Hawks looking to get defensive against Nets

Piling up points is not necessarily the problem for the Atlanta Hawks. Stopping their opponents is another story.

While the Hawks are securely into one of the four play-in spots in the Eastern Conference, they would like to show some kind of improvement on the defensive end when they visit the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday.

The Hawks are the highest-scoring team (117.9) among three play-in teams in the East and fifth overall and have scored at least 110 in 18 of their past 20 games. Conversely, the Hawks (37-42) are allowing 119.7 per game, which is only better than Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards and Utah Jazz.

Atlanta has allowed at least 115 points in its last 10 games and at least 120 in 42 games. The Hawks are 10-32 when giving up at least 120 points and one of those setbacks was a 122-114 defeat in Brooklyn on March 16 during a 7-2 stretch.

Since that hot streak ended with a 132-119 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, Atlanta is 2-6 in its past eight games. The latest loss was a 119-112 setback to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday.

The Hawks allowed the Magic to shoot 53.5 percent and score 66 points in the first half. It was the sixth time in seven games Atlanta allowed at least 60 in the opening half.

“When we do guard, we have a chance to get out and maybe get something easy,” Atlanta coach Quin Snyder said after his team allowed at least 50 percent from the floor for the 34th time. “The flip side is we turn it over, maybe give up something easy and now we’re taking it out of the net, those are tough plays. They’re more than two points, more than three points because of what we give up on the offensive end.”

While the Hawks struggled again defensively, Trae Young finished with 28 points and 10 assists and Onyeka Okongwu tied a career high with 30 points and 14 rebounds. Young has double-doubles in nine of his past 10 games while Okongwu has double-doubles in 11 of his past 17.

The Nets (26-53) lost six straight after scoring 66 points in the second half in the win over the Hawks but are 3-2 in their last five. Brooklyn’s starting lineup in the previous meeting with Atlanta was Cameron Johnson, Tyrese Martin, Jalen Wilson, Nic Claxton and Keon Johnson.

Only Claxton and Wilson played Tuesday when the Nets stopped a five-game home losing streak with a 119-114 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. The Nets used their 41st different starting lineup and Trendon Watford scored 11 of his 22 points in a 43-point third quarter before six first- or second-year players finished the game.

Drew Timme collected career highs of 16 points and nine rebounds in his sixth game as a Net and helped Brooklyn get 66 points from its second unit. Dariq Whitehead added 14 and is 12-for-24 from 3-point range in his past three games.

“I’m very excited, because it’s like continuity,” coach Jordi Fernandez said of the young players who helped the Nets score at least 115 points for the 16th time this season. “That’s what we want. We don’t want to do something in one season and then start over. Like, this is a good beginning. These guys are driving (the culture). They’re doing it on their own.”

–Field Level Media