Recap: Oklahoma City vs. Atlanta
Sports Network | November 09, 2008
Oklahoma City, OK (Sports Network) - Joe Johnson scored 25 points to help the Atlanta Hawks remain unbeaten with an 89-85 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Marvin Williams added 16 points for the Hawks, who at 5-0 are off to their best start since winning their first 11 games of the 1997-98 campaign. Ronald Murray had 14 points in the win and Mike Bibby 13. Al Horford hauled in 12 rebounds and Solomon Jones had 10 boards.
Kevin Durant had 20 points for the Thunder, who have lost three straight and five of six to open the season. Russell Westbrook scored 15 points and Joe Smith tallied 14 points and nine rebounds in defeat.
A 12-2 run by Atlanta opened an 80-77 lead with 3:47 left. Murray sparked the run with a pair from the line and Williams closed it with a three-pointer from the right wing.
Three free throws from Smith tied it at 80 with 2 1/2 minutes left in regulation.
Johnson added a couple of baskets to give the Hawks an 84-80 lead with 90 ticks left.
Following a timeout, Durant fed Smith down low, but his layup was off the mark and Murray grabbed the rebound. Atlanta worked the ball upcourt, but missed on a couple of threes.
However, the club dwindled the clock down to 34.3 seconds, and after a timeout, Bibby was fouled and hit both shots to increase the lead to 86-80.
Two free throws from Smith made it a four-point game with 16.9 seconds left. Oklahoma City was forced to foul, and Bibby hit just 1-of-2.
The Thunder rushed downcourt and Desmond Mason tallied a layup to make it 88-85. Jeff Green then missed a potential tying three-pointer in the waning seconds, and Williams made one free throw to seal Atlanta's win.
The Hawks jumped out to a 22-14 lead after the first quarter, but the Thunder stormed back for a 41-38 lead at the half.
The teams traded baskets and the lead see-sawed before Earl Watson's jumper gave the Thunder a 56-53 lead with just under five minutes left in the third quarter.
After three minutes of scoreless ball, Durant connected on a bucket to make it a five-point game.
The Hawks trimmed their deficit a shade, 62-58, heading into the final 12 minutes of play.
Two free throws from Jones, a jumper from Williams and two more from the stripe by Maurice Evans gave the Hawks a 66-64 lead with 9:18 showing on the clock.
The Thunder answered back and the teams found themselves knotted at 68 a minute later. Oklahoma City, though, opened a 75-68 advantage as Mason dropped a layup, Smith hit a free throw and Durant had a three-point play.
Atlanta forward Josh Smith (ankle) is out for the next two to four weeks after spraining his ankle against the Raptors...The Thunder are 1-3 at home this season...The Hawks had lost eight of the past nine matchups in this series...Atlanta won despite shooting 37.2 percent from the field...The Thunder ended at 39.1 percent...Oklahoma City forward Chris Wilcox left in the first quarter after spraining his right knee.
