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Hawks aim to complete season series sweep of Grizzlies

Mar 9, 2007 - 4:33 PM Memphis (15-47) at Atlanta (23-39) 7:30 pm EST

ATLANTA (Ticker) - The undermanned Atlanta Hawks will try to accomplish something Friday they have done not under coach Mike Woodson - sweep the Memphis Grizzlies.

However, the banged-up Hawks will have to do it without All-Star guard Joe Johnson, who averages 25 points per game but is expected to miss up to a month with a bruised right calf.

To make matters things worse, the Hawks also are without fellow starters Marvin Williams (lower back) and Speedy Claxton (knee).

Despite missing all three players, Atlanta ended a six-game losing streak with Wednesday's home 100-97 triumph over Washington as center Zaza Pachulia scored a career-high 27 points.

Pachulia scored 22 points in a 97-88 win at Memphis on December 15 that has positioned Atlanta for its first series sweep in three seasons.

The league-worst Grizzlies have lost five in a row, including Wednesday's 94-87 road loss to the Toronto Raptors. Memphis is 4-21 away from home, the worst mark in the NBA.

"There are a lot of things we need to get better at," Grizzlies swingman Mike Miller said. "Our concentration level needs to stay at a higher level so we need to get back to the basics."