Do LeBron's Cavs Have a Chance Against the Rising Hawks?

Due to an injury to Heat star Dwyane Wade, Atlanta's Kyle Korver was named to the Eastern Conference All-Star team, giving the Hawks four All-Stars for the first time in franchise history.

By Adam Lowenstein (@StatsAdam)

With their 117-105 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center on Monday night, the 43-10 Atlanta Hawks once again avoided a losing streak. Mike Budenholzer’s squad has not lost consecutive games since mid-November when the Hawks lost their fourth and fifth ballgames of the season.

They enter Wednesday evening’s contest in Boston having played 38-5 basketball since that two-game losing streak, their longest skid of the season.

Al Horford, DeMarre Carroll, Paul Millsap, Jeff Teague and newly-added all-star Kyle Korver scored 97 of the Hawks’ 117 points in the victory. With Dwyane Wade sitting out the 2015 All-Star game, commissioner Adam Silver chose Korver to replace the Miami Heat veteran to give the Hawks their first year with four all-stars in franchise history.

Are the Hawks Building an NBA Power in Atlanta?

He may not get much love from All Star voters, but Atlanta's Paul Millsap has combined scoring, rebounding and elite defense to help push the Hawks to the top of the East.

By Adam Lowenstein (@StatsAdam)

Are the Atlanta Hawks for real?

With their Spurs-like style under longtime San Antonio assistant Mike Budenholzer, the team has an Eastern Conference-best 28-8 record, their best 36-game start to a season ever.

To put the Hawks’ performance into perspective, just 65 teams have performed this well through 36 contests over the last half-century. No wonder Budenholzer was recently named the December Eastern Conference Coach of the Month.

As the only team in their conference with both offensive and defensive efficiencies in the top eight in the league, the Hawks own the NBA’s longest current winning streak and longest current road winning streak.

East Round 1 Preview: (1) Indiana Pacers vs. (8) Atlanta Hawks

Lance Stephenson and Kyle Korver should present the most interesting matchup in this first-round series.

By Jeremy Conlin (@jeremy_conlin)

By The Numbers:

Indiana:
56-26 (35-6 Home; 21-20 Road)
PPG: 96.7 (24th); PPG Allowed: 92.4 (2nd)
+4.3 Average Scoring Margin (7th)
Off Rating: 101.4 (22nd); Def Rating: 96.8 (1st)
+4.6 Net Efficiency Rating (7th)

Atlanta:
38-44 (24-17 Home; 14-27 Road)
PPG: 101.0 (14th); PPG Allowed: 101.5 (15th)
-0.5 Average Scoring Margin (18th)
Off Rating: 103.2 (16th); Def Rating: 104.0 (14th)
-0.8 Net Efficiency Rating (18th)

Season Series: Tied 2-2
Atlanta 97, Indiana 87 (January 8)
Indiana 89, Atlanta 85 (February 4)
Indiana 108, Atlanta 98 (February 18)
Atlanta 107, Indiana 88 (April 6)