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The Atlanta Hawks have shown they can win no matter the location and who is missing from the lineup.Atlanta plays seven of its next eight games on the road starting with Friday nights early-season Southeast Division showdown against the Charlotte Hornets.Playing without center Dwight Howard and key reserve Thabo Sefolosha, the Hawks stretched their streak to six games with a 107-100 home victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday after winning at Miami the previous night.Both could be back to face the Hornets, who are coming off a 115-108 victory at Minnesota on Tuesday.With the back-to-back games, the Hawks didnt practice on Thursday in Atlanta, meaning there was no injury update and Howards status might not be known until shortly before the opening tip.Howard, who was walking without a noticeable limp after Wednesdays win, suffered a left quad contusion when kneed by Heat center Hassan Whiteside in the third quarter of the victory at Miami.There has been a positive response, positive progress, coach Mike Budenholzer said Wednesday.Mike Muscala scored 16 points while filling in for Howard against the Bucks and the bench, led by Tim Hardaway Jr., still made a major contribution despite the absence of veteran Sefolosha, who sat out with a mild knee sprain.Muskie continues to play really well, Budenholzer said. Its interesting for him to play (33) minutes. Its a good thing the game ended at 48 (minutes). He gave us all he had.The victory coupled with a Cleveland loss tied the Hawks for the best record in the Eastern Conference at 9-2 and gave them their best start to a season since they were 11-2 in 2009-10.The Hornets have the third best record in the East at 7-3 after overcoming a 12-point halftime deficit at Minnesota with a 36-17 third-quarter blitz after coach Steve Clifford gave the team a tongue-lashing at the break.It was perfect timing, and we needed it, Hornets guard Kemba Walker after the game. We just (werent) ourselves, and he got into us a little bit. It worked out for us, because we needed to pick our energy up.Walker, averaging 25.8 points, scored 30 against Minnesota and also had six assists, five rebounds and five steals.The Hawks won three of the four games against the Hornets last season, including two in the first week of the season by a combined five points. The lone win by the Hornets came at Charlotte in January when Walker hit 4 of 6 3-pointers en route to 23 points.The Hornets havent received the regular bench play to match the Hawks this season, but Frank Kaminsky had 20 points against Minnesota. The Hornets were hoping Jeremy Lamb might return against Atlanta after missing seven games with a strained hamstring but announced Thursday he will not play.The Hawks have shot 50 percent while winning by an average of 10 points during their streak, and had 29 assists on 35 baskets against the Bucks. Taking care of the basketball, though, remains an issue.The Hawks have had as many as 24 turnovers in a game and committed 16 against Milwaukee after 19 at Miami.Its a bad trend that you have to take note of, Budenholzer said. We play with a lot of freedom, with a lot of ball movement. So if thats what you embrace, there may some more margin for error. But I think weve taken that margin to an extreme and I think everybody wants to reduce it. If we can do that, it will help us significantly. Cheap Jerseys From China . Pirlo limped out of Sundays 1-0 win over Udinese after just 13 minutes. Juventus says Pirlo underwent tests on Monday which revealed he has "a second-degree lesion to the collateral medial ligament in his right knee. Wholesale NCAA Jerseys . -- Gus Malzahn finally had his day in Fayetteville. http://www.cheapcollegejerseys.net/ .Y. -- Sabres defenceman Tyler Myers had no intention of changing his hard-hitting style before taking part in a disciplinary hearing for his illegal check to New Jersey forward Dainius Zubrus head. Authentic College Football Jerseys . Speaking Thursday on TSN 1050 Thursday, the Leafs GM also touched on the questions surrounding the teams leadership and the struggles of his big-name free-agent signing. “Its not from lack of effort from the coaching staff. Cheap College Jerseys . At a Manhattan federal court hearing, attorney Jordan Siev said his law office has gotten more evidence nearly every day to support its lawsuit accusing MLB and Selig of going on a "witch hunt" to ruin Rodriguezs reputation and career. He said the defendants went "way over the line. ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Toronto Blue Jays will continue their playoff quest behind their accidental ace when they start a four-game series against the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday night at Angel Stadium.Left-hander J.A. Happ (18-4, 3.33 ERA) will take the mound for the Blue Jays, who enter the game in the thick of the race for both the American League East championship and a wild-card spot.Toronto trails the first-place Boston Red Sox by two games in the division and is one game behind the Baltimore Orioles for the top wild-card position. At the same time, the Blue Jays are trying to repel the Detroit Tigers, Seattle Mariners and New York Yankees, all of whom lie within two games of the second wild card.Entering this year, Happ owned a career record of 62-61. His best season came in 2009, when he went 12-4 with a 2.93 ERA and two shutouts for the Philadelphia Phillies, winners of the National League pennant. Since then, however, Happ was traded four times in the next six seasons and compiled a 42-54 record through last years trading deadline, when the Seattle Mariners sent him to the Pittsburgh Pirates.Joining the Pirates provided the impetus for Happs resurgence.Once pitching coach Ray Searage adjusted his delivery, Happ went 7-2, forged a 1.85 ERA and struck out 69 batters in 63 1/3 innings while issuing just 13 walks. That performance motivated the Blue Jays to sign the left-handed free agent in November to a three-year contract worth $36 million.The 33-year-old veteran not only provided the stability that the Blue Jays rotation needed once David Price signed a free agent contract with the Boston Red Sox, but he also is making his own case to win the Cy Young Award.Happ won 11 consecutive decisions from June 11 to Aug. 17. He ranks second in the American League with a career-best 18 victories while sharing 10th place in ERA. The left-hander also is holding opposing batters to a .235 average, and he needs just three strikeouts too set a career high in that category.dddddddddddd.The thing Im most satisfied and happy with is that I feel the hard work is paying off, getting to a place mentally where I feel comfortable, Happ told the Globe and Mail. I may have pressed a little bit more than I do now. When you press, all of a sudden youre trying to be too perfect and youre down 2-0 to the batter and youre not making your pitches.One factor in Happs ability to maintain his perspective is his newborn son, J.J.Honestly, I had my first child this offseason, the left-hander told the Globe and Mail. I go home and instead of being selfish and worrying about me and moping and being upset, I get to see his face and it changes everything.The Angels will counter with right-hander Daniel Wright, who seeks his first major league victory. He will make his second start since being acquired off waivers from the Cincinnati Reds on Sept. 4.In his only previous appearance with Los Angeles, Wright allowed four runs on six hits, including two home runs, in five innings but received no decision Saturday night in the Angels 8-5 loss to the Texas Rangers. The 25-year-old rookie also hit two batters, walked one and struck out two.He really showed the ability to spin the ball, Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. I think his fastballs sneaky. He got into some good spots. And really, the first pitch of the game, (Carlos) Gomez just ambushes him (for a homer), and then he hung a slider later.Wright, 25, went 0-2 with a 7.62 ERA in four games (two starts) for the Reds this year to begin his big-league career. He will be facing Toronto for the first time.Happ opposed the Angels once this year, allowing four runs in five innings during a 6-3 home loss on Aug. 25. The defeat continued his career-long trend: He is 0-5 with a 7.83 ERA in five starts against the Angels. ' ' '