Hawks at Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans are one of four NBA teams still winless on the young season, and coach Alvin Gentry admits his team has a long way to go entering Friday’s home contest against the streaking Atlanta Hawks. “We’ve just got a lot of work to do,” Gentry told reporters after the Pelicans lost their fourth game in a row Tuesday, a 103-94 home defeat to previously winless Orlando during which cold shooting and struggling defense combined to limit New Orleans.
The Pelicans reside near the bottom of the NBA in field-goal percentage (40.9 percent), missed 12 of their first 13 attempts from 3-point range Tuesday and have allowed 115 points per game while losing by an average of 14.3 points. It is a much more pleasant picture in Atlanta, where the defending Southeast Division champions have reeled off five victories in a row since dropping its season opener. The Hawks recorded season highs in blocked shots (15) and steals (10) Wednesday, knocking off Brooklyn 101-87. “The activity and the effort, particularly in the first and fourth quarters, really allowed us to win the game,” Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters after the Hawks scored 25 points off 19 forced turnovers.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Southeast (Atlanta), FSN New Orleans
ABOUT THE HAWKS (5-1): While plenty of talk surrounded Atlanta’s defensive effort Wednesday, the Hawks were nearly flawless offensively after halftime, scoring 60 points on 59 percent shooting from the field with 16 assists. Point guard Jeff Teague is off to a fantastic start, averaging 19.2 points and 5.8 assists, while center Al Horford has been solid on both ends of the court in averaging 18 points, 8.7 rebounds and two blocks. Atlanta is 3-0 on the road, holding opponents to 95 points per contest.
ABOUT THE PELICANS (0-4): Injuries have kept Gentry from settling into a steady rotation as centers Omer Asik and Kendrick Perkins, guards Tyreke Evans and Norris Cole, and forward Quincy Pondexter were unavailable Tuesday. Forward Anthony Davis played some at center Tuesday and struggled, finishing with a season-low 14 points on 3-of-12 shooting from the field. Davis is averaging 20.8 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks per game, but five of New Orleans’ top six scorers are shooting under 40 percent from the field.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Horford has scored 15 or more points in each of Atlanta's first six games to become the first Hawks player to do so since Joe Johnson in 2008.
2. The Pelicans – who have led for just 10 minutes, 20 seconds so far – are off to their worst start since opening the 2004-05 campaign with eight straight losses.
3. Atlanta G Kyle Korver is expected to play Friday as Budenholzer continues his rotation of resting G/F Thabo Sefolosha on the first game of back-to-backs and sitting Korver the next night.