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Atlanta, GA – Al Horford and Josh Smith shook off injuries and posted double-doubles to keep the Atlanta Hawks’ season alive with a hard- fought 87-86 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.

Horford, battling through a still-bothersome pectoral injury that caused him to miss most of the regular season, totaled 19 points and 11 rebounds, while Smith chipped in 13 and 16 despite dealing with a sore knee.

Smith nearly threw away a chance to seal the win when his inbounds pass with 10.9 seconds remaining was stolen by Rajon Rondo.

Down by one, Rondo pushed the ball up the court and dribbled into the left corner. Smith and Horford switched defensive responsibilities, and Horford disrupted Rondo’s dribble as time wound down.

By the time Rondo recovered and threw to Kevin Garnett at the top of the key, Smith tipped the ball away as the buzzer sounded, pulling the Hawks within 3-2 of a series that continues Thursday back in Boston.

“The whole thing was to force [Rondo] to pass the ball. I crowded him as much as I could, and Josh made a great tip,” recalled Horford of the final play.

The Celtics received 16 points apiece from Garnett and a hobbled Paul Pierce. Ray Allen added 15 points, and Rondo finished with 13 points and 12 assists in defeat.

Every time the Hawks made a run, the Celtics seemingly answered.

Down 66-54 following a 10-0 Hawks run late in the third, Boston scored the final 10 points of stanza to pull within two.

Atlanta tried to pull away again in the fourth as Smith powered a 14-3 spurt that gave the hosts an 83-76 edge with just over four minutes remaining.

The lead lasted less than two minutes, as consecutive field goals by Garnett and Pierce preceded Allen’s tying three-pointer with 2:41 on the clock.

Horford, who surprisingly returned from a four-month absence in Game 4, put in back-to-back buckets around a Garnett miss before missing a jumper with a minute to play.

Pierce, also limited due to a knee injury, followed by hitting a three- pointer, but airballed a potential go-ahead jumper with Joe Johnson in his face the next time down.

The Celtics used their foul-to-give with 10.9 seconds remaining, leading to the breathless final sequence.

Pierce scored nine points in the first quarter, pacing the Celtics to a 21-15 lead, but the Hawks battled back in the second and things were even at 40-all by halftime.

Game Notes

The Hawks shot 47 percent from the field compared to the Celtics’ 44% effort…Jeff Teague donated 16 points for the Hawks, who got 15 points apiece from Johnson and Marvin Williams….Atlanta won the rebounding battle, 41-33.

Even when most of their roster was healthy, the Orlando Magic struggled recently against the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks had won nine of the teams’ previous 11 regular-season and postseason games entering their matchup Friday night — and Dwight Howard had played in all of those games.

Things turned ugly without Howard on Friday.

In what could be a preview of the remainder of Orlando’s season now that Howard has been diagnosed with a herniated disk in his lower back, the Hawks dominated the Magic 109-81 at Amway Center.

Nothing worked for Orlando. Not the offense. And especially not the defense, which allowed the Hawks to make 75 percent of their shots in the first quarter and just over 50 percent of their shots for the entire game.

“It was a very, very poor defensive effort,” coach Stan Van Gundy said.

“I just told ‘em after the game, ‘Run back.’ I was really, really upset, especially with our starters in the first quarter. [They] just did not bring anything to that game in what we needed, and I told them that. We didn’t run back. We didn’t get matched up. They got too many easy shots. There was no excuse for what happened in that first quarter.”

Joe Johnson, Josh Smith and Marvin Williams finished with 16 points apiece. Reserve point guard Jannero Pargo scored a game-high 17 points.

“We just didn’t do anything right tonight,” Magic wing Jason Richardson said. “No excuses.”

Glen Davis, who replaced Howard in the Magic lineup, scored 16 points on 8-of-13 shooting and added nine rebounds.

The Magic (34-25) need to find some traction — and quickly.

They lead the seventh-place New York Knicks and the eighth-place Philadelphia 76ers by three games and hold a 5½-game lead over the ninth-place Milwaukee Bucks.

The Magic showed decent effort at times against the Hawks (35-24).

On one sequence in the first quarter, Davis delivered a bone-crunching screen to Smith that sent the 6-foot-9, 225-pound Smith to Amway Center’s parquet floor.

A few seconds later, Richardson sprinted down the court to block Zaza Pachulia’s layup attempt on a fastbreak. Richardson grabbed the ball, passed it ahead to Von Wafer, who sent it to Davis for a fastbreak layup. The score cut Atlanta’s lead to 25-20.

But the Hawks would finish the first period 15 for 20 from the field.

