Hawks catch Celtics
Forget about a Boston sweep. The Hawks are headed back to Beantown all tied up with the mighty Celtics.
Joe Johnson scored 35 points – 20 in the fourth quarter – and Josh Smith added 28 points and seven blocks for Atlanta, which surprised the Celtics again 97-92 on Monday night in Atlanta to even the best-of-7 series at two games apiece.
A Game 5 that many never expected to happen is now on, Wednesday night in Boston.
The Hawks, who had the worst record (37-45) of any playoff team, overcame two double-digit deficits to beat a team that won an NBA-leading 66 games during the regular season.
The credit for this Atlanta stunner goes largely to Johnson, who took control in the final quarter. After Smith’s jumper put the Hawks ahead to stay 81-79, Johnson scored nine straight points to keep the Celtics on the ropes.
The knockout came when Paul Pierce drove to the hoop and left it short, then tumbled over a cameraman alongside the basket. When the Boston star finally climbed back to his feet, he had a look of disbelief – which pretty much sums up the way the Celtics are feeling about this series.
Smith went to the other end and made two free throws with 26 seconds remaining for 93-87 lead. Johnson – appropriately enough – finished off the Celtics by making two more foul shots with 14 seconds left.
Ray Allen led Boston with 21 points, and Kevin Garnett added 20.
Magic 102, Raptors 92: At Orlando, Fla., Dwight Howard had 21 points and 21 rebounds and the Orlando Magic advanced to second round of the playoffs for the first time in 12 years, beating Toronto to close out their series in five games.
It was Howard’s third game with at least 20 points and 20 rebounds in the series.
The Magic will play the winner of the Detroit-Philadelphia series, which is tied 2-2, in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.
Lakers 107, Nuggets 101: At Denver, Kobe Bryant scored 14 of his 31 points over the final 5 1/2 minutes, leading Los Angeles to a victory over the Nuggets and a sweep of their first-round series.
Pau Gasol added 21 points in the Lakers’ first sweep of a playoff series since whitewashing New Jersey in the 2002 NBA finals.
The Nuggets became the first 50-win team to ever be swept in the first round of the playoffs.
The Lakers will meet the winner of the Utah-Houston series, which the Jazz lead 3-1, in the Western Conference semifinals.