Cavaliers at Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks were once the third-best team in the Eastern Conference and a near-lock for a playoff berth. The Hawks will be attempting to regain the No. 8 spot and end their free fall when they host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday. Atlanta fell for the seventh time in eight games on Wednesday as the Cavaliers were polishing off the Orlando Magic, pushing Cleveland within two games of that coveted No. 8 spot.
The Cavaliers won for the sixth time in seven games on Wednesday and got their best player back in All-Star Kyrie Irving (biceps), who returned from an eight-game absence and provided 17 points and eight assists in the 119-98 triumph. The Hawks would love to get some of their players back from injury but Al Horford (shoulder) is not walking through the door. Atlanta finishes up the regular season with its last eight games against East teams but has the top two (Miami and Indiana) along with playoff teams Brooklyn and Charlotte in the mix.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cleveland), SportSouth (Atlanta)
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (31-45): Cleveland’s recent surge and Atlanta’s swoon gives the Cavaliers a strong chance of jumping over the Hawks - unfortunately there’s another team in the mix. Cleveland also has to chase down the surging New York Knicks for the No. 8 spot and looked like a team that could make a move with Irving on the floor on Wednesday. The All-Star went 7-of-8 from the field in 29 minutes and guided an attack that racked up 25 fast-break points. “I was really excited to be out there with my teammates,” Irving told reporters. “We just had a great rhythm. I wasn’t trying to force it. I was just trying to let the game come to me and play off of my teammates as best as I can.”
ABOUT THE HAWKS (32-42): Atlanta was four games above .500 after a win on Feb. 1 but has gone 7-21 since that point to slide down to two percentage points behind the Knicks. The Hawks had a chance to earn back-to-back wins for the first time in two weeks on Wednesday but allowed the Chicago Bulls to shoot 51.3 percent while turning the ball over 16 times in a 105-92 home loss. “I think we had a lot of unforced turnovers,” guard Lou Williams told reporters. “I had five turnovers myself, which is uncharacteristic of how I play. I don’t really make a lot of high-risk plays.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Hawks have taken three straight in the series, including a 127-125 overtime win on Dec. 26 - the night Horford was injured.
2. Cleveland C Anderson Varejao (shoulder) sat out Wednesday’s game and is doubtful for Friday.
3. Atlanta F Kyle Korver is 5-for-12 from 3-point range in two games since returning from a back injury.