“We didn’t let up because Dwight wasn’t playing,” Smith said.

Atlanta’s shooters cooled off in the second quarter, shooting just 37 percent, but the Hawks maintained their momentum because the Magic shot only 32 percent from the field.

It was a rotten first half.

Quentin Richardson’s face absorbed what appeared to be an accidental left forearm from Pachulia as they both went for a loose ball with 4:53 remaining in the half. Richardson looked dazed, left the court with athletic trainer Keon Weise and did not return to the game.

Late in the half, Van Gundy received his first technical foul of the season. With Orlando trailing 61-42, a referee whistled Wafer for a questionable offensive foul after Wafer simply appeared to take a baseline jumper.

Van Gundy complained, and those gripes generated the technical.

The Hawks finished the half with 62 points — the highest point total for a Magic opponent in a first half this season and just one point shy of the highest point total by a Magic opponent in any half this season.

“They give us problems with or without Dwight,” Jason Richardson said.

True.

But without Howard, those problems were even more severe.

jbrobbins@tribune.com. Read his blog at OrlandoSentinel.com/magicblog. Subscribe to our Orlando Magic newsletter at OrlandoSentinel.com/joinus.

Bobcats at Hawks

7:30 p.m., Philips Arena

TV: SportSouth. Radio: WFNZ-AM 610

Bobcats		Hawks
Pos, Player	Ppg	Rpg		Pos, Player	Ppg	Rpg
G, K. Walker	12.0	3.3		G, J. Teague	12.4	2.2
G, R. Williams	8.9	2.9		G, J. Johnson	19.1	3.8
F, G. Henderson	14.6	4.1		F, M. Williams	10.4	6.1
F, B. Mullens	9.0	4.5		F, J. Smith	16.3	9.3
C, B. Biyombo	4.6	5.5		C, Z. Pachulia	6.7	5.8

Josh Smith vs. Bobcats’ big men: Although Smith is a power forward, it might make more sense to guard him with Bismack Biyombo, in looking to match Smith’s explosiveness.

• Former Wake Forest point guard Jeff Teague probably belongs in the discussion for NBA most improved player. He more than doubled his scoring average from a year ago (5.2 ppg., to 12.5) and has shown he’s starter-worthy.

• The Bobcats’ 11-game losing streak is two away from tying the longest such streak in franchise history.

• Thomas has improved his last six games, averaging 9.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 1.3 steals.

• Celtics assistant Kevin Eastman once coached at Belmont Abbey.

Pierce is the only player in Boston’s rotation who was originally drafted by the Celtics.

Rick Bonnell

DENVER — Nene scored 22 points, Ty Lawson had 21 points and seven assists and the Denver Nuggets rallied to beat the Atlanta Hawks 118-117 in overtime on Tuesday night.

Joe Johnson scored 34 points and Josh Smith had a season-high 33 points and 13 rebounds for the Hawks, who had a chance to win it at the buzzer.

Trailing by one with 3.5 seconds left, Atlanta got the ball to Zaza Pachulia at the foul line with. He drove the open lane before Danilo Gallinari rotated over, and Pachulia missed a layup off the glass as time expired.

Gallinari had 19 points in his best game since returning from a severely sprained left ankle.

Johnson took control in overtime after Smith fouled out, scoring seven straight points in overtime to give Atlanta a 117-112 lead. However, Denver came back and took a one-point lead on two free throws by Nene with 26 seconds left.

Without Smith in the game the Nuggets blanketed Johnson on the final play.

Before the game Hawks co-owner Bruce Levenson tried to dispel trade rumors surrounding Smith, saying “the likelihood of us trading Josh at the trade deadline is as close to zero as you can get.”

Smith’s play wasn’t impacted by the rumors or Thursday’s trade deadline, especially in the fourth when he scored 15 points and put the Hawks ahead 104-102 with 29 seconds left.

Lawson drove the lane but his layup went off the side of the rim with 15 seconds left. An Atlanta turnover with 9 seconds left gave Denver another chance, and Gallinari made a 3-pointer as he fell out of bounds to give Denver a 105-104 lead with 3.9 seconds left.

Hinrich was fouled and hit 1 of 2 free throws with 1.1 seconds left to send it to overtime. Hinrich finished with 22 points.

Atlanta’s outside shooting kept the game close for most of the first half. The Johnson had 15 points and Smith scored 13 for the Hawks, who hit 8 of 14 from behind the 3-point line before intermission.

The Nuggets countered with a balanced scoring attack that had four players in double digits at the break.

Lawson led the way with 12, including two 3-pointers in the final 62 seconds of the first half to help the Nuggets extend the lead to 64-55.

