Recap: Atlanta vs. Washington
Sports Network | November 19, 2008
Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Joe Johnson and Marvin Williams drained three- pointers in the final minute, carrying the shorthanded Atlanta Hawks to a 91-87 win over the Washington Wizards.
Williams, who hit the go-ahead shot with 26.5 seconds left, scored 21 points and pulled down a career-high 14 rebounds. Mike Bibby had 25 points to pace the Hawks, who snapped a four-game skid. Johnson scored 19 to go with eight rebounds and eight assists for Atlanta, which played without center Al Horford (sprained right ankle) and forward Josh Smith (sprained left ankle).
Zaza Pachulia pulled down 18 rebounds for Atlanta, which scored the final eight points of the game.
Caron Butler posted a season-best 32 points for the Wizards, who fell to 1-8 on the season. Antawn Jamison ended with 18 points and 11 rebounds, while DeShawn Stevenson scored 12 in defeat.
Atlanta's Maurice Evans nailed a three-pointer to tie the game at 83 with just under two minutes left, but Stevenson hit a leaning shot. Juan Dixon then came up with a steal for the Wizards, leading to a Stevenson jumper from the right corner with 1:05 left for an 87-83 difference.
Johnson, though, hit a three from the right wing, and after Stevenson badly missed a three-ball off the backboard, the Wizards were whistled for a 24- second violation. Jamison was on the ground after being inadvertently hit in the face by Williams, and the Hawks got the ball back with 32.8 seconds remaining.
Williams then banged in a three from the right corner with 26.5 seconds left, giving the Hawks an 89-87 edge.
Dixon missed a long shot at the other end, and Nick Young misfired on a rebound try from right of the basket. Ronald Murray got the rebound and connected on two free throws with 10.3 seconds to go to seal the win.
The Wizards surged to a 13-4 lead early, but the Hawks rallied and were ahead 28-26 after the opening 12 minutes. Washington was ahead for nearly the entire second quarter and carried a 50-44 edge to the break, although Murray made a running three-ball at the buzzer.
Butler did the same at the end of the third, but Atlanta still led, 70-67.
The Wizards host Houston on Friday, while the Hawks are home against Charlotte the same night...The Wizards had won three consecutive meetings at Philips Arena...Washington remained winless (0-5) on the road this season...Johnson and Murray combined to shoot 9-of-33 from the field...Atlanta held a sizeable 58-40 rebounding advantage.
