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Hawks go for 16th straight win vs. Wolves

Jan 25, 2015 - 4:03 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Atlanta Hawks are soaring at a height the likes of which the franchise has never seen before.

The Hawks are riding a team-record 15-game winning streak and will put the impressive mark on the line Sunday versus the Minnesota Timberwolves in the continuation of a seven-game homestand at Philips Arena.

Atlanta kept the winning streak intact with Friday's 103-93 triumph over the Oklahoma City Thunder, as Paul Millsap finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds to lead the hosts. Jeff Teague scored 17 points, Al Horford supplied 14 and 12 rebounds, and DeMarre Carroll netted 13 points.

"It's cool to get your name in the record books, but at the same time we still have a big task at hand," Carroll said. "That's to make it to the playoffs and bring an NBA championship here to Atlanta."

Kyle Korver was the only Atlanta starter who didn't reach double figures in scoring with five points.

The Eastern Conference-leading Hawks have won six in a row at home and are 29-2 over the past 31 games. The last time Atlanta tasted defeat was Dec. 26 versus the Milwaukee Bucks.

Leaders of the Southeast Division, the Hawks are 3-0 on this homestand and 19-3 overall at Philips Arena. They will also welcome Brooklyn, Portland and Philadelphia to town.

Atlanta has reached the 100-point mark 11 times during the historic run. It has one of the stingiest defenses in the league, allowing 96.1 ppg, and sits 28 games above .500 for the first time since the end of 1996-97 (56-26).

The chances of Minnesota ending Atlanta's 15-game winning streak are slim. It is a lowly 7-35 on the season and has lost three in a row, including Friday's 92-84 setback to the New Orleans Pelicans.

Thaddeus Young scored 15 points, Gorgui Dieng added 14 to go along with 15 rebounds, and both Andrew Wiggins and Nikola Pekovic netted 13 points for the Timberwolves, who made 41.7 percent from the floor and turned the ball over 15 times for 16 New Orleans points. Pekovic returned Wednesday after missing the previous 31 games with ankle and wrist issues.

T-wolves coach Flip Saunders expressed concern for the young Wiggins.

"I think he's hit the rookie wall a bit," Saunders said. "Somehow we've got to find a way to go right through it. He's got to find a soft spot in that wall and we have to bust right through it."

Speaking of busting through, Wolves guard Kevin Martin was downgraded from questionable to out earlier in the day and experienced more swelling in his fractured right wrist. Martin will most likely sit again Sunday and has been out the last 32 contests.

Minnesota is only 4-17 away from home and will also visit Oklahoma City.

The T-wolves and Hawks split two meetings last season and are scheduled to play again Feb. 9 in the Twin Cities. Atlanta is 15-3 in the past 18 games in this series and unbeaten in 11 straight versus Minnesota at home.