# GT: Atlanta Hawks @ Dallas Mavericks



## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

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*Atlanta Hawks [15-12] @ Dallas Mavericks [19-11]*
 | Saturday, December 29 2007 | Dallas, Texas | American Airlines Center | 1:00 pm ET | 
| *TV*: FSNSW | *Radio*: ESPN 103.3 FM / KFLC 1270 AM (Spanish) |


*Game Notes*

The Dallas Mavericks were perennially among the worst teams in the league before finally breaking out. The Atlanta Hawks, meanwhile, are finally showing signs that it could be their time to shine. 

The Hawks look to win six straight for the first time this decade as they try for a sweep of their season series with the Mavericks on Saturday. 

Dallas (19-11) finished below .500 for 10 straight seasons before going 53-29 in 2000-01, when it made the first of seven straight playoff appearances. 

Meanwhile, last season was Atlanta's eight straight sub-.500 campaign, but it may be poised to make the playoffs for the first time since 1999. The Hawks (15-12) are three games over .500 this late in the season for the first time in nine years, and have a chance to win six straight for the first time since a seven-game run from April 14-28, 1999. 

"To win five games in a row you have to be doing something pretty good," said Hawks guard Joe Johnson, who leads the team with 22.3 points per game. 

Atlanta has already beaten Dallas once this season, winning 101-94 in its season opener behind 28 points from Johnson on Nov. 2 to snap a four-game losing streak against the Mavericks. This would be the Hawks' first series sweep of the Mavs since 2003-04. 

A 107-95 win over Indiana on Wednesday night gave Atlanta a 9-3 record in December, marking its first nine-win month since going 9-7 in March 2002. 

The Hawks have been slow to improve, going from 13-69 in 2004-05 to 30-52 last season. Johnson, though, said increased respect isn't his concern. 

"We're not worried about that," he said. "Our main goal right now is to make the playoffs. Right now we're on a pretty good pace. We have to remember what got us there. That's defense." 

Atlanta ranks among the league leaders in scoring defense at 94.9 points per game. The Hawks held the Pacers to 41.7 percent shooting from the field Wednesday, and limited the Mavericks to 43.8 percent in the teams' first meeting this season. 

Dallas, meanwhile, has struggled on offense in two straight losses. After a five-game winning streak, the Mavs are averaging 85.5 points while shooting 39.6 percent in their last two contests. 

In an 88-81 loss to Cleveland at home Thursday night, Dallas shot 20.0 percent (4-for-20) from 3-point range. 

"We definitely don't like to lose and especially at home, but we'll get back to work," Mavs guard Devin Harris said. "We'll fix the things that we can fix and then we'll go from there." 

Dallas is 13-3 at home, where it has won three straight and eight of nine against Atlanta. 

Dirk Nowitzki had 28 points in November's matchup with the Hawks, and is averaging 27.5 in his last four games against them. He paced the Mavs on Thursday with 19 points and 20 rebounds, but played the whole game with tape around his shooting wrist and thumb and complained of a groin problem after the third quarter.



*Starting Lineups*





































*Devin Harris - Eddie Jones - Josh Howard - Dirk Nowitzki - Erick Dampier*

*vs.*





































*Anthony Johnson - Joe Johnson - Marvin Williams - Josh Smith - Al Horford*


*Injuries*
*Mavs:* None. 
*Hawks:* Tyronn Lue (left calf strain) is day-to-day, Speedy Claxton (left knee) and Salim Stoudamire (right ankle sprain) are out. 











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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

Very early tip-off tomorrow.


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## Guest (Dec 29, 2007)

croco said:


> Atlanta has already beaten Dallas once this season, winning 101-94 in its season opener behind 28 points from Johnson on Nov. 2 to snap a four-game losing streak against the Mavericks. ​


Surely no surprise if they do it again as Dallas and Nowitzki keep struggling while Hawks are extremely on fire right now. Atlanta had a tough start when they couldn't really confirm their preseason wins, but against Dallas (almost) everything worked fine. Gonna be a close one tomorrow, maybe even overtime, but I think Hawks will win by 1-5.


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

12-0 run to start the game, a lot more energy so far.


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

34-21 after the first quarter, today the shots are falling. I expect the Mavs to cool off soon though.


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

I have to listen to the German commentary today, it is really funny. The Mavs play fast and West Coast Ball, he pronounces some names wrong in a way that you have to laugh. Devin Harris is an elite point guard, uh yeah I wish. :biggrin:


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## Jet (Jul 1, 2005)

He's an elite PG in my mind :angel:


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

If the Hawks finished some of the plays at the rim and didn't throw the ball away they could have won this game. The Mavs are still in a funk and I don't see them getting out anytime soon, not with the lethargic play and not without a trade.


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

Devin is a super-duper-elite-pg.


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