The Detroit Pistons have been one of the NBA's hottest teams over the past two weeks, but they'll have to contend with a club that has been surging for much longer when they host the Atlanta Hawks on Friday. The Pistons have won seven straight — the longest current streak in the league and Detroit's longest in six years. The Hawks have been even hotter, winning six straight and 20 of 22 to take over the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
Detroit is unbeaten since waiving free-agent bust Josh Smith on Dec. 22, going 7-0 since the move after a 5-23 start. "From then on, it's just been different," Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy told reporters. "They've worked harder. They've been more attentive, a lot more together." To keep the streak going, the Pistons will have to hand the Hawks their first road defeat since Dec. 13 at Orlando and snap a franchise record-tying seven-game winning streak away from home.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, SportSouth (Atlanta), FSN Detroit
ABOUT THE HAWKS (27-8): Atlanta has great balance, with all five starters averaging double-digit scoring, but point guard Jeff Teague (17.7 points, seven assists) has emerged as the go-to guy late in games. Teague put up 25 points in a 96-86 home win over Memphis on Wednesday and has averaged 23.5 points during the six-game winning streak. Atlanta's frontcourt duo of Paul Millsap (17 points, 8.1 rebounds) and Al Horford (14.5 points, 6.2 rebounds) will have a key matchup against a pair of towering post players in Detroit's Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond.
ABOUT THE PISTONS (12-23): Detroit has come to life at the offensive end of late, averaging 107.9 points during the winning streak, and it's coming from all over. Point guard Brandon Jennings (14.1 points, 6.3 assists) has averaged 22.8 points in the past four contests and big men Monroe (14.8 points, 9.4 rebounds) and Drummond (12.8 points, 13.3 rebounds) both are averaging double-doubles during the winning streak. Reserves Jodie Meeks (13.6 points) and D.J. Augustin (9.2 points, 4.1 assists) also have had hot hands the past few games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Teague has scored 20 or more points in a career-high six straight games.
2. Detroit has scored 100 or more points in nine of its last 10 games after doing so only four times in its first 25 contests, two of which came in overtime games.
3. The Hawks are 12-1 when recording at least 10 steals and have racked up 30 over their past two games, including a season-high 17 against Memphis.