Hawks look to halt 10-game skid against Hornets

The Atlanta Hawks will get the chance to end their 10-game losing streak Sunday against the same team that started it when they host the Charlotte Hornets at State Farm Arena.

The Hornets beat the Hawks 113-102 on Nov. 6. Atlanta (3-16) hasn't won since and its losing streak reached double figures on Friday when the Hawks dropped a 114-96 decision to the Boston Celtics.

Atlanta hasn't won since Nov. 3 and will try to conclude their four-game homestand with a victory.

Charlotte (9-9) is coming off a 109-104 loss at Oklahoma City and finishes a quick two-game trip in Atlanta.

Charlotte has owned the series against Atlanta in recent years, winning eight of the last 10 meetings. The Hornets have won five straight against the Hawks, including 129-117 on their last visit to Atlanta. Kemba Walker led the Hornets with 29 points in the first encounter.

That's about what Walker has done all season. The veteran from UConn is averaging 28.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 6.4 assists. He scored a franchise-high 60 points in a loss to Philadelphia on Nov. 17.

Walker has scored 20-plus points in 14 games. On Wednesday against the Indiana Pacers, Walker had 16 points and a season-high 11 assists.

"He generates so much for us," Charlotte coach James Borrego said. "I think this is where we have to go as a team right now. The more teams want to put pressure on him, put two guys on the ball, you see what we can accomplish without Kemba having to go for big numbers."

Jeremy Lamb, another UConn product, averages 14.3 points and 5.1 rebounds. Lamb scored a season-high 21 points, including a career-high five 3-pointers, against the Pacers on Wednesday. It will be a homecoming for Lamb, who played at Norcross High School in Atlanta's northeast suburbs.

Atlanta hopes that rookie point guard Trae Young is just experiencing a brief slump. Young has only scored in double figures one time in the last five games.

Young, who leads the team with six double-doubles, ranks third among rookies in scoring (15.6 points) and first in assists (7.8), but had only five points and two assists in his last start against Boston.

Jeremy Lin has picked up the scoring slack of late and has led the team seven times; he had a season-high 26 points on Wednesday against Toronto.

The veteran point guard is averaging 11.4 points and 3.2 assists but is averaging 16.8 points and 4.4 assists in the last five games.

Lin and DeAndre Bembry were the bright spots in the last game against Boston. Lin had nine points and 10 assists and Bembry scored a career-high 14 points.

"Those two guys are the examples in our locker room right now as we are searching and seeking and trying to find something positive," Atlanta coach Lloyd Pierce said. "Those are the two guys I'm looking at."

Atlanta has been pleased with the progress shown by second-year forward John Collins, who has gradually stretched out his playing time since being activated Nov. 17. In those four games, his playing time has grown from 12 minutes to 30 minutes and he is averaging 13 points and 4.5 rebounds.

The Hornets are a pretty fair offensive team, averaging 115.1 points -- nearly eight points per game better than Atlanta's average of 106.8. Charlotte has a big advantage on defense, allowing 110.2 points, compared with Atlanta's defensive average of 118.3.