The Brooklyn Nets are almost there. Currently the No. 7 seed in the East, the Nets will have to collapse pretty badly in their last five games in order to miss the playoffs entirely. They’ve got a chance to take one major step closer toward that berth at home against an Atlanta Hawks team with essentially nothing to play for and on the second night of a back-to-back.
But the Hawks have smoked the Nets in the previous three meetings this season, so Brooklyn still better bring its A-game at Barclays. Check out our preview of this Eastern Conference clash below.
The playoff picture is also pretty interesting in the West, particularly with the New Orleans Pelicans. See if they can get a tighter grip of the No. 8 seed as we preview the Pelicans vs. Grizzlies.
Paul who? The Atlanta Hawks did not miss a single beat without injured All-Star Paul Millsap as they destroyed the Phoenix Suns, 96-69, at home. With the win, the Hawks set a new franchise record with 58 regular season wins.
[sc:NBA240banner ]Mike Muscala filled in superbly for Millsap with 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting, with seven rebounds and four steals. Muscala also impressed in his most recent start with 18 points and 10 rebounds in a 115-100 loss at Charlotte on March 28.
Not to be outdone, fellow forward DeMarre Carroll had 16 points of his own on 8-of-9 shooting from the field. All-Stars Jeff Teague and Al Horford added 16 and 14 points, respectively.
The trio of Carroll, Horford and Teague also led the Hawks to a huge win over the Nets at home just last Saturday. The three combined for 57 points as the Hawks blew out Brooklyn, 131-99. Their first two meetings – a 98-75 win on Dec. 5 and a 113-102 win on Jan. 28 – also weren’t close.
However, the Hawks likely won’t expend their starters too much since they’re playing the second night of a back-to-back. Atlanta has lost the back end of its last two back-to-backs on the road to the Hornets and Pistons, both by double-digits. The Hawks are just 1-4 (straight-up and against the spread) in their last five road games overall.
The playoffs are within sight for the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets recorded their seventh win in eight games with a 106-96 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Brooklyn is currently in sole possession of the No. 7 seed, a full game ahead of the No. 8 Celtics and two games ahead of the Pacers and the Heat with five games remaining.
Brook Lopez continued his incredible late-season explosion with 32 points on 15-of-25 shooting against the Blazers. This was Lopez’s sixth 30-plus-point game in an 11-game run where he’s averaging 26 points and shooting close to 61 percent.
However, his worst game of that stretch was against the Hawks. He scored just 11 points in 26 minutes of action as Atlanta blitzed Brooklyn to the tune of 108-71 through three quarters.
But things could be much different this time around for Lopez and Deron Williams, who scored just 10 points against the Hawks but has put in an average of 27 points in his other three April games. With the Hawks likely to rest their stars due to the back-to-back, Lopez and Williams should have their way with the Atlanta reserves.
Lopez loves playing at the Barclays Center. He’s averaging 2.5 points more at home than on the road this season, and is averaging 28.4 points and 11 rebounds in his last seven home games. The Nets, as a result, have gone 6-1 in those seven games (5-1-2 against the spread).
Writer’s Prediction
The Nets cruise past a weakened Hawks team, 105-97.
