Clippers carry nine-game skid to Atlanta

ATLANTA -- The Los Angeles Clippers will try to end their nine-game losing streak on Wednesday when they visit the Atlanta Hawks, the last-place team in the NBA's Eastern Conference.

The Clippers (5-11) have dropped 11 of their past 12 decisions and have fallen all the way into 13th place in Western Conference. Atlanta (3-14) has lost two straight and remains in the cellar in the East.

Both teams lost games on Monday night. The Clippers were smoked 107-85 by the Knicks in New York, and the Hawks dropped a 96-85 decision to the Spurs in San Antonio.

"Bottom line, we just can't sustain anything," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. "Right now, we get it going a little bit, and one thing happens and it just implodes."

Los Angeles had a 10-game winning streak over the Knicks broken on Monday. It had been more than five years since New York prevailed in that series.

The Clippers haven't won since Nov. 1, when they posted a victory in Dallas.

"We have to put together 48 minutes rather than playing in spurts," Clippers forward Blake Griffin said. "We know as a team that is not going to be the end."

Griffin leads the team in scoring at 22.7 points, and veteran Lou Williams averages 17.1 points off the bench.

Rivers said, "When you lose nine games in a row, you're on a losing streak, you start feeling sorry for yourself when things don't go right, and you can't do that."

Atlanta knows about losing streaks. The Hawks are fresh from losing their 20th straight game at San Antonio, where they haven't won since 1997. Atlanta has already endured losing streaks of eight and four games this season.

Hawks forward Taurean Prince, a San Antonio native, had 18 points and eight rebounds against the Spurs, but he continues to be frustrated by the defeats.

"I want to win, so that's the most important," Prince said. "I'm tired of losing games."

Atlanta's top scorer is point guard Dennis Schroder, who averages 19.7 points and 7.1 assists. Prince averages 13.4 points, and guard Kent Bazemore averages 13.3.

The Hawks continue to deal with injury issues. Forward Luke Babbitt left the San Antonio game early with back tightness, the second time in three games that happened. Atlanta already was short-handed without forward Mike Muscala, sidelined since Nov. 5 due to a left ankle sprain.

The Hawks did get forward Ersan Ilyasova back on Monday. He had missed nine of 10 games with a bone bruise on his left knee. He played seven minutes against the Spurs.

The Clippers are without Danilo Gallinari, who has been out since Nov. 5 with a strained left glute. Guard Patrick Beverley underwent surgery on his right knee and will be sidelined a significant amount of time, according to reports Wednesday.

The Clippers have won the past two meetings with Atlanta, taking both games during the 2016-17 season. Los Angeles won 115-105 in Atlanta on Jan. 23.

The Los Angeles coaching staff has deep ties to Atlanta. Rivers played eight seasons for the Hawks, and assistant coach Mike Woodson was the head coach in Atlanta from 2004-10. Assistant Armond Hill was Atlanta's No. 1 draft pick in 1976, and he played five seasons for the Hawks.