Hawks at Knicks
The New York Knicks put in work on defense en route to a pair of wins but wilted on that end in Thursday's loss to the Washington Wizards. The Atlanta Hawks, who visit the Knicks on Sunday afternoon, can punish defenses from several angles and should be motivated to bounce back after their six-game winning streak came to an end on Friday at Charlotte.
New York breezed to a 93-77 win over Dallas on Monday and dominated the glass 58-45 in a 105-102 home win over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday but struggled to find their legs at Washington in a 119-112 setback the next night. The Knicks allowed the struggling Wizards to shoot 54.3 percent from the field, including 15-of-25 from beyond the arc while allowing an opponent to score at least 114 points for the sixth time in 12 games. The Hawks are strong on both ends and own the best point differential in the Eastern Conference (plus-8.5) despite Friday's setback. Atlanta looked like it was headed toward a seventh straight win on Friday until center Dwight Howard was ejected midway through the fourth quarter for throwing an elbow at the head of Hornets center Cody Zeller.
TV: Noon, ET, FSN Southeast (Atlanta), MSG (New York)
ABOUT THE HAWKS (9-3): Howard has been everything Atlanta wanted since signing with his hometown team as a free agent over the summer and collected 10 points, 18 rebounds, three steals and a pair of blocks before being ejected on Friday. Howard sat out the second night of a back-to-back on Wednesday due to a quad injury and was healthy enough on Friday to post his ninth double-double. All-Star power forward Paul Millsap delivered a double-double as well with 22 points and 13 boards on Friday and went 1-of-2 from 3-point range while the rest of his teammates were a collective 6-of-26 from beyond the arc.
ABOUT THE KNICKS (5-7): Derrick Rose scored a season-high 27 points on Thursday, marking the sixth time in as many occasions that New York lost when he scored 16 points or more. The former MVP endured his worst game - three points on 1-of-6 shooting and five turnovers - in Monday's win over Dallas and is still trying to find his way with Carmelo Anthony, Kristaps Porzingis and coach Jeff Hornacek in his first season with the Knicks. Fellow former Chicago Bull Joakim Noah continues to struggle as well and scored in double figures just once in the first 12 games - a 117-104 win in the return to Chicago on Nov. 2.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Hawks PG Dennis Schroder went 0-of-5 from 3-point range on Friday after hitting 6-of-8 from beyond the arc in the previous three games.
2. Knicks reserve G Brandon Jennings scored 17 points on Thursday, matching his total from the previous four games.
3. The teams split four meetings last season, with the Knicks taking the final two on Jan. 3 and 5.