Hawks vs Clippers: Game Thread – Atlanta Ice Cold, Los Angeles Red Hot

Dec 4, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks power forward Paul Millsap (4) drives to the basket around Los Angeles Clippers power forward Blake Griffin (32) in the second half at Philips Arena. The Hawks won 107-95. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

Game Preview

There’s no way to sugarcoat it — the Atlanta Hawks have been horrible as of late. Nine straight road losses, and counting, while they’ve dropped 13 of their last 14 overall, including the last five in a row.

The Hawks have not won since Feb. 22, and haven’t won a road game since Jan. 31 at Philadelphia, which is the second worst team in the NBA.

The Los Angeles Clippers on the other hand are in the midst of a season-high six-game winning streak.

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Quick Facts

Who?: Atlanta Hawks vs Los Angeles Clippers

What?: Fourth game of 5-game West Coast road trip (Game #61, Road Game #33)

Where?: Staples Center (Los Angeles, CA)

When?: Saturday, March 8, 2014 – 10:30 PM (ET)

How?: SportSouth HD TV / 92.9 FM

Probable Starters

Atlanta Hawks:

PG: Jeff Teague | SG: Kyle Korver | SF: DeMarre Carroll | PF: Paul Millsap | C: Pero Antic

Los Angeles Clippers:

PG: Chris Paul | SG: Darren Collison | SF: Matt Barnes | PF: Blake Griffin | C: DeAndre Jordan

Injury Report

Atlanta Hawks: Gustavo Ayon (right shoulder surgery), Al Horford (right pectoral muscle surgery) and John Jenkins (lower back surgery) are out.

Los Angeles Clippers: Jared Dudley (mid-back spasms) is a game-time decision. Jamal Crawford (strained left calf) is day-to-day. J.J. Redick (bulging disc lower back) is out.

Current Records, Streak & Hot, Lukewarm, or Cold

Records: Atlanta Hawks (26-34) / Los Angeles Clippers (43-20)

Streaks: Atlanta Hawks –> OVERALL: Lost 5 | HOME: Lost 1 | ROAD: Lost 9              Los Angeles Clippers –> OVERALL: Won 6 | HOME: Won 2 | ROAD: Won 4

Home/Away Records: Clippers are (25-5) at home / Hawks are (9-23) on the road.

Atlanta Hawks: Ice Cold. The Hawks have lost nine straight road games, and 13 of their last 14 overall, free falling from 3rd place in the (L)east conference to 8th.

Los Angeles Clippers: Hot. The Clippers are on a season-best six-game winning streak and just obliterated the Lakers on Thursday by 48 points — the most lopsided outcome in both teams franchise history.

Series Notes/Past Series Notes

The Hawks take on the Clippers in the second-of-two meetings this season. On 12/4, Atlanta defeated Los Angeles for the second straight time, emerging with a 107-97 home victory. Paul Millsap scored a game-high 25 points and added nine rebounds for the Hawks. Blake Griffin led Los Angeles in scoring with 24 points. The Clippers last defeated the Hawks on 11/11/12 in Los Angeles (89-76). Atlanta owns a 73-38 lead in the all-time series, including a 30-24 edge on the road.

LAST MEETING — HAWKS 107, CLIPPERS 97 — ATLANTA, GA — 12/4/13

The Hawks jumped out to an early 12-point lead, thanks to a 12-2 first quarter run, and pushed it to as-many-as-15 in the second, before settling for 55-44 halftime advantage. Los Angeles kept within striking distance for most of the second half, trailing 96-88 with four minutes to go, but Atlanta put it away with a late 11-2 spurt. Three Hawks topped the 20-point mark – Paul Millsap 25 (nine rebounds), Kyle Korver 23 (6-9 3FGs) and Al Horford 21 (nine rebounds). DeMarre Carroll and Shelvin Mack each added 12 points. Korver tied Dana Barros’ NBA record by making a three-pointer in his 89th consecutive game. Blake Griffin led L.A. with 24 points with Chris Paul adding 19 points and 11 assists. Atlanta shot .512 from the field for the night and knocked down a season-high 12-23 3FGs (.522), while the Clippers made .470 from the floor, including a 4-19 showing from distance (.211).

Common Threads

Elton Brand wore a Clippers uniform from 2001-08. Assistant Coach Jim Thomas played six games for Los Angeles in 1985-86. Doc Rivers played for Atlanta from 1983-91 and is the club’s all-time leader in assists (3,866). Clippers Assistant Coach Armond Hill served in the same capacity with the Hawks in 2003-04 and is a former Hawk (six seasons). Clippers Assistant Coach Tyronn Lue was a Hawk from 2004-08 (189 games). Jamal Crawford played for Atlanta from 2009-11, winning the NBA’s Sixth Man Award in 2009-10. Willie Green saw action in 53 games for the Hawks in 2011-12. Kyle Korver, Lou Williams, Matt Barnes and Green teamed-up in Philadelphia in 2005-06. Brand and Darren Collison played together with Dallas last season. Brand and Crawford were teammates in Chicago in 2000-01. Ryan Hollins and Cartier Martin both played for the Bobcats in 2008-09. Gustavo Ayon teamed with Glen Davis, J.J. Redick and Hedo Turkoglu in Orlando last season before Ayon and Redick were traded together to Milwaukee.

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Information was used from the Hawks and Clippers official gamenotes

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