NOTES: Smith’s career high is 38 set Nov. 17, 2007, vs. Milwaukee. … Hawks G Willie Green (back spasms/right hamstring) did not play and F Ivan Johnson was not with the team due to personal reasons. … Nuggets F Kosta Koufas was dressed but did not play. He has missed six games with a strained left knee.

Nene scored 22 points, Ty Lawson had 21 points and seven assists and the Denver Nuggets rallied to beat the Atlanta Hawks 118-117 in overtime on Tuesday night. Joe Johnson scored 34 points and Josh Smith had a season-high 33 points and 13 rebounds for the Hawks, who had a chance to win it at the buzzer. Trailing by one with 3.5 seconds left, Atlanta got the ball to Zaza Pachulia at the foul line with. He drove the open lane before Danilo Gallinari rotated over, and Pachulia missed a layup off the glass as time expired. Gallinari had 19 points in his best game since returning from a severely sprained left ankle. Johnson took control in overtime after Smith fouled out, scoring seven straight points in overtime to give Atlanta a 117-112 lead. However, Denver came back and took a one-point lead on two free throws by Nene with 26 seconds left. Without Smith in the game the Nuggets blanketed Johnson on the final play. Before the game Hawks co-owner Bruce Levenson tried to dispel trade rumors surrounding Smith, saying “the likelihood of us trading Josh at the trade deadline is as close to zero as you can get.” Smith’s play wasn’t impacted by the rumors or Thursday’s trade deadline, especially in the fourth when he scored 15 points and put the Hawks ahead 104-102 with 29 seconds left. Lawson drove the lane but his layup went off the side of the rim with 15 seconds left. An Atlanta turnover with 9 seconds left gave Denver another chance, and Gallinari made a 3-pointer as he fell out of bounds to give Denver a 105-104 lead with 3.9 seconds left. Hinrich was fouled and hit 1 of 2 free throws with 1.1 seconds left to send it to overtime. Hinrich finished with 22 points. Atlanta’s outside shooting kept the game close for most of the first half. The Johnson had 15 points and Smith scored 13 for the Hawks, who hit 8 of 14 from behind the 3-point line before intermission. The Nuggets countered with a balanced scoring attack that had four players in double digits at the break. Lawson led the way with 12, including two 3-pointers in the final 62 seconds of the first half to help the Nuggets extend the lead to 64-55. NOTES: Smith’s career high is 38 set Nov. 17, 2007, vs. Milwaukee. … Hawks G Willie Green (back spasms/right hamstring) did not play and F Ivan Johnson was not with the team due to personal reasons. … Nuggets F Kosta Koufas was dressed but did not play. He has missed six games with a strained left knee.

DENVER (AP) — Nene scored 22 points, Ty Lawson had 21 points and seven assists and the Denver Nuggets rallied to beat the Atlanta Hawks 118-117 in overtime on Tuesday night.

Joe Johnson scored 34 points and Josh Smith had a season-high 33 points and 13 rebounds for the Hawks, who had a chance to win it at the buzzer.

Trailing by one with 3.5 seconds left, Atlanta got the ball to Zaza Pachulia at the foul line with. He drove the open lane before Danilo Gallinari rotated over, and Pachulia missed a layup off the glass as time expired.

Gallinari had 19 points in his best game since returning from a severely sprained left ankle.

Johnson took control in overtime after Smith fouled out, scoring seven straight points in overtime to give Atlanta a 117-112 lead. However, Denver came back and took a one-point lead on two free throws by Nene with 26 seconds left.

Without Smith in the game the Nuggets blanketed Johnson on the final play.

Before the game Hawks co-owner Bruce Levenson tried to dispel trade rumors surrounding Smith, saying “the likelihood of us trading Josh at the trade deadline is as close to zero as you can get.”

Smith’s play wasn’t impacted by the rumors or Thursday’s trade deadline, especially in the fourth when he scored 15 points and put the Hawks ahead 104-102 with 29 seconds left.

Lawson drove the lane but his layup went off the side of the rim with 15 seconds left. An Atlanta turnover with 9 seconds left gave Denver another chance, and Gallinari made a 3-pointer as he fell out of bounds to give Denver a 105-104 lead with 3.9 seconds left.

Hinrich was fouled and hit 1 of 2 free throws with 1.1 seconds left to send it to overtime. Hinrich finished with 22 points.

Atlanta’s outside shooting kept the game close for most of the first half. The Johnson had 15 points and Smith scored 13 for the Hawks, who hit 8 of 14 from behind the 3-point line before intermission.

