The Nets' road magic has disappeared recently. After starting 10-4 on the road, they have dropped seven of eight games away from home, posting a 1-3 record on their recently-concluded trip.
And now, a season-worst six games under .500, they head out for a back-to-back on the road against two teams they are chasing in the standings, Atlanta and Philly, but two teams they have beaten a combined four times in four tries. So the Nets try for the sweep of the four-game season series against the Hawks Friday in Atlanta before turning around and playing Saturday in Philadelphia where they beat the Sixers Dec. 6 in the only meeting between the two teams.
The Nets have accounted for one-sixth of the Hawks' losses this season, beating them in a home-and-away back to back Nov. 14 and 15. The Nets won at home, 115-108, on Nov. 14 using three players scoring 20 points. Devin Harris returned from a three-game absence from an ankle sprain and scored 30 points, 16 in the fourth quarter. Vince Carter scored 26 Brook Lopez made his first career start and got 25 points. The next night in Atlanta, Harris scored 33, Carter shot 5-of-5 on three-pointers in the third quarter and scored 29 and the Nets had their first consecutive wins of the season.
The Nets made their biggest comeback in a win, rallying from 20 points down to defeat the Hawks, 93-91, in overtime at New Jersey Jan. 2. The Hawks had taken a one-point lead with 11 seconds left. The Nets' eventual inbounds pass with 5.3 seconds left was tipped away but Carter ran it down and hit a long three-pointer to win. Carter finished with 18 points, 17 in the second half. Devin Harris again was high man with 26 points.
The Nets have beaten the Hawks four straight times overall and in 20 of their last 25 meetings.
RAPTORS 107, NETS 106: Devin Harris missed an open 16-footer after losing Joey Graham as time expired, negating a furious Nets' comeback in the last 4:34. Harris had grabbed a rebound of a Jose Calderon miss with 21.9 seconds left. The Nets elected to play through in transition and Harris launched from the right elbow and missed. Harris finished with 25 points and 10 assists while Vince Carter, the first teammate at his side to console him after the misfire, scored 27. All night, the Nets and Raptors engaged in a wild three-point shooting contest. The Nets made 15, five each by Carter and Keyon Dooling (17 points). The Raptors made 11, three each by Calderon (17 points) and Anthony Parker (21 points).
