Pistons at Hawks
Despite sliding down the standings since Christmas, the Atlanta Hawks are closing in on the final Eastern Conference playoff spot. They can take another step toward clinching the No. 8 seed with a win over the visiting Detroit Pistons on Tuesday. The Hawks have won 10 straight home games against the Pistons, who haven't won consecutive games since a three-game streak from Feb. 7-10.
Atlanta looked destined to drop out of the playoff picture when it lost six straight in late March, but the Hawks have won three of their last four and lead New York by two games for the last playoff spot. "We're genuinely more focused on building our habits and improving," Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters. "If we do what we talk about each day, things will take care of themselves." Atlanta has won six of the last eight meetings.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, no TV
ABOUT THE PISTONS (28-49): Detroit has lost three straight on the road and five of seven overall but is coming off a 115-111 win over Boston. The Pistons' frontcourt trio of Greg Monroe, Andre Drummond and Josh Smith combined for a whopping 59 points and 36 rebounds in a 115-107 home win over the Hawks on Feb. 21. Smith, who played the first nine seasons of his career with Atlanta, was less effective in the other two matchups with the Hawks this season and is averaging 9.3 points and shooting 30.8 percent in three meetings against his former team.
ABOUT THE HAWKS (34-42): Atlanta has won two straight, including a 107-88 drubbing of Indiana on the road Sunday. Point guard Jeff Teague has stepped up his game with the Hawks' playoff hopes on the line, averaging 22 points in the past three games. Power forward Paul Millsap also continues his stellar season and has recorded four straight double-doubles, averaging 20.8 points and 12.5 rebounds during the streak.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Hawks have averaged 34.3 first-quarter points over their last three games, topping the 30-point mark in the opening quarter of each contest.
2. Drummond, who ranks second in the NBA with 52 double-doubles, has recorded double-doubles in four of his five career games against the Hawks.
3. Atlanta's Kyle Korver needs one 3-pointer to become the 22nd player in NBA history to make 1,500 in his career.