The Atlanta Hawks play host to the Boston Celtics at State Farm Arena on Friday.

The Celtics (9-9) come into this matchup losing three-straight and seven of their last 10 games in total. What's really hurting this team is their inefficient offense, with Boston ranking 25th in scoring and 28th in offensive efficiency. The defense still sits third in points allowed, as that remains a constant for this team. Even with the dominant defense, Boston won't get out of this slide unless they improve those ugly offensive numbers. There are some promising signs though, as Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving are both showing signs of improvement over recent weeks. The most recent loss is especially discouraging though, as Boston took a home defeat at the hands of a five-win New York Knicks team on Wednesday. The Celtics were a double-digit favorite in that game and Boston fans have to hope that 's rock-bottom with a hit stretch right around the corner.

The Hawks (3-15) have lost nine-straight games, as that's currently the longest streak in the NBA. This losing extends longer than that too, with Atlanta losing 13 of their last 14 games in total. That's pretty much what people expected from this team though, as many experts had them pegged to finish with the worst record in the NBA. There are some young pieces to build around though, as John Collins recently returned from an ankle issue that kept him out the first two months. Pairing him up with a rookie breakout like Trae Young is all this franchise can do to rebuild and that's all Atlanta fans can ask for right now.

Boston won their four-game season series over Atlanta last season, 3-1.