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Hawks vs. Celtics preview: Atlanta hosts Boston with streak on the line

Boston can’t lose... and the Hawks are in their way.

NBA: Boston Celtics at Atlanta Hawks Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Update: The Hawks will not have Isaiah Taylor on Saturday evening and previous optimism for DeAndre’ Bembry’s return was tempered at pre-game shootaround. Stay tuned for futher updates.


Fewer than two weeks have passed since the last match-up between the Atlanta Hawks and the Boston Celtics. Since that time, the Hawks have posted a 46-point home victory after four losses, while the Celtics... haven’t lost a basketball game since Oct. 18.

Yes, you are reading that correctly.

Boston visits Philips Arena for the second time this season on Saturday evening and the Celtics are riding a ridiculous 14-game winning streak. Brad Stevens’ team has been firing on all cylinders (behind the stellar play of Kyrie Irving, Al Horford and a youthful cast of characters) for quite some time and that was on full display Thursday evening when the Celtics toppled the defending champion Warriors.

As you may expect, the Celtics enter this game as significant Las Vegas favorites over the Hawks, even as Atlanta enjoyed two days of full rest after the lopsided win on Wednesday. If there is some optimism, though, it comes in the form of the last battle being quite competitive and, if you believe in such things, Boston could be “due” for a lackluster showing.

On the Atlanta side, the Hawks are also expected to get an infusion of life in the form of DeAndre’ Bembry’s return from injury, as the second-year guard is listed as “probable” after missing the vast majority of the season with a wrist fracture. Still, Atlanta could be without Isaiah Taylor and Luke Babbitt (both listed as questionable), throwing the rotation back into flux.

Regardless, we’ll be here throughout the day for all the latest from Philips Arena and we can enjoy this intriguing match-up together.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Saturday, November 18, 7:30 p.m. ET

Location: Philips Arena

TV: Fox Sports Southeast, Fox Sports Go, NBA League Pass

Radio: 92.9 “The Game”