The two very best teams in the NBA square off Friday night when the East's top squad, the Atlanta Hawks, host the No. 1 team from the west, the Golden State Warriors.
Atlanta has the most victories in the NBA with 41, but the Warriors have the best winning percentage.
The Hawks are third in the NBA in opponents' scoring and fifth in opponents' field goal percentage. Golden State is ranked first in opponents' field goal percentage, but is the league's top-scoring team at 111.4, which is almost five points better than the Dallas Mavericks, who are second. Atlanta is no slouch offensively, ranking sixth at 103.4 ppg.
These teams have dominated their conferences. Golden State has owned the west wire-to-wire, while the Hawks have just three losses since Thanksgiving and own an eight-game lead in the Eastern Conference.
It was quite a month of January for the Hawks. They became the first team in NBA history to go 17-0 in a calendar month. Head coach Mike Budenholzer was named Coach of the Month, and the entire starting five was named Players of the Month. It was just the second time in the award's history the honor was bestowed on more than one player.
After having its 19-game winning streak snapped earlier this week, Atlanta started a new one on Wednesday, thanks to a 105-96 home victory over the Washington Wizards.
Jeff Teague registered 26 points with eight assists to lead the Hawks to their 11th consecutive home victory. Al Horford went for 21 points and 13 rebounds despite shooting 10-of-24 from the floor, while DeMarre Carroll and Paul Millsap had 14 and 11 points, respectively, in the win.
The Hawks led by 13 at the half, but the Wizards took the third by 10. Atlanta closed out the victory, thanks in part, to a bad technical foul from Washington coach Randy Wittman.
"They had us kind of on our heels there in the third quarter," Budenholzer added.
The Hawks hit the road following Friday's contest with stops in Memphis, Minnesota and Boston on the schedule.
The Warriors have won three straight and begin a four-game eastern swing Friday. They'll stop by New York, Philadelphia and Minnesota before the All- Star break.
On Wednesday, the Warriors put a 128-114 beating on the Dallas Mavericks at Oracle Arena.
It was the Stephen Curry show on Wednesday as the MVP favorite and All-Star Game starter went off for 51 points, including 26 in the third quarter. He was 16-of-26 from the field and 10-of-16 from beyond the arc.
The Warriors trailed by 22 early, but won the final three quarters by 31.
"He just senses he has to put the Superman cape on," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said of Curry's play when his team is playing from behind.
Klay Thompson netted 18 points while Leandro Barbosa and Marreese Speights added 14 apiece off the bench for the Warriors, who have won three straight on the heels of a brief two-game skid. Harrison Barnes finished with 12.
The Warriors shot 52.3 percent (45-of-86) from the field and connected on 19- of-38 from beyond the arc.
The Warriors have won five straight against the Hawks and three in a row in Atlanta. The two sides will meet March 18 at Oracle Arena.
[SportsNetwork.com]
