MILWAUKEE -- The Milwaukee Bucks, playing some of their best basketball of the season, try to wrap up their four-game homestand on a high note Friday night when they meet the Atlanta Hawks at the Bradley Center.After having a four-game winning streak snapped earlier in the week against San Antonio, the Bucks bounced back Wednesday night with a 115-107 victory over Portland. They won for the sixth time in their last eight games to move two games over .500 for the first time this season.Much of that success can be tied to a massive improvement in Milwaukees defense, which is the leagues stingiest in terms of field goal percentage at 42.8 percentage. And while opponents are attempting an NBA-high 31 3-pointers per game, they make 31.8 of those shots, the lowest percentage in the league.The numbers are reminiscent of coach Jason Kidds first year in Milwaukee, when the Bucks led the league in both categories and made a surprising run to the postseason.I think were getting used to our length, Kidd said Wednesday, when the Blazers attempted 40 but made only 17 3-pointers. Were guarding the 3-point line a little bit better than we have in the past.But when were making teams miss, we just have to rebound the ball. We want to get up in that top-10 for rebounding -- I think were 15th or 17th, somewhere in there -- so we can get better. If we can get better in that area, thats going to make our defense even better.Offensively, the Bucks young tandem of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker are starting to take a step forward. Antetokounmpo posted his second triple-double of the season Wednesday while Parker scored a team-high 27 points.Parker has scored 20 or more points in three of his last four games and is averaging 21.8 points on 50 percent shooting during that stretch, leaving his teammate impressed.(Jabari) is a beast right now, Antetokounmpo said. The team is rolling right now. Were feeling good.Milwaukees defense didnt fare so well in its first meeting with the Hawks this season. Atlanta connected at a 48.6 percent clip -- the highest shooting percentage allowed by Milwaukee this season -- while holding the Bucks to 39.8 percent shooting for a 107-100 victory on Nov. 16.The Hawks are no slouch either on the defensive end and come into the game third in the NBA with 9.3 steals per game, second in forcing turnovers (16.3 per game) and fourth in turning those miscues into points (18.3).But Atlantas offense is struggling, especially inside where their 43.2 points per game rank 18th in the league. The Hawks scored 58 points in the paint Wednesday and the result was a 103-95 victory over Miami that snapped a seven-game losing streak.Dwight Howard, who scored 23 points in the contest, said better ball movement is key.On the offensive end we have to move the ball a lot better than we have in the past, Howard told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. We were doing a lot of things -- one pass and shot. We went from the top of the league in moving the ball and getting guys shots to the bottom half. We have to get back to just moving the ball and playing through motions. Sheldrick Redwine Youth Jersey . A statement from the worlds top-ranked player says all checks "were satisfactory and showed positive evolution" regarding the injury, which contributed to his loss to Stanislas Wawrinka in the final in Melbourne. Austin Seibert Jersey . Bryzgalov stopped 25 shots on Saturday in the Oklahoma City Barons 4-1 victory over the Abbotsford Heat. 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CHICAGO -- A long, odd night turned into a frustrating early morning for a Chicago Cubs team that appears to have lost its swagger.Nick Markakis homered twice, including a tying solo shot in the ninth inning, and Tyler Flowers two-out single in the 11th early Friday morning gave the Atlanta Braves a 4-3 victory.A tough game, catcher Willson Contreras said in a nearly silent clubhouse after Chicagos 13th loss in 18 games.Contreras two-run triple in a three-run eighth inning put the Cubs up 3-2. But closer Hector Rondon blew his fourth save when he gave up the second homer to Markakis to lead off the ninth, Atlantas first hit since the second inning.Flowers then singled to right off Spencer Patton (1-1), and Freddie Freeman, who walked, barely beat Ben Zobrists throw home.Dario Alvarez (3-1) worked a perfect 10th before giving up consecutive singles to Contreras and Jason Heyward to lead off the 11th.Mauricio Cabrera came in and got his second save by getting Addison Russell to ground into a double play before Jeimer Candelario flied to center as the last-place Braves snapped a four-game skid.It was big to get a win, especially against a ball club like that, in ballpark like this, Markakis said.After starting 25-6, the Cubs have gone 27-27. Their three-game skid and losses in seven of eight games have dropped them a game behind San Francisco for the best record in the major leagues.It happens to everybody, Cubs manager Joe Maddon said of his teams woes. For anybody out there who believes it doesnt happen to every team, youre wrong.Tensions boiled after Markakis fourth homer in the ninth. After Rondon struck out Adonis Garcia, Rondon threw an inside fastball to Jeff Francoeur. He and Contreras started jawing, and the benches and bullpens emptied. There was only some pushing and no ejections.I called a fastball in and he didnt appreciate that, Contreras said. After that he started talking to me and I stood in front of him.Before that, Cubs slugger Kris Bryant was twice hit by Lucas Harrell, one on a curveball, and Hunter Cervenka plunked Anthony Rizzo. Bryant didnt return to the field with stiffness in his left leg after his second hit by pitch.Markakis put Atlanta ahead with a two-run homer in the first off Jason Hammell.dddddddddddd The right-hander settled down to retire 11 straight before he was lifted with cramping in his thumb on the humid night after a four-pitch walk to Gordon Beckham.Its annoying, said Hammel, who said he had the issue one other time in his career. For a thumb to pull me out of a game, it ticks me off.After Lucas Harrell threw 7 2/3 innings of four-hit ball in his second straight impressive start, the Braves bullpen gave up the lead.Cervenka allowed an RBI single to Zobrist. Then Jim Johnson entered and the rookie Contreras hit a sinking liner to center that got by Ender Inciarte and scored two runs.But the Cubs couldnt bust out of a slump in the makeup of an April 30 rainout that was delayed 1 hour, 35 minutes by rain and included a scary pregame incident.A man was carted off Wrigley Field and hospitalized after he slipped and fell to the warning track while attempting to jump from the bleachers before the game. The Cubs didnt identify the man and didnt provide his condition.TRAINERS ROOMBraves: RHP Julio Teheran, Atlantas lone All-Star, returned to the team after being treated for an infection due to ingrown hair on his right thigh. Teheran thinks hell start Saturday. I threw a bullpen today and I feel pretty good, he said. ... Beckham (hamstring) started at shortstop and went 0 for 4 after being activated off the disabled list before the game. Emilio Bonifacio was designated for assignment.Cubs: CF Dexter Fowler (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment Friday as the DH for Class A South Bend. Maddon said Fowler will play in the field Saturday, then theyll determine whether hell be activated so he can play in his first All-Star Game.HENDRICKS RELIEVESNot scheduled to start before the All-Star break, Cubs RHP Kyle Hendricks made his first ca