New Jersey (42-28) at Atlanta (22-48) 7:00 pm EST
ATLANTA (Ticker) -- Currently the hottest team in the league,
the New Jersey Nets don't have any plans of cooling off when
they visit the Atlanta Hawks on Friday.
With a win, the Nets can clinch their fifth consecutive trip to
the postseason. Their magic number to capture the Atlantic
Division title for the fourth time in five years is only three.
They also trail the Miami Heat by just 5 1/2 games for the
second spot in the Eastern Conference standings.
Winners of its last 10 contests, New Jersey can surpass its best
winning streak of the season with a triumph against the Hawks.
New Jersey posted its best run this campaign from December
16-January 8.
The Nets defeated the Memphis Grizzlies, 86-74, on Wednesday.
They held the Grizzlies to a season-low 13 points in the second
quarter. New Jersey took control of the game in the second
period with a 22-5 burst.
Richard Jefferson scored 27 points and Vince Carter added 23 to
push his streak to 15 straight games with 20 or more points.
Jason Kidd finished with 12 assists for the Nets, who led by as
many as 23 points.
By surviving to post a 94-93 victory over the Indiana Pacers on
Wednesday, the Hawks snapped a five-game losing skid and swept
the Pacers for the first time since the 1984-85 season.
Al Harrington had 23 points and eight rebounds and Zaza Pachulia
added 17 and nine. Joe Johnson connected on just 4-of-18 shots
for 12 points, but handed out eight assists.
The Nets and Hawks have split their first two meetings of the
season with each team winning on their home floor. Atlanta
edged New Jersey, 104-102, in overtime on February 27 after a
long 3-pointer by Carter rattled in and out and Nenad Krstic
failed to convert a follow shot as time expired.





