Pelicans at Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks seemed destined to lose their way out of the top eight in the Eastern Conference just more than a week ago, but a lot can change in five games. The suddenly red-hot Hawks will look for their sixth consecutive win when they host the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday. Atlanta had dropped 14 of 15 to fall nine games under .500 before turning things around over the last 10 days with a little help from the schedule.
The Hawks faced only one team with a winning record in the last five games but came away with one of their more impressive performances in a 118-113 overtime triumph over the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday while enduring the second night of a back-to-back. Atlanta gets a little bit more rest before diving back into the sub-.500 crowd with the Pelicans, who fell to that same Raptors squad at home Wednesday. New Orleans has dropped three of four but was without the services of star Anthony Davis due to illness in the Toronto game.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN New Orleans, SportSouth (Atlanta)
ABOUT THE PELICANS (27-40): Davis reportedly returned to practice Thursday but is still considered day-to-day. Davis had been on a tear before getting hit with the upper respiratory infection, including career bests of 40 points and 21 rebounds in a 121-120 win over the Boston Celtics on Sunday. The former No. 1 overall pick is averaging 35 points on 60.3 percent shooting while going 29-for-29 from the free-throw line in his last three games. “(Davis) is a freak athlete,” center Jeff Withey, who got the start in Davis’ place Wednesday, told reporters. “He helps the team a ton. … Obviously, with a guy that can rebound like Anthony, it is hard to make up for that.”
ABOUT THE HAWKS (31-35): The New York Knicks have won seven straight games but are not gaining any ground on Atlanta, which owns a four-game lead in the race for the No. 8 spot. Instead, the Hawks have their sights set in front of them on the Charlotte Bobcats, who are a half-game ahead in the No. 7 spot. Jeff Teague matched a career high with 34 points while Paul Millsap recorded his first triple-double in Tuesday’s triumph. “I was just trying to be aggressive,” Teague told reporters. “We just wanted to win the game really bad. We’ve been playing really well lately.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Pelicans have taken two straight in the series, including a 105-100 victory on Feb. 5 behind 27 points and 10 rebounds from Davis.
2. Atlanta F Kyle Korver has not missed a free throw since Feb. 21, going 28-for-28 over the last 12 games.
3. New Orleans G/F Tyreke Evans is averaging 20 points on 57.9 percent shooting in his last four games.