Preview: Surging Hawks Visit Struggling Nets in Season’s Final Stretch

ATLANTA (Interstat) — The Atlanta Hawks, riding a wave of offensive firepower, will look to solidify their playoff positioning when they visit the last-place Brooklyn Nets on Friday night at Barclays Center.

The Hawks (44-33) enter on a hot streak, having won eight of their last ten games, including a dominant 130-101 road victory over Orlando on Wednesday. Atlanta’s offense has been prolific, scoring at least 120 points in seven of those eight recent wins.

Guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker has been a central figure in the surge. Over his last ten games, he is averaging 23.4 points and 4.5 assists, including a 41-point outburst against Orlando on March 16 and a 32-point performance in the most recent win. He is supported by a versatile frontcourt, with Jalen Johnson posting an 18-point, 14-rebound, 8-assist line against the Magic.

In stark contrast, the Nets (18-58) have lost nine of their last ten and own the league’s worst record. They are coming off a 117-86 home loss to Charlotte on Tuesday. Rookie forward Chaney Johnson has seen increased minutes during this stretch, averaging 8.6 points and 5.0 rebounds over his last ten contests, but Brooklyn has consistently struggled to find consistent scoring and stops.

The season series has been one-sided, with Atlanta winning all three matchups. The Hawks took the most recent meeting 108-97 in Atlanta on March 12. Brooklyn’s last win in the series came in the 2024-25 season.

For Atlanta, this game represents a critical opportunity to bank a victory against a lesser opponent as they jockey for Eastern Conference seeding. The Hawks currently sit in sixth place, aiming to avoid the play-in tournament.

For Brooklyn, the focus remains on development and evaluating young talent like Johnson, Nolan Traore, and Drake Powell in the season’s final weeks.

The Hawks have won five straight road games. The Nets have lost 14 of their last 15 games overall.