(Sports Network) - The Brooklyn Nets hope Deron Williams will be ready for an
encore performance when they invade the Peach State tonight for a showdown
with the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena.
Williams is fresh off Friday's sizzling performance in which he buried an NBA-
record nine 3-pointers in the first half of a 95-78 drubbing of the Washington
Wizards. Williams hit 11-of-16 from downtown for 42 points and dished out five
assists for the Nets, who have won two straight and seven of 11 games.
"I definitely got hot, especially in the first half," Williams said. "I hit
the first couple and the shots, when they left my hand, felt good."
Reggie Evans pulled down a career-high 24 rebounds to go along with 11 points
and Brook Lopez ended with 11 points as well. The Nets won despite shooting
39.5 percent and had a 61-44 advantage in rebounds.
Brooklyn is fourth in the East standings and will play two straight and 10 of
the next 12 games away from Barclays Center. The Nets are 15-13 as the guest.
Meanwhile, the Hawks were edged by the Boston Celtics on the road Friday
night, 107-102 in overtime.
The Celtics outscored the Hawks 13-8 in the extra period. Josh Smith ended
with 32 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for the Hawks, who have
dropped four of five to start the month. Atlanta ended February on a four-game
winning streak.
Jeff Teague had 26 points and Al Horford recorded a double-double with 22
points and 13 boards in a losing cause. Boston recorded 21 points off 15
turnovers.
"I think the story of the game for us was turnovers down the stretch. I think
that they just killed us. We can't turn the ball over," Horford said.
Horford has recorded three straight double-doubles and owns eight since mid-
February.
Hawks coach Larry Drew used his 20th different starting lineup in Beantown,
which is tied for highest amount of starting lineups in the NBA. Down a pair
of big men in Zaza Pachulia (sore Achilles) and Ivan Johnson (personal), the
Hawks still managed a 48-32 difference in the paint.
The Hawks, who were on the road for the seventh time in eight games, will try
to push their home winning streak to three games Saturday and are 19-10 as the
host this season. Atlanta is seventh in the East -- one-half game behind idle
Chicago for the No. 5 spot.
Atlanta and Brooklyn have beaten each other once this season with both clubs
winning as the host. The Hawks are 11-3 in the past 14 matchups in this series
and unbeaten in the previous eight at home.
The Sports Network