The Atlanta Hawks aim for their eighth straight victory when they host the improving Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday. The Hawks, who are 9-2 at home, already have their longest winning streak in five years and are after their first eight-game run since 1997. The Sixers have won two of their last three after a 17-game skid to begin the season but have dropped four straight meetings with Atlanta.
The Hawks rolled to a 108-92 win at Indiana on Monday, blitzing the Pacers with a 60-point first half and holding the opposition under 100 points for the fifth time in seven games. "Our guys' activity and energy on both ends of the court was good," Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters. "We just need to keep getting better and build off that." Philadelphia finally has a foundation to build from after winning two of three, including a 108-101 overtime victory at Detroit on Saturday in which the Sixers did not allow a field goal in the extra period.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia, SportSouth (Atlanta)
ABOUT THE 76ERS (2-18): Philadelphia has stumbled onto an offensive weapon in small forward Robert Covington, who has topped his career high in points in three straight games with 17, 21 and 25 over the past three contests. Covington's emergence has helped take some of the pressure off second-year point guard Michael Carter-Williams (16.3 points, 7.4 assists, 7.1 rebounds) and rookie K.J. McDaniels (10.1 points), who has been forced to carry the team at times. The Sixers likely will continue to be short-handed in the backcourt, as leading scorer Tony Wroten (knee) is expected to miss his sixth consecutive game and Alexey Shved (hip) is listed as questionable after missing the past three contests.
ABOUT THE HAWKS (14-6): Atlanta is getting it done at both ends during its winning streak, averaging 104 points on 49.3 percent shooting while holding opponents to 89.1 points on 41.8 percent from the field. Part of what makes the Hawks so dangerous is their ability to win with strong guard play from the likes of Jeff Teague (17.5 points, 7.1 assists) and emerging reserve Dennis Schroder (9.2 points) or by pounding the paint. Big men Paul Millsap (16.6 points, 7.7 rebounds) and Al Horford (13.4 points, 6.3 rebounds) will be a handful for Philadelphia's inexperienced frontcourt.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Atlanta has scored 90 or more points in all 20 of its games, its longest such streak to start a season since a 34-game run in 1989-90.
2. 76ers F Luc Richard Mbah a Moute has scored in double figures in three straight games, his longest streak since a seven-game stretch in March 2011.
3. Hawks SG Kyle Korver has made 38 consecutive free throws dating to Nov. 7, nine shy of Tom McMillen's franchise record set in 1978-79.