Warriors at Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks and the Golden State Warriors both have comfortable leads on the rest of their respective conferences. The two juggernauts will try to decide which team in the best in the NBA when the Warriors visit the Hawks on Friday. Golden State owns the best winning percentage in the league at .830 but is two behind Atlanta in total wins as it embarks on a stretch of 10 of the next 11 games on the road.
The Warriors appeared to be looking ahead to Friday in the first quarter of Wednesday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks, falling behind 24-4 early in the first quarter before turning things around on both ends. The Hawks had their own bounce-back performance on Wednesday with an easy victory over the Washington Wizards two nights after their franchise-record 19-game winning streak came to an end. Golden State and Atlanta both rely on rapid ball movement while ranking first and second, respectively, in the NBA in assists.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (Golden State), SportSouth (Atlanta)
ABOUT THE WARRIORS (39-8): Stephen Curry went for a season-high 51 points while burying 10 3-pointers in the 128-114 win over the Mavericks on Wednesday and has gone for 21 or more points in six straight games. The All-Star guard averages 24.9 points on the road this season and Golden State is 14-1 against the East, including 6-0 against the Southeast Division. “Everyone feels good right now. We’re in good shape and ready to roll,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters. “There shouldn’t be any excuses.”
ABOUT THE HAWKS (41-9): Atlanta’s 24-3 home record is bested only by Golden State’s 23-2 mark, and the Hawks picked up their 11th straight home victory in Wednesday’s 105-96 triumph over the Wizards. Atlanta doesn’t have anyone like Curry but is instead exceptional due to its balance, which was highlighted when the NBA named all five starters as co-Players of the Month for January. “It’s something that is reflective of how the group is playing and that our team, hopefully, can be a challenge for our opponent every night on both ends of the court and that we are doing things together collectively,” Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters. “That is what we are talking about every day whether anybody else recognizes it or not.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Warriors have taken five straight in the series, including three in a row at the Hawks.
2. Atlanta C Al Horford has three double-doubles in the last five games.
3. Golden State has scored 100 or more points in 19 straight games.