point deficit with 5:09 to play to win for the first time since Dec. 21 - against Atlanta.
“I hope that’s the spark because the talent’s there,” Nets coach Kenny Atkinson told reporters postgame in describing Kurucs, who averages 4.2 points in 12.3 minutes this season. “We saw last year. He decided to come out and defend tonight like he did last year.” Guard Spencer Dinwiddie played one of his best games of the season, scoring 26 points with a career-best 14 assists to spark a Brooklyn offense missing leading scorer Kyrie Irving to a right shoulder injury. Atlanta sputtered against the NBA’s worst defense Friday in Washington, shooting 7-for-29 from 3-point range and 12-for-24 from the free-throw line in a 111-101 loss. Point guard Trae Young finished 0-for-7 on 3-point attempts in scoring 19 points - nearly 10 points below his season average.
TIME: 6 p.m. ET. TV: FS Southeast, YES
ABOUT THE HAWKS (8-31): Young ranked fourth in the NBA in scoring at 28.9 points and assists at 8.4 entering Saturday, finishing with seven assists two days after recording a triple-double against Houston (42 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists). Forward John Collins finished 6-for-12 from the field Friday and had 15 points and 15 rebounds for his third double-double in his past five games. The Hawks allow 117.3 points per game, 29th in the league, and have lost 14 of their past 16 games.
ABOUT THE NETS (17-20): Dinwiddie has led the Brooklyn offense since Irving left the lineup Nov. 14, averaging 24.8 points and 7.2 assists in his past 26 games. Center Jarrett Allen recorded his 17th double-double of the season Friday with 11 points and 11 rebounds, and on the season is averaging 11.5 points and 9.8 rebounds. Forward Taurean Prince scored 17 points Friday, three nights after finishing with 21 points in a loss to Oklahoma City.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Atlanta rookie C Bruno Fernando remains away from the team for personal reasons.
2. Brooklyn on Friday played without F Wilson Chandler (left hamstring tightness) and G/F Garrett Temple (right knee contusion).
3. The Nets have averaged 126 points scored in two victories over the Hawks this season, and have won the last seven meetings.