In brief: Hawks defeat Detroit for 5-0 start to season

NBA: Joe Johnson was struggling, Jamal Crawford was watching in street clothes and the rebounds were falling away from Atlanta players.

The Hawks still found a way in the final minutes to pull out another win. Al Horford had six straight points in an 18-4 run to finish the game and the undefeated Hawks beat the winless Detroit Pistons 94-85 on Wednesday night.

Josh Smith had 22 points and 11 rebounds as the Hawks (5-0) remained the only unbeaten team in the Eastern Conference.

• Pierce hits career milestone: Paul Pierce scored 12 of his 28 points in overtime to reach 20,000 points in his career, added a key steal with 27 seconds left, and helped Boston beat visiting Milwaukee 105-102.

• Hornets stay perfect: Chris Paul scored 25 points, Marco Belinelli added 18 and the New Orleans Hornets beat the winless Houston Rockets (0-4) 107-99 at Houston to remain unbeaten (4-0).

• Mavs edge Nuggets: Dirk Nowitzki scored a season-high 35 points and Caron Butler hit a pivotal 3-pointer late in the game, helping the visiting Dallas Mavericks hold off the Denver Nuggets 102-101.

• Jefferson guides Spurs: Richard Jefferson hit four fourth-quarter 3-pointers, including the go-ahead basket with 1:38 remaining, and the San Antonio Spurs edged the host Phoenix Suns 112-110.

• Officials approve Garden reopening: Madison Square Garden will reopen Friday night for the New York Knicks’ game against Washington following an asbestos scare that forced the postponement of a game Tuesday night.

City environmental officials who inspected the 42-year-old sports and concert hall gave it a clean bill of health.

Rangers decline option on Guerrero

Baseball: Vladimir Guerrero became a free agent when the A.L. champion Texas Rangers declined his $9 million mutual option, and Adrian Beltre hit the market when he turned down his $10 million player option with Boston.

Teams and players prepared for the start of free-agent negotiations Sunday under the new schedule that shortened the post-World Series “quiet period” from 15 days to five.

Cliff Lee, the 2008 AL Cy Young Award winner, is the top available free-agent pitcher, and the Yankees plan to attempt to woo him from Texas.

Other free agents include Boston catcher Victor Martinez, White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko, Tampa Bay slugger Carlos Pena and closer Rafael Soriano and Angels designated hitter Hideki Matsui.

Beltre, who gets a $1 million buyout, led Boston with a .321 batting average and a career-high 49 doubles in 154 games. Boston signed him as a free agent after he hit .265 with eight homers and 44 RBIs with Seattle in 2009.

The Chicago Cubs say third baseman Aramis Ramirez exercised his $14.6 million option and will return to the team next season.

Motorsports: The IndyCar Series stop in Edmonton, Alberta, is off the schedule after the city and event promoter were unable to agree on a location for the race.

The event had been held the past three years on a temporary City Centre Airport circuit.

The Edmonton Indy lost $9 million over its first two races in 2008 and 2009.

Semin powers Caps to shootout win

NHL: Alexander Semin’s seventh goal of the season tied the game with about 51/2 minutes left in regulation and he also scored the final goal in the shootout to lift the Washington Capitals to a 5-4 victory over the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs.

• Red Wings halt Flames: Mike Modano and Justin Abdelkader scored second-period goals to lead the Detroit Red Wings to a 2-1 victory over the Calgary Flames at Calgary, Alberta.

• Palmieri enjoys first NHL game: Kyle Palmieri scored the tying goal late in regulation of his first NHL game and Ryan Getzlaf netted the winner 2:53 into overtime to lift the Anaheim Ducks to a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning at Anaheim, Calif.