Hawks at Rockets
Kyle Korver will take his shot at a spot in NBA history Wednesday night as he leads the Atlanta Hawks into Houston for a game against the Rockets. Korver has made at least one 3-pointer in 88 consecutive games, one shy of the league record held by former sharpshooter Dana Barros. Atlanta comes in looking to bounce back from an ugly 109-92 home loss to the Orlando Magic, while the Rockets earned a hard-fought 93-86 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday.
The Rockets know a thing or two about firing away from beyond the arc, leading the NBA in 3-point attempts per game (26.6) and ranking in the top-five in makes (9.3). Dwight Howard is excelling in his first season in Houston, ranking second on the team in scoring (17.7) and adding 13.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks. The Rockets may be shorthanded in this one, with shooting guard James Harden questionable after missing back-to-back games with a sore foot.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, SportSouth (Atlanta), CSN Houston
ABOUT THE HAWKS (8-7): The entire roster is well aware of Korver's exploits, and will be looking to get him open looks from the opening tip. Atlanta general manager Danny Ferry told USA TODAY Sports he marvels at Korver's ability to get open. "One of the things I've noticed is how hard he works when he's on the court to find open spots," Ferry said. "He's in tremendous physical condition. He's a better athlete than people understand. He can really run. That allows him to get to spots and to find openings."
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (10-5): Houston could use some Korver-like sharpshooting, ranked in the lower half of the league in 3-point percentage despite the high volume of attempts. Their most reliable long-range shooter early in the season is veteran guard Aaron Brooks, who has taken advantage of increased playing time and is shooting 47,4 percent from behind the arc. "I am just happy to be here," he told Ultimate Rockets. "I am happy to be playing here. Our locker room is cool. Everything is really great, I just can't complain."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Rockets have won the last five meetings.
2. Houston leads the league in scoring at 108.7 points per game but needs
some work on the defensive end, where it's allowing 104.3 points per
contest.
3. Korver is fourth among qualified players in 3-point shooting at 52.9 percent.