The Atlanta Hawks continue to quietly rise as one of the top teams in the NBA as they jump into first place in the Eastern Conference proving a large number of doubters wrong. In the preseason, the Hawks were not expected to be much after an offseason of front office drama. However, the team entered with confidence after making a little run in the NBA playoffs last year keeping the momentum alive. Now Atlanta looks to wrap up a brief road trip by facing the Los Angeles Clippers at the Staples Center.
Suddenly, the Hawks have the attention of the NBA. The team has won their last 18 of 20 games while sitting on a four-game win streak being 25-8 overall. They are coming off a 115-107 win over the Portland Trail Blazers which extended their Western Conference win streak to seven games. The Hawks now sit at the top of the Eastern Conference, a position they have not held since the 1993-94 season.
The Hawks are getting production from every member of the roster which is a big reason of their wins. DeMarre Carroll has become a breakout star for the team, averaging 11.4 points per game while Jeff Teague continues to lead at the point guard spot with 17.3 points per game and 7.0 assists. Teague only put up nine points against the Clippers in their first meeting this season as he came off the bench due to a hamstring problem. However, Carroll added 25 points and 10 rebounds while Al Horford put up 20 for himself.
The Clippers are looking to avenge that last loss against the Hawks with some home-court advantage. The team has won four of their last five since losing to Atlanta. They are coming off a win over Philadelphia where Chris Paul added 24 points and 12 assists in just 30 minutes. DeAndre Jordan is coming off a 22-rebound performance against Atlanta while Blake Griffin had 21 points. However, Atlanta escaped in the end by make 12 of 23 3-point shots.
Watch Clippers vs. Hawks live stream, click here.
