ATLANTA - Jeff Teague and the Atlanta Hawks continue to use their newly discovered mastery of the Western Conference as their path to the top of the East.Jeff Teague scored 25 points and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Memphis Grizzlies 96-86 on Wednesday night.The Hawks, who have won six straight overall, have a nine-game winning streak against Western Conference teams. Atlanta (27- has won 20 of 22 and has the best record in the Eastern Conference.It shows that were a good team, said Atlantas Al Horford, who had 12 points.The Hawks were coming off three straight road wins over Utah, Portland and the Clippers. They continued the run against Memphis (25-10), which began the night third in the Western Conference.Honestly, its just happened that we played all those teams, Horford said. At the end of the day, for us its about wins.Teague has scored 20 or more points in each of Atlantas six straight wins — his longest streak of 20-point games in his career.In any sport thats what you want, to be really consistent every day, Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. Thats what we keep pushing Jeff on. I think hes made a lot of progress.Hes gifted offensively and hes making some good things happen for himself and for his team.Teague helped the Hawks take control with a 10-0 run following an 84-all tie. Horford started the run with a jumper. Teague and Kyle Korver followed with 3-pointers and Teague added another basket for a 94-84 lead.We were able to find a way the last three or four minutes to get one more burst, Budenholzer said.Mike Conley led Memphis with 17 points. Marc Gasol had 16, but the Grizzlies hit a wall in the closing minutes.It was a matter of not getting stops and not executing, Gasol said. We couldnt make plays. We couldnt execute. And that was it. You cant defend, you cant execute, its hard to win.Grizzlies coach David Joerger tried different lineup combinations as he sought to find an answer for Teague and Korver, who had 14 points.We have to get another playmaker on the floor, Joerger said. We have to. Were going to have to start playing multiple point guards.Joerger said the Hawks really jammed up Conley.Each team began the night with its best start in franchise history. This is the latest in the season the Hawks have led the Eastern Conference since the 1993-94 season.The Hawks, with 6-foot-10 Horford at centre, are accustomed to size disadvantages, and 7-footers Gasol and Kosta Koufos gave the Grizzlies a dramatic edge. Memphis had only a 39-37 edge in rebounds.TIP-INSGrizzlies: Gasol was effective with short fallaway shots over Horford. He used his soft touch from a different angle early in the third quarter when he made a shot from behind the corner of the backboard. Fans reacted with gasps. .. Tayshaun Prince had 12 points off the bench. ... Conley had a team-high nine rebounds and six assists.Hawks: Antic, who had 13 points, set a season high with three 3-pointers. ... Korver made four 3-pointers. .. F Elton Brand was not with the team due to a death in his family.DOWN BUT NOT OUTHawks guard DeMarre Carroll was knocked to the floor in the third quarter. Play was stopped as he staggered off the court and was escorted to locker room with a right eye contusion.He returned to the bench holding an ice bag over his eye. He was back in the game late in the quarter and had five points.TAKING NOTICEAttendance was 17,126. Horford said it felt like a playoff atmosphere when the fans reacted to Korvers late 3-pointer. The Hawks had three straight turnouts over 19,000 to finish their last homestand.UP NEXTGrizzlies: At New Orleans on Friday.Hawks: At Detroit on Friday. Jamaal Williams Jersey . Tyrell appeared in seven games with the Lightning this year, he had no points in those appearances. The 24-year-old has seven goals and 17 assists in 132 career NHL games, all coming with the Lightning. He was selected in the second round, 47th overall, of the 2007 draft. Ibraheim Campbell Jersey . The Montreal Canadiens goaltender has won three of his four games since returning from a lower-body injury that kept him out from the end of the Olympic break until March 15. http://www.custompackersjersey.com/custom-sterling-sharpe-jersey-large-1172r.html . Three days after falling to Hamilton, Abbotsford scored three goals in 53 seconds en route to a convincing 5-1 win over the Bulldogs Saturday in American Hockey League play. Dave Robinson Jersey . Linemates Ryan Johansen and Boone Jenner each had a goal and an assist in the first period, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 36 saves to lead the Blue Jackets past the Florida Panthers 4-1 on Saturday night. John Brockington Jersey . The outdoor event will be played on Dec. 31 between alumni of the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers at Citizens Bank Park, the home of the Philadelphia Phillies.MINNEAPOLIS - Just when Joe Mauer restored his smooth swing, it brought more trouble by triggering his latest injury. This frustrating season for Minnesotas catcher-turned-first baseman worsened Wednesday, when Mauer woke up with more discomfort than he had the night before from a strained muscle on his right side and was placed on the 15-day disabled list. "Its been a very trying year for me personally," Mauer said. "I get things going and something happens, but thats baseball. ... This is another thing that Ive got to work through, and hopefully it doesnt take too long and I get back out there soon." Mauer was hurt swinging on his two-run double in the fourth inning Tuesday that stretched his hitting streak to 12 straight games. He batted .320, his career average, with 13 RBIs over the last 19 games. But prior to his recent surge, the six-time All-Star and three-time American League batting title holder has been in his worst slump ever, his average dipping as low as .254 a couple of times last month. "Hes put in a lot of hard work here getting his swing where he wants it, and its been falling in for him, hes been driving in runs, and now we have this," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "You know what? It is part of the game when you play every day. Youre going to have some of these things, and now we jjust have to let him heal.dddddddddddd" Mauer missed the last 39 games last year with concussion-like symptoms, prompting his position switch. He sat out almost a week earlier this season with a bad back. Knee and lower-body injuries hounded him at times in his career. His substandard production at the corner infield spot already put his All-Star selection in doubt, but this strained-oblique setback sealed the deal: Mauer wont play in the midsummer classic in his hometown. "Hes been an All-Star for quite a bit, and Im sure its something that he wouldve loved to have been a part of, but you know what? You get hurt, you get hurt," Gardenhire said. Though Mauer stayed in the game to run the bases, he said he knew right away the injury was serious. "Ive never been shot before, but it felt like I got shot," Mauer said. The Twins called up Chris Colabello from Triple-A Rochester to take his place on the roster. Colabello was hitting .275 with six home runs and 27 RBI in 36 games with the Red Wings. In 40 games with the Twins earlier this year, Colabello batted .232, but with 10 doubles, four home runs and 30 RBIs. So while Colabello hasnt played in a game for the Twins since May 23, he still has driven in more runs than Mauer, who has 28 RBIs in 76 games with 20 extra-base hits. Hes batting .271. ' ' '