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Atlanta Hawks to face 76ers at Wells Fargo Center Thursday

By John Buhler

Dec 16, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Dennis Schroder (17) makes a move against Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor (8) in the third quarter of their game at Philips Arena. The Hawks won 127-106. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 16, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Dennis Schroder (17) makes a move against Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor (8) in the third quarter of their game at Philips Arena. The Hawks won 127-106. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Atlanta Hawks will play the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday at the Wells Fargo Center. Tipoff is at 7:00 PM ET and it will air on Fox Sports Southeast.

The Atlanta Hawks won’t have to play the New York Knicks for the third time in a row Thursday night, but Atlanta will have to face another team from the Atlantic Division in the 4-33 Philadelphia 76ers. Tipoff at the Wells Fargo Center is at 7:00 PM ET and the game will air on Fox Sports Southeast.

Atlanta is in fifth place in the Eastern Conference with a 21-15 and have lost their last two games, both to the New York Knicks. Philadelphia has improved slightly since the organization brought in Jerry Colangelo and Mike D’Antoni into the fold in December. The Sixers will win more than five games this year and ten is within the realm of possibility.

However, the Philadelphia 76ers have not defeated a team in the Eastern Conference this season, going 0-20 against the superior East in 2015. This is the Sixers’ first game against a conference foe of 2016, so Atlanta needs to play with purpose so that it won’t become the first team in the East to drop a game to Philadelphia this winter.

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The Atlanta Hawks nearly overcame a 16-point deficit in their lost to the New York Knicks on Tuesday night at Philips Arena. However, the club could not get the key defensive stop to surpass the Knicks despite playing well down the stretch.

Atlanta should benefit as the 76ers are a lousy home team with a 2-12 record and are the worst offensive team in the National Basketball Association. Philadelphia is last in points per game at 92.9 and last in team offensive rating at 95.3.

The Atlanta Hawks cannot sleepwalk into Philadelphia and expect a win any longer. Philadelphia has won three of their last ten games, impressive given that they started the year out 1-26. Former Atlanta Hawks backup center Elton Brand decided to come out of retirement to help head coach Brett Brown’s young team learn how to play as professionals. In somewhat of a player/coach role like he had last year in Atlanta, this oddly makes sense since Brand had his best years in the NBA with the 76ers a decade ago.

Next: Atlanta Hawks lose consecutive games to Knicks, 107-101

Keep in mind that the last time the Atlanta Hawks played the Philadelphia 76ers, they won and it sparked the club winning seven of their next eight games, including six in a row to move to second in the East. However, their current stretch of games slightly overlaps, as the Hawks have lost three of their four games. Had it not been for a miraculous comeback in Houston, it would stand at four straight defeats for the Atlanta Hawks. Let’s Go Hawks!

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