Nets at Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks look to extend their franchise-record winning streak to 17 games when they host the fading Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday. Brooklyn stumbled to a 2-10 mark over its last dozen games while the balanced Hawks have lost twice in 32 contests. “It’s not anybody doing something out of the ordinary that makes us win,” Atlanta guard Thabo Sefolosha told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Everybody is playing to their character. Everybody is playing their role. It’s working for us.”
The Hawks lead the league in scoring defense (96.2 points) and are second in assists (26.2) with four players boasting All Star-worthy numbers. Brooklyn had its game against Portland at home Monday postponed due to poor weather conditions after two straight losses by an average of 37 points. The Nets’ swoon has dropped them to ninth in the Eastern Conference and they have played better on the road (10-12) than at home (8-14).
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN, YES (Brooklyn) SportSouth (Atlanta)
ABOUT THE NETS (18-26): Trade rumors are swirling around Brooklyn’s top two scorers Joe Johnson (15.5) and Brook Lopez (14.6), who have combined for 25 points in the last two games. Johnson has been bothered by a sore knee and it hasn’t helped that third-leading scorer Deron Williams (13.9) has been out with a rib injury 10 of the last 11 contests and likely another Wednesday. Center Mason Plumlee has raised his level of the play while averaging 13.5 points and shooting 68.6 percent from the field in January.
ABOUT THE HAWKS (37-8): Atlanta has already tied the franchise record for wins (Dec. 2014, Jan. 1997) in a month with 14 and has three home games left to break it. Jeff Teague (17.1 points, team-best 7.5 assists) continues his strong play at the point and Paul Millsap (17 points, team-high 7.9 rebounds) has scored at least 20 in three of the last four games. Al Horford averages 15.2 points and is shooting 73.6 percent from the field his last seven games while Kyle Korver makes an NBA-best 53.1 percent from 3-point range.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Brooklyn dropped a 98-75 decision to Atlanta on Dec. 5 - its second lowest output of the season.
2. Atlanta G Shelvin Mack is expected to miss his fifth straight game with a left calf strain.
3. Nets PF Kevin Garnett is 14 rebounds from tying Nate Thurmond for eighth on the NBA’s all-time list.