The Atlanta Hawks enter Wednesday night's game against the Golden State Warriors with a chance to have their second two-game win streak of the season.
The team had lost two in a row to the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Clippers before winning 95-87 against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night. Josh Smith led the team with 19 points and 11 rebounds and also added three assists.
The Atlanta bench came up big against Portland, outscoring the Blazers 26-6.
"We knew they were going to go on a run but it just shows you how this is a veteran team," Smith said to the Associated Press. "We didn't get rattled. We took our time, even when they took the lead and we figured out a way to score the basketball late down the stretch."
The team has had issues closing out games this season, including against Clippers, who scored the final 10 points against the Hawks and also went on a 15-1 run in the fourth quarter. Atlanta has allowed 92 points per game this season and is ranked 23rd in the league in rebounds each game.
The Golden State Warriors have also had issues closing out games this season, including in Saturday's 107-101 double-overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets. The team had a lead in the first overtime period, but allowed Danilo Gallinari to tie the game with a dunk with only two seconds left.
"We had the lead a couple times in late-game situations and our inexperience showed," said David Lee.
The team has lost two in a row and heads out on a three-game road trip following the matchup against the Hawks, including a game on Sunday against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Warriors have also struggled with free throw shooting, making only 71 percent of its attempts, one of the lowest in the league. The Warriors have turned over the ball at an alarming rate this year as well, with 16.3 turnovers per game.
"If we even play halfway decent it's not a game to begin with," Lee said. "It's very frustrating."
The Warriors were victorious in the only matchup for the two teams last season, winning 85-82 in Atlanta. "Lee posted 22 points and 12 rebounds, while Smith finished with 14 points and 10 boards," according to the Associated Press.
Al Horford has been the most consistent player for the Hawks, averaging 14 points and eight rebounds per game, the best on the team.
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