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Nets-Hawks Preview

Jan 6, 2010 - 4:55 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

New Jersey (3-30) at Atlanta (21-12), 7:00 p.m. EDT

After boasting one of the Eastern Conference's best records less than three weeks ago, the Atlanta Hawks have fallen on hard times. A game against the woeful New Jersey Nets might be what they need to get back on track.

Coming off their worst offensive performance of the season, the Hawks try to avoid losing five straight games for the first time in two years Wednesday night when they host the Nets.

With a 19-6 record on Dec. 18, Atlanta (21-12) owned the second-best record in the East, trailing conference-leading Boston by just one game. The Hawks seemed capable of making a run at the East's top seed in the playoffs, but they've lost six of eight since to drop to fourth. Their only victories in that stretch came over Minnesota and Indiana.

Following its win over the Pacers, Atlanta concluded the 2009 calendar year by getting swept in a home-and-home series against Cleveland. The Hawks then rang in 2010 with a 112-108 overtime loss to New York on New Year's Day before suffering one of their most embarrassing defeats of the season.

Atlanta was held to season lows in points (29.0 below its average) and field-goal percentage (35.2) in Monday's 92-75 loss to Miami. Joe Johnson, who averages a team-best 21.5 points, was the only starter in double figures for the Hawks, finishing with 11 on 4 of 15 shooting.

"If we would've put a little more effort in, it would have been a different story," point guard Mike Bibby said.

Atlanta, which hasn't lost five straight games since a six-game skid from Feb. 8-20, 2008, relies on an offense that ranks among the league leaders in scoring (104.0 points per game). When this unit sputters, though, that usually spells trouble for the Hawks, who are 1-6 when scoring fewer than 96 points.

Atlanta had one of its best offensive performances of the season against the Nets on Dec. 13. Led by Maurice Evans' 22 points, the Hawks had seven players in double figures and shot 53.3 percent - including 11 of 17 from 3-point range - in a 130-107 win.

Johnson had 21 points and 10 assists against the Nets last month, and he's averaging 25.2 points in five games against them since the start of last season.

The Hawks have won consecutive games against New Jersey after losing eight of the previous nine meetings.

The Nets (3-31) arrive in Atlanta following Tuesday's 98-76 loss to Milwaukee, their 12th defeat in 13 games. New Jersey again struggled to generate any kind of offense, shooting 37.9 percent while falling behind by as many as 24 points.

"There is no way to sugarcoat this," coach Kiki Vandeweghe said. "We did not come out and play well."

Prior to Tuesday's game, the Nets bought out the contract of veteran guard Rafer Alston and acquired point guard Chris Quinn from Miami.

One of the only bright spots for New Jersey, which is 1-16 on the road, is the play of post players Yi Jianlian and Brook Lopez.

Yi had 22 points Tuesday and is averaging 20.5 points in six games after missing seven weeks with a sprained knee.

Lopez has topped the 20-point mark in two of his last three games and finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds against the Hawks earlier this season.