Call of the wild: Hawks host Bucks

Milwaukee has dropped four in a row and suffered a 116-111 home loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night.

Joe Smith paced the Bucks with 32 points and 10 rebounds, while Bobby Simmons chipped in with 19 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Michael Redd added 18 points in the loss — Milwaukee’s second straight at home.

The Bucks are clinging to the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and will look to avoid any upset from a weak Atlanta squad. Milwaukee, though, has lost seven in a row on the road.

Atlanta is fresh off its 117-112 overtime win against the Indiana Pacers.

Joe Johnson registered a career-high 40 points, including the game-tying three-pointer at the end of regulation at Conseco Fieldhouse.

Former Pacer Al Harrington tallied 22 points and grabbed nine boards while Josh Childress contributed a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Hawks, who have won all three meetings between the two teams this season.

In the season series with the Bucks, the Hawks lost the first meeting at home by a 118-102 score on January 20.

Milwaukee has won three in a row and four of five versus the Hawks.