ATLANTA — Despite a brutal stretch run to the season, Nets coach Kenny Atkinson insists he’s not looking at Saturday’s game against the lottery-bound Hawks any differently than any other or as a chance to fatten up before the tough times.
Of course that’s the politically correct thing to say. But the fact is, despite being a half-game behind the Pistons for sixth place in the Eastern Conference, if the Nets don’t bank a victory over the Hawks, their playoff hopes could get dicey very quickly.
After hosting those Pistons on Monday, the Nets head west for a seven-game trek on which the only sub-.