Hawks at Nets
The Atlanta Hawks took care of business on their home floor in Game 5, and the Nets will get a chance to hold serve in their own arena when the series shifts back to Brooklyn for Game 6 on Friday. The Nets were within two points late in Game 5 before the Hawks closed with a 10-2 run to grab a 107-97 win and a 3-2 lead in the best-of-7 series.
Top-seeded Atlanta held a 2-0 lead in the series before stumbling on the road the first time around and is still battling while the Washington Wizards wait around resting after sweeping the Toronto Raptors in the 4-5 matchup. “The playoffs are a new season, the records go out the window,” Hawks center Al Horford told reporters. “They’re pushing us, we’re pushing them, and I feel like it’s going to make us better in the end.” The Nets would be better with a consistent effort from Deron Williams. The point guard slumped to five points on 2-of-8 shooting in Game 5 after going for 35 points in the Game 4 win.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN, SportSouth (Atlanta), WWOR (Brooklyn)
ABOUT THE HAWKS: DeMarre Carroll did his best to help Atlanta in Games 3 and 4 and put together his third straight 20-point effort with 24 points in Game 5. The veteran forward is 25-of-42 from the floor in the last three games and buried two of the Hawks’ 13 3-pointers in the Game 5 win. “I think the last two games the offense has been better,” Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters. “The shooting, the rhythm, the commitment to everything that we’re doing has been better. I think it’s been reflective in our shooting and our offense in general.”
ABOUT THE NETS: Jarrett Jack and Joe Johnson were the only two players to score for Brooklyn in the final 9 1/2 minutes of Game 5 as Williams and Brook Lopez disappeared down the stretch. Lopez endured his worst effort of the series with 15 points on 4-of-13 shooting and three rebounds in the loss. “In the playoffs there are a lot of chances, a lot of opportunities," Brooklyn coach Lionel Hollins told reporters. "Sometimes you get them, sometimes you don't. You have to live with it and move on to the next game.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Nets G Alan Anderson is shooting 74.2 percent from the field in the series, including 8-of-11 from 3-point range.
2. Horford posted his third double-double of the series with 20 points and 15 rebounds in Game 5.
3. Williams has scored five or fewer points three times in the series.