Hawks at Bobcats
THE STORY: Atlanta is limping into the playoffs, having lost five in a row. The Hawks will try to snap that losing streak in Wednesday’s regular-season finale at the Charlotte Bobcats. Charlotte will miss the playoffs for the sixth time in seven seasons, but will try to finish on a high note as majority owner Michael Jordan could lure some big-name free agents in the offseason.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, SportSouth
ABOUT THE BOBCATS (33-48): With the Bobcats out of the playoffs, they managed to spoil New Jersey’s Fan Appreciation Night on Monday. D.J. Augustin’s fadeaway jumper over Brook Lopez with 1.1 seconds remaining gave the Bobcats a 105-103 victory, snapping a six-game losing streak. Dante Cunningham tied a career high with 21 points on 10-of-16 shooting. Boris Diaw had 20, including six in the final two minutes. Diaw has been up and down throughout his career, but he drew strong praise from coach Paul Silas after Monday’s effort. "In my 40 years in this league, I have never seen a power forward more talented offensively, as far as both shooting and passing," Silas said.
ABOUT THE HAWKS (44-37): Atlanta is locked into the fifth seed in the East and will open the playoffs against Orlando. With that in mind, Hawks coach Larry Drew is not too concerned with a losing streak. He is more focused on keeping players healthy. “Mentally and physically we have to start getting ready for (Orlando),” Drew said after the Hawks 98-90 loss to Miami on Monday. “I’m just hoping I can have my players as healthy as they can be as they head into that series.” Atlanta hasn’t lost six consecutive games since Feb. 8-20, 2008. Josh Smith, who was playing for the first time after missing three games with a sprained left knee, scored 13 points in the third quarter; he made 6 of 7 attempts, including a three-pointer.
WHO’S HOT/WHO’S NOT: Atlanta’s Kirk Hinrich scored just one point (on a technical free throw) and missed all six of his field-goal attempts. That game followed his three-point contribution to Atlanta's 32-point loss Saturday in Washington where Hinrich only made 1 of 5 shots. In his last two games, Augustin had 14 points and 14 assists against Detroit followed by 19 points and 11 assists against the Nets.
KEY STATISTIC: Going back to his time in Phoenix, Diaw has played in 350 consecutive games, a streak that started on March 7, 2007, and is currently the third longest in the NBA behind only the Lakers’ Derek Fisher and New Orleans’ Jarrett Jack.
SEASON SERIES: Atlanta travels to Charlotte for the second time this year in the fourth-and-final game with the Bobcats. The Hawks own a 2-1 series lead, winning their latest matchup on Feb 12 in Charlotte and splitting two games in Atlanta. Charlotte is 10-3 all-time at home against the Hawks.
KEY INJURIES: ATLANTA: C Jason Collins (sprained left ankle); CHARLOTTE: G Stephen Jackson (hamstring); G Shaun Livingston (bruised tailbone); F Tyrus Thomas (left knee); F Eduardo Najera (back).
LAST WORD: “It would definitely be something to think about. But right now it’s all about trying to win a championship here with the Hornets.” – New Orleans guard Chris Paul on the possibility of signing with Jordan’s Bobcats for next season.