76ers at Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are trying to make a final push for home-court advantage in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, and to get there they'll have to take advantage of opportunities like Friday's home contest against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Hawks are 1 1/2 games behind Brooklyn for fourth in the East, but they're also percentage points behind Chicago for fifth. The Sixers' slim playoff hopes took a big hit with Wednesday's 88-83 loss at Charlotte, dropping them six games behind eighth-place Milwaukee with eight to play.
Atlanta had a two-game winning streak snapped with a 95-82 home loss to the red-hot New York Knicks on Wednesday but will try to get back on track in the third of four meetings against the Sixers this season. The teams have split the first two contests, with the home team winning each. The Sixers had won six straight meetings before a 107-96 loss at Atlanta on March 6. The squads meet again Wednesday in Philadelphia.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia, SportSouth (Atlanta)
ABOUT THE 76ERS (30-44): The last time out was a familiar refrain for Philadelphia, which faltered in the second half against Charlotte in a game that was crucial to its dwindling playoff chances. "Although it's a situation where it looks like we might not make the playoffs, you've got to learn to make the plays in games like this," coach Doug Collins told reporters, "whether you're playing Charlotte or Chicago in Game 6 of the playoffs." It didn't help that leading scorer Jrue Holiday had perhaps his worst game of the season with five points on 2-of-24 shooting.
ABOUT THE HAWKS (42-34): Atlanta has been inconsistent in the second half of the season, in part because of the rash of injuries that has depleted the backcourt, but the Hawks hung in for most of the night before bowing to the Knicks and red-hot Carmelo Anthony. "We played a very hot basketball team," Hawks coach Larry Drew told reporters. "I thought there were times we defended (Anthony) well. He still made shots." The Hawks got only 19 combined points from big men Al Horford and Josh Smith against New York, and they will need better offensive production from their stars in the post down the stretch.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Hawks SF Kyle Korver has made at least one 3-pointer in 69 consecutive games, the fourth-longest streak in NBA history.
2. 76ers C Spencer Hawes has scored in double figures in a career-best 10 consecutive games.
3. Horford needs four blocks to tie Theo Ratliff (436) for seventh on the Hawks' all-time list, and Smith needs one assist to pass Spud Webb (2,159) for 10th on the club's career list.