The Atlanta Hawks will look to protect their home court when they host the Brooklyn Nets in Game 2 of their 2015 NBA Playoffs first-round series on Wednesday night at the Philips Arena.
The Hawks, who finished first in the Eastern Conference regular-season race with their 60-22, took a 1-0 advantage in the series after scoring a hard-earned 99-92 win against the Nets on Sunday.
All-Star guard Kyle Korver led the Hawks in the series-opener with 21 points to go along with seven rebounds and three assists, while DeMarre Carroll and Jeff Teague added 17 points apiece.
Al Horford posted a double-double performance with 10 points and 10 rebounds, but the superstar center might be slowed down by injury on Wednesday. The All-Star center dislocated his right pinky finger on Sunday. He is expected to play in Game 2, but Korver admitted that Horford's injury is a cause for concern.
"It's definitely a concern," Korver said in an interview. "Hopefully, it's not too big of a deal. But injuries are always something you're worried about."
Aside from Horford, star forward Paul Millsap will also play through pain again as he is still recovering from the right shoulder sprain he suffered heading into the postseason. The 30-year-old shot just 2-for-11 from the field on Sunday, but he is hoping his decision to play without compression shirt will do wonders for him on Wednesday.
On the other hand, the Nets will look to steal home-court advantage before the series shifts to Brooklyn in Game 3 on Saturday at the Barclays Center.
Brook Lopez had a double-double in the series opener with his 17 points and 14 rebounds, while Johnson also added 17 points to go along with six rebounds and six assists. The two superstars, along with All-Star guard Deron Williams, are expected to carry the scoring load for the Nets again, and Johnson knows it will not be easy.
The Nets could also get a much-needed boost on Wednesday from Mirza Teletovic, who has not played over the past three months. Teletovic, who averaged 8.5 points and 4.9 rebounds in 40 regular-season games, was sidelined because of bloods clots, but he will likely make his return in Game 2.
The second game of the Nets-Hawks series will tip off at 7 p.m. ET and will be shown live on NBA TV, WWOR and FSS. Live scores and video highlights will be available on this link from NBA.com.
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