Hawks at Nets
The Atlanta Hawks are limping toward the end of the regular season, losing eight of their last 11 games entering Sunday’s contest against the host Brooklyn Nets, but hope Paul Millsap is close to returning from a knee injury. An All-Star who is averaging 18.1 points, Millsap has been sidelined with synovitis in his left knee for eight games but participated in most of Friday’s practice.
Atlanta also hopes forward Thabo Sefolosha, who has missed four games with a right groin strain, can return soon as it enters Sunday one game behind Milwaukee for fifth place in the Eastern Conference and two ahead of three other teams. Brooklyn owns the worst record in the league but has played well of late, going 5-6 over its last 11 contests - including a 107-92 triumph in Atlanta last Sunday. Brooke Lopez has sparked the Nets, averaging 21.2 points over his last 17 games while scoring 20 or more 11 times in that span. Trevor Booker scored a season-high 23 points in Saturday’s victory over Orlando, Brooklyn’s third win in its last four home games.
TV: 6 p.m. ET, FSN Southeast (Atlanta), YES (Brooklyn)
ABOUT THE HAWKS (39-37): Dwight Howard recorded his ninth consecutive double-double Saturday (13 points, 12 rebounds), but Atlanta squandered a nine-point lead with five minutes left en route to a 106-104 loss at Chicago. Dennis Schroder scored 29 points but committed a critical turnover in the final seconds - his 20th miscue in the last three games. Atlanta got back Michael Dunleavy (right ankle) on Saturday but played without Malcolm Delaney (back spasms).
ABOUT THE NETS (17-59): Booker hit 11-of-12 shots and grabbed eight rebounds in Saturday’s victory as Brooklyn's bench produced 72 points. Lopez scored 30 points on his 29th birthday and is averaging a team-high 20.7, helping the Nets record 121 or more three times since the beginning of March. Brooklyn can impact the playoff race as four of its final six games are against seventh-place Chicago (two), Atlanta and first-place Boston.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Brooklyn finished March with a 7-10 record, and six of the defeats were by nine points or fewer.
2. Atlanta G Tim Hardaway Jr. has made a 3-pointer in 28 consecutive games, the third-longest streak in franchise history.
3. The Nets are 1-2 in the season series but held the Hawks to 34.7 percent shooting - including 5-of-27 from 3-point range - in last Sunday's victory.