Durant and Brooklyn visit Young and the Hawks

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Thursday, December 9, 2021

Brooklyn Nets (17-8, first in the Eastern Conference) vs. Atlanta Hawks (13-12, eighth in the Eastern Conference)

Atlanta; Friday, 7:30 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Trae Young and Kevin Durant meet when Atlanta hosts Brooklyn. Young is fifth in the NBA averaging 26.3 points per game and Durant is first in the league averaging 28.4 points per game.

The Hawks are 7-7 against Eastern Conference opponents. Atlanta is 5-11 against opponents with a winning record.

The Nets are 13-5 in Eastern Conference play. Brooklyn is 3-0 in games decided by 3 points or fewer.

The two teams square off for the second time this season. The Nets defeated the Hawks 117-108 in their last matchup on Nov. 3. Durant led the Nets with 32 points, and De'Andre Hunter led the Hawks with 26 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Young is shooting 45.6% and averaging 26.3 points for the Hawks. Kevin Huerter is averaging 2.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games for Atlanta.

Patty Mills is shooting 45.6% from beyond the arc with 3.1 made 3-pointers per game for the Nets, while averaging 12.5 points. James Harden is shooting 36.5% and averaging 22.5 points over the past 10 games for Brooklyn.

LAST 10 GAMES: Hawks: 7-3, averaging 114.2 points, 45.7 rebounds, 25.8 assists, 6.5 steals and 5.4 blocks per game while shooting 48.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 105.9 points per game.

Nets: 7-3, averaging 110.6 points, 45.7 rebounds, 26.1 assists, 6.3 steals and 5.5 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.0 points.

INJURIES: Hawks: Cam Reddish: day to day (wrist), De'Andre Hunter: out (wrist), Bogdan Bogdanovic: day to day (ankle), Onyeka Okongwu: out (shoulder), Solomon Hill: out for season (hamstring).

Nets: Kevin Durant: out (rest), Joe Harris: out (ankle), Kyrie Irving: out (not with team), LaMarcus Aldridge: out (rest).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.