Cavaliers 113 - 111 Hawks
Final
  for this game

Surging Hawks host Cavs

Nov 30, 2012 - 3:55 PM (Sports Network) - The Atlanta Hawks are currently one of the hottest teams in the NBA with six straight wins and will resume a five-game homestand Friday versus the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Hawks are 2-0 on the residency and recorded a 94-91 win over the Charlotte Bobcats Wednesday night at Philips Arena, where Josh Smith, Al Horford and Lou Williams scored 17 points apiece. Smith had 13 rebounds and Horford grabbed 11 boards for the Hawks, who are averaging 98.8 ppg during the win streak.

"These games, in the past, one of them we would've dropped if we didn't come out with enough energy and little things like that," Horford said on the team's website. "I think this year we're doing a good job even though it's closer than we would like. But we're getting the wins."

Since the start of the 2008-09 season, Atlanta has recorded a 117-46 (.718) regular season mark at Philips Arena.

Atlanta has not allowed an opposing team to shoot 50 percent from the field in a game this year and is tops in the league forcing 17.9 turnovers per game. The team is also averaging 28.3 assists (113) in the last four contests.

The Hawks will host Denver and Washington on the homestand.

In injury news for the Hawks, forward Kyle Korver (back) and guard Anthony Morrow (quadriceps) are both questionable Friday.

Cleveland is mired in a four-game losing streak, which continued Tuesday with a 91-78 loss versus the Phoenix Suns.

Anderson Varejao scored a game-high 20 points and pulled down 18 boards for his sixth straight double-double, while rookie Dion Waiters added 16 points and seven assists for the Cavaliers, who are just 1-4 since losing point guard Kyrie Irving to a finger injury, and 1-10 over their past 11 contests.

"You play well two nights in a row and you come home and play like this, that's the most frustrating part," Cavs coach Byron Scott said. "No disrespect to Phoenix, but (it doesn't) seem like a real physical team. Tonight they looked like one."

The Cavs had a 59-57 lead late in the third quarter, but Phoenix scored the final 14 points of the frame and never looked back.

Irving is expected to miss a month of action and Waiters is probable for Friday with a sore left hand. Cavs guard Daniel Gibson (elbow) is listed as questionable against the Hawks.

Cleveland has lost eight straight road games and is 1-9 as the visitor this season. Varejao has at least 15 rebounds in 10 of his 14 games played this season, including each of the last six games.

The Cavs lost all three meetings with Atlanta last season and have dropped the last seven matchups between the clubs. Cleveland is winless in its last four trips to Philips Arena.






Related News