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2023-24 NBA Regular Season
Phoenix Suns v Atlanta Hawks
Footprint Center
Phoenix, Arizona
Friday 22 March 2024
Tip-off at 04:30 CAT
Phoenix Suns need to make a late surge to qualify automatically for the
NBA playoffs as they prepare for the visit of Atlanta Hawks to the Footprint Center on the morning of Friday, March 22.
The Suns have dropped out of the top six in the Western Conference after winning just five of their last 10 games to trail Sacramento Kings (6th) and Dallas Mavericks (7th) by a half-game in eight place.
Frank Vogel's team had a mixed road trip in the past week, beating Cleveland Cavaliers and Charlotte Hornets, while losing to Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks.
Bradley Beal led the scoring for Phoenix with 28 points in a 140-129 loss to the Bucks on March 17, with Vogel admitting they were punished for focusing too much on Damian Lillard.
Milwaukee were without All-star Giannis Antetokounmpo and they made up for his absence by shooting 24 of 41 from the 3-point line, 18 of which came in the first half to match an NBA record jointly held by the Suns and Utah Jazz.
"They changed their team, obviously, with Giannis not being in there, and Dame [Lillard] is an elite attacker that requires you to really extend your defense on him," Vogel said. "The risk in that is exposing the 3-point line."
The Hawks will have to navigate the play-in tournament for the chance to feature in the playoffs, although they face competition from Brooklyn Nets to finish in the top 10.
Quin Snyder's team are just 3.5 games ahead of the Nets in the Eastern Conference after losing four of their last five games.
Jalen Johnson led the scoring for Atlanta with 25 points in a 136-105 defeat to Los Angeles Lakers on March 19 and Snyder admitted they just couldn't cope with LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
"I thought we were ready to play, [but] there's two Hall of Fame players that were unselfish, and I thought they played really well," Snyder said.
"It's hard to sustain a defensive effort against a team that's playing the way they are offensively. When the ball isn't going in, it's even harder. They made us pay for any mistake we made."
Phoenix Suns v Atlanta Hawks - Head-to-head, Regular Season
Games played: 137
Suns wins: 75
Hawks wins: 62
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