Warriors at Hawks
The Golden State Warriors are riding a seven-game winning streak and are ripping through an East Coast road trip. The Atlanta Hawks will attempt to slow that momentum when they host the Warriors on Friday. Golden State improved to 3-0 on its seven-game trip by knocking off the defending champion Miami Heat 123-114 on Thursday and is making its way into the top tier in the Western Conference.
The Warriors went 15-of-29 from 3-point range against the Heat, led by eight 3-pointers in another strong performance from Stephen Curry, and came through on the defensive end down the stretch to continue a theme of outstanding efforts on that end. The Hawks were having some trouble on defense with Al Horford out but got the stops they needed down the stretch in a 92-91 win at Boston on Tuesday. Paul Millsap went for season highs of 34 points and 15 rebounds in the win and is averaging 28 points and 11.7 rebounds in three games without Horford.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (Golden State), SportSouth (Atlanta)
ABOUT THE WARRIORS (21-13): Golden State came together as a playoff contender during a long road trip last season and is hoping to use the current trip as a big push up the ladder in the West. The Warriors jumped past the Phoenix Suns in the Pacific Division on Thursday and are one game behind the division-leading Los Angeles Clippers. “We are a good basketball team,” coach Mark Jackson told reporters after the win in Miami. “We want to win the games we’re supposed to win, and against the elite teams, whether home or away, we want to battle and compete to give ourselves a chance to win. … I am awfully proud of our guys.” Curry (36 points and 12 assists) and David Lee (32 points and 14 rebounds) each came up big against the Heat.
ABOUT THE HAWKS (18-14): Millsap will have his hands full with Lee on Friday while Jeff Teague will get the pleasure of chasing Curry around the perimeter. Teague had a streak of four straight games scoring 20 or more points come to an end against the Celtics, when he struggled to 16 points on 6-of-17 shooting while handing out just five assists - his lowest total of December. Atlanta is a much better team at home, where it owns a 12-4 record and averages 103.3 points.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Warriors have taken three straight in the series, including a 115-93 triumph in its last trip to Atlanta on Dec. 15, 2012.
2. Hawks F DeMarre Carroll (thumb) sat out Tuesday’s game and is questionable for Friday.
3. Curry leads the NBA with four 30-point, 10-assist performances and 10 20-point, 10-assist performances.