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Hawks look to bounce back vs. Clippers

Jan 14, 2009 - 11:24 AM Atlanta (22-15) at LA Clippers (8-29) 10:30 p.m. EST

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The Atlanta Hawks have fallen on hard times. A date would the Los Angeles Clippers should break them out of their slump.

The Hawks will be looking to snap a season-high, four-game slide when they face the Clippers on Wednesday.

Atlanta has had most of its recent breakdowns on defense, allowing just under 111 points per game. Perhaps the biggest defensive presence on the Hawks' roster, Al Horford, will not be around for a while after suffering a bone bruise in his right knee on Friday.

Without Horford in the lineup on Tuesday, Atlanta allowed a combined 43 points to Shaquille O'Neal and Amare Stoudemire in a 107-102 loss to the Phoenix Suns.

Joe Johnson suffered through one of his worst games of the season against the Suns, managing 11 points on 4-of-21 shooting. The All-Star guard, who is averaging 22.3 points per game, has scored 14 or less in five of the last six games.

Coming in with 11 straight loses, the Clippers should provide an easy mark.

Los Angeles has been without the services of top scorers Baron Davis (bruised tailbone), Zach Randolph (bruised left knee), Chris Kaman (strained arch) and Ricky Davis (sore left knee) during much of the skid and will likely not have any of them against the Hawks.