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Hawks-Nets Preview

Mar 16, 2010 - 2:55 AM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Atlanta (42-23) at New Jersey (7-59), 7:30 p.m. EDT

The New Jersey Nets may be on their way to setting the NBA record for futility, but they've been competitive well into the fourth quarter in each of their past four losses.

That's more than they can say about their two previous meetings with the Atlanta Hawks.

Still hoping to make a run at the Southeast Division title, the Hawks would love to enjoy another rout of the Nets on Tuesday night in East Rutherford as they begin a stretch of five games in seven nights.

Atlanta (42-23) trails Orlando by 3 1/2 games in the Southeast but is only two behind the Magic in the loss column, leaving plenty of opportunity to make up ground over the season's final month.

Three games in the next four days and five in the next week give the Hawks an opportunity to gather some momentum. They bounced back from consecutive losses by winning 105-99 at Washington on Thursday, then came home and shot a season-high 63.0 percent in a 112-99 rout of Detroit on Saturday.

Atlanta led by as many as 28 points in the first half, but let the Pistons close to within nine in the fourth quarter before answering with an 11-4 run.

"We've been letting teams back in games," said Josh Smith, who had 18 points, a career-high 11 assists and five steals. "We were able to get that final push in the fourth quarter."

One team Atlanta certainly hasn't let hang around is New Jersey (7-59). The Hawks outscored the Nets in each quarter of a 130-107 victory Dec. 13, then jumped out to a 17-point lead after 12 minutes on their way to a 119-89 rout Jan. 6.

That loss ended a season-high four-game losing streak for the Hawks, and while that sort of slump might be rare for Mike Woodson's team, it certainly isn't for the Nets.

New Jersey's current four-game slide is its sixth of at least that length, a big reason it needs three wins over the final 16 games to avoid matching the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers for the worst record in league history.

The Nets, however, didn't look historically bad during their recently completed five-game road trip. New Jersey beat New York 113-93 to kick off the trip, then stayed close well into the fourth quarter of its next four losses.

Like the Hawks in their most recent game, the Nets delivered their most efficient shooting performance of the season in their last outing, connecting on 53.9 percent from the field. But Luis Scola scored a career-high 44 points - many off second-chance points - to lift Houston to a 116-108 win Saturday in New Jersey's third game in four nights.

"We were a little tired and it was tough in the fourth quarter," coach Kiki Vandeweghe said. "They pulled away at the end, and the offensive rebounding killed us. The second-chance points really hurt."

Brook Lopez scored 22 points Saturday while battling foul trouble, but he wasn't at his best on the Nets' road trip. The second-year center averaged 14.0 points on 39.3 percent shooting over the final four games.

New Jersey's backcourt, though, is keeping the team competitive. Devin Harris averaged 23.6 points on the trip, while Courtney Lee has scored 19.0 points per game since returning from a sprained left ankle.

The Nets are 4-5 when Lee scores 21 points or more and 2-44 when he has 20 or fewer.

Atlanta's Jamal Crawford has averaged 26.1 points in his last seven games against the Nets. He scored 29 in 24 minutes in the 30-point win in January.