Hornets at Hawks
The Charlotte Hornets are putting together some impressive individual performances; they just haven’t translated to wins. The Hornets will try to snap an eight-game slide when they visit the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday. The Hawks have won three of their last four and showcased their potential on the defensive end by holding the New Orleans Pelicans to 28 first-half points in a 100-91 victory Friday.
Charlotte center Cody Zeller is getting a chance to play more minutes due to injuries along the front line and has scored in double figures in three of the last four games. The second-year Indiana product recorded his first double-double of the season with 15 points and a career-high 14 rebounds in a 106-101 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Friday. Zeller will have his hands full with the Hawks pair of Paul Millsap and Al Horford, who combined for 23 points, 19 rebounds and five blocks in the win over the Pelicans.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, SportSouth (Charlotte, Atlanta)
ABOUT THE HORNETS (4-13): Backup guard Brian Roberts is carving out more time for himself on the top unit and followed up a career-high 24 points in a loss to Portland on Wednesday with 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting against Golden State. Roberts is 23-of-38 from the field in the last three games while averaging 29.7 minutes and taking some of the pressure off Kemba Walker. Four of Charlotte’s losses during the streak have come by five points or fewer, and the Hornets held the lead in the fourth quarter Friday before coming up short.
ABOUT THE HAWKS (8-6): Atlanta has allowed an average of 94 points in its last three wins but surrendered 122.3 in the last three setbacks. After letting the Toronto Raptors shoot 51.2 percent in a 126-115 loss Wednesday, the Hawks came out strong against the Pelicans and ended up holding them to 40.4 percent even after letting up in the fourth quarter. Holding things down on the offensive end is Jeff Teague, who is averaging 25.8 points on 53.8 percent shooting over the last five games – scoring more than 20 points in each contest.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Hawks G Kyle Korver has made 28 consecutive free throws.
2. Charlotte took the first meeting of the season, 122-119 in overtime on Nov. 7, behind 34 points from C Al Jefferson.
3. Atlanta G Thabo Sefolosha (illness) sat out Friday and is day-to-day.