(SportsNetwork.com) - The Atlanta Hawks have stepped up to every challenge during their 14-game winning streak and will face another daunting task Friday with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder in town. The Hawks tied the longest winning streak in franchise history with a 110-91 triumph over the Indiana Pacers Wednesday and were led by DeMarre Carroll and Jeff Teague. The two scored 17 points apiece, while Al Horford netted 14 points to go along with seven rebounds and five assists. Paul Millsap and Pero Antic each scored 12 points for Atlanta, which prevailed in 14 straight games from Nov. 16-Dec. 14, 1993. The Hawks are 28-2 in the last 30 games and are 27 games over .500 (35-8). Its always good to set a franchise record, Carroll said. Its an honor, but at the same time we cant get too high on that. Atlanta is 2-0 thus far on a seven-game homestand and last tasted defeat Dec. 26 versus Milwaukee. The Hawks, who are unbeaten in the past five games at Philips Arena, have an 18-3 home record and will also host Minnesota, Brooklyn, Portland and Philadelphia. The Thunder have won four in a row, including the first three contests on a five-game road trip. Oklahoma City recorded a thrilling 105-103 overtime victory against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, as Westbrooks running layup in the waning seconds lifted the visitors. Westbrook finished with 32 points and Durant poured in 34 points with seven assists. Anthony Morrow rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points for OKC, which scored 13 points in overtime and made only 39.2 percent. The Thunder struggled from downtown, making 6-of-29 3-pointers. We struggled to start the game, we couldnt get over the hump there for a second, said Durant. We took the lead. It was so much back-and-forth, we stayed pat in what we believe in and that is perseverance. The Thunder are 10-13 on the road and will close the journey Sunday against LeBron James in Cleveland. Oklahoma City won both meetings with Atlanta last season and will host the Hawks on March 20. The Thunder have won three straight and seven of the previous nine matchups between the teams. . Green-Ellis was Cincinnatis leading rusher each of the last two seasons. His role was reduced last year when Giovani Bernard was added to the backfield. Green-Ellis ran for 756 yards and a career-low 3. . All of 46 seconds into the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 victory over Alex Ovechkins struggling Washington Capitals, Crosby assisted on Chris Kunitzs goal.
http://www.cheapcapitalsjerseysauthenti ... sov-jersey. In his first game with Boston University, the 17-year-old Eichel picked up five assists as his Boston University Terriers thumped St. . Bryce Harper? He also came into Wednesday without a long ball and hadnt driven in a run. He was hitting .160, had nearly three times as many strikeouts as hits and was dropped to seventh in the batting order. . Napoli beat high-flying Hellas Verona 3-0 to keep up the pressure on the top two while AC Milan had another disappointing night as four goals from teenage forward Domenico Berardi saw relegation-threatened Sassuolo come back from two goals down to win 4-3.BALTIMORE - How nice it would be for the Baltimore Ravens if all they needed to secure a playoff berth was to beat the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.Baltimore (9-6) has won 12 of 13 against its AFC North rivals, including six straight at home. Also, the Browns (7-8) have lost four in a row and have serious quarterback issues.Unfortunately for the Ravens, last weeks loss in Houston means a win over Cleveland wont be enough to get them into the post-season for the sixth time in seven years.Baltimore also needs San Diego to lose or tie Kansas City in a game that will take place simultaneously to the Ravens-Browns finale. Its not an ideal scenario, especially with Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith out, but the Ravens have no one to blame but themselves.Its tough to think about the opportunities that we let go, and thats not anybodys doorstep but our own, Baltimore defensive lineman Chris Canty said. We had some lapses in focus, and weve made some mistakes that have cost us some football games throughout the course of the regular season. You cant get them back.So when the Ravens are on offence Sunday, linebacker Terrell Suggs probably wont be able to resist taking a look at the scoreboard.You want to say, No, we dont pay attention to that, but were going to be looking up, he said. We still have to get to 10 wins, we still want 10 wins, and we will start there. We have to do our business and let everything kind of take care of itself.Some things to know about the Browns-Ravens matchup:QUARTERBACK QUANDRY: With Johnny Manziel done for the season with a hamstring injury and Brian Hoyer unlikely to play because of a sore shoulder and biceps, Connor Shaw will likely make his starting debut for the Browns.As a senior at South Carolina last year, Shaw threw 23 touchdown passes and just one interception. But going up against Ravens will present a far more difficult challenge.RUNNING GAME NEEDED: The Ravens focus on offence will be to revive a running game thats sputtered over the past two weeks. Baltimore ran for only 93 yards against Jacksonville before being limited to 33 yards on 16 carries in Houston.Running the ball makes everything else go for us, offfensive co-ordinator Gary Kubiak said.dddddddddddd It has been a concern. Now, we have another challenge this week with some new faces up front.Right tackle Rick Wagner (foot) was placed on injured reserve this week and left tackle Eugene Monroe did not practice (ankle). That means rookies James Hurst and John Urschel will see plenty of action Sunday.BUCKLE UP: Browns coach Mike Pettines first season has had highs, lows, twists and turns.Its been a roller-coaster ride, he said.At 7-4, the Browns were poised to make the playoffs for the first time since 2002 when the bottom fell out. Now theyre trying to avoid a five-game losing streak to end the season.Youre just a couple Sundays away from being a coach of the year candidate to the village idiot hall of fame, Pettine said. Its been tough. Youre gauged ultimately on how you finish. Whats the end result? We have a chance to get to 8-8. And for us thats disappointing, because we left some wins out there.FLACCO FLOP: Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco went 21 for 50 with three interceptions against Houston, a performance that left him eager to rebound against the Browns.Theres not really too much you can do about it at this point, he said. You just have to have confidence in yourself, confidence in yourself as a group and go out and win the next one.The matchup against Cleveland bodes well for the seventh-year starter. Flacco is 12-1 lifetime against the Browns with 16 touchdown passes and only seven interceptions.JOE PRO BOWL: Browns left tackle Joe Thomas made it 8 for 8 on Pro Bowl invitations this week. Hes the first offensive lineman in NFL history to earn the honour in each of his first eight seasons. Thomas has started all 127 career games and has not missed an offensive snap since being selected with the third overall pick in 2007.Hes just the definition of consistency, not just consistency, but consistent superb play, said Pettine, who joked the Pro Bowl should be renamed The Joe Thomas Invitational.Said Thomas: Thats a good thing to be teased about.___AP Sports Writer Tom Withers contributed to this story.___AP NFL websites:
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