Hawks at Bucks
The Atlanta Hawks — or what's left of them — look to avoid a second straight loss when they travel to Milwaukee to face the struggling Bucks on Saturday. The Hawks, who lost 105-79 to visiting San Antonio on Friday, will be without at least two starters with center Pero Antic (stress fracture in right ankle) and point guard Jeff Teague (ankle) sidelined. They still might have enough firepower to beat the Bucks, who have dropped 10 of their last 11 and own the worst record in the league.
It's former Atlanta coach Larry Drew's first meeting against his former team since taking over in Milwaukee following a 10-year run with the Hawks, including the last three as head coach. "I'm pretty sure everybody wants to beat the team they came from," Bucks guard Brandon Knight told the MIlwaukee Journal-Sentinel. "Hopefully we can … make the game competitive and hopefully come out with a win." Atlanta could also be without small forward DeMarre Carroll, who sat out Friday while nursing a strained hamstring.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, SportSouth (Atlanta), FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
ABOUT THE HAWKS (22-20): Atlanta, once the clear-cut No. 3 team in the Eastern Conference, has slipped into a tie for third with Toronto and is just a game clear of Washington and Chicago. The latest rash of injuries hit the Hawks just as they were growing accustomed to playing without center Al Horford, lost for the season with a torn pectoral muscle last month.The Hawks finished with just nine healthy players Friday and limped to a season low for points.
ABOUT THE BUCKS (8-34): The season is beginning to wear on Milwaukee fans and players alike as the losses pile up and the team inches toward double-digit victories. "We always give up separation and can't come back," forward Ersan Ilyasova told reporters after Friday's 93-78 loss at Cleveland. "We always find a way to give up the game." The Bucks' lack of offensive firepower was apparent against the Cavaliers, as just two players scored in double figures and the team failed to reach 80 points for the ninth time this season.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Atlanta SF Kyle Korver's NBA-record streak of consecutive games with at least one 3-pointer is up to 111.
2. The Bucks are 2-11 in the second game of back-to-back sets, while the Hawks are 3-6 and have lost six straight on the tail end.
3. The Hawks have won four straight meetings with Milwaukee and seven of the last eight.