The Nuggets countered with a balanced scoring attack that had four players in double digits at the break.

Lawson led the way with 12, including two 3-pointers in the final 62 seconds of the first half to help the Nuggets extend the lead to 64-55.

NOTES: Smith’s career high is 38 set Nov. 17, 2007, vs. Milwaukee. … Hawks G Willie Green (back spasms/right hamstring) did not play and F Ivan Johnson was not with the team due to personal reasons. … Nuggets F Kosta Koufas was dressed but did not play. He has missed six games with a strained left knee.

Last year, the Denver Nuggets defeated the Atlanta Hawks twice as part of
their surge to earn a playoff spot after dealing away Carmelo Anthony.

Back then, however, Josh Smith wasn’t playing like this.

A red-hot Smith leads the Hawks into Denver as the two teams meet for the
lone time this season Tuesday night.

Denver (23-19) went 18-7 after sending Anthony to New York to gain an eighth
straight postseason berth a season ago. Included in that stretch were victories
by an average of 12.5 points over Atlanta (24-17).

In those two games, however, Smith totaled just 23 points combined. In six
March games this season, he is averaging 25.5 points – seventh in the league
over that span – on 50.0 percent shooting while adding 9.8 rebounds per game.

While the Nuggets were able to pull together after Anthony departed, the
Hawks will soon have to figure out how Smith fits into their long-term plans.
The eighth-year forward is turning in perhaps his best season, with career-high
averages of 17.4 points and 9.6 rebounds. Yet rumors of his unhappiness in
Atlanta have swirled, the NBA trade deadline is Thursday and the Hawks suddenly
find themselves with quite a valuable commodity.

Smith scored 28 in Sunday’s 106-99 win at Sacramento, and addressed his
situation afterward.

“I’m here. I have one more year on my contract. We’ll see what happens,”
Smith said, refusing to elaborate. “I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing.”

His coach, Larry Drew, hopes he’ll continue to do it in a Hawks uniform.

“Josh has really been Superman for us,” Drew said. “He’s been playing a lot
of minutes and doing it at both ends of the floor. He’s playing absolutely
super.”

While Smith wasn’t at his best last season against the Nuggets – shooting
34.8 percent to go with 7.0 boards and suffering a knee injury in Denver – the
first of his three career triple-doubles came there Jan. 23, 2008, with 22
points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists.

These teams are both in sixth place in their respective conferences. Both
have lost two of three although Denver has won five of seven and Atlanta four of
six.

Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari made his first start since Feb. 6 on Sunday
in his fourth game back after missing 13 with a severely sprained left ankle.
Gallinari was held scoreless for the first time since Jan. 11, 2010, and is
averaging 4.5 points on 5-of-25 shooting since returning.

The 6-foot-10 Italian averaged 17.0 points on 44.7 percent shooting before
getting hurt.

“I’m sure he’s frustrated,” coach George Karl told the Nuggets’ official
website. “I was going to play him a little bit more down the stretch (Sunday),
but I just thought Corey (Brewer) was playing at a much higher level.”

Brewer was one of three Nuggets to tie for the team lead with 15 points in
Sunday’s 94-91 home loss to Memphis. Andre Miller scored 14 but also matched a
season high with six turnovers, the same number as Ty Lawson as Denver had 24
giveaways.

Atlanta has dropped its last four visits to Denver, which was 9-0 against
East foes before Wednesday’s 100-99 home loss to Cleveland.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – After publicly asking management to trade him a few days ago, Josh Smith gave the Atlanta Hawks too many reasons not to on Sunday night against the Sacramento Kings.

A disgruntled veteran who has played all eight seasons with Atlanta, Smith scored 19 of his 28 points in the second half for the Hawks, who defeated the Sacramento Kings for the eighth straight time with a 106-99 victory.

Angered after failing to make the Eastern Conference All-Star team and blaming it on no backing from the team, Smith told the Hawks he would like to be on another team when the trade deadline arrives on Thursday.

Smith had plenty to say about leaving the Hawks previously, but didn’t want to discuss it after another excellent overall game. He made 13 of 23 shots and added six rebounds, three steals, three assists and three blocks in 39 minutes.

“I’m here. I have one more year on my contract. We’ll see what happens,” Smith said, refusing to elaborate. “I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing.”

And that may be fine with the Hawks, who have been benefiting from Smith’s strong play in March as they try to pick up wins despite continuing to be beset with injuries. Smith is averaging just under 26 points in six games in March. For the season, he’s averaging 17 points and nearly 10 rebounds a game.

“Josh has really been Superman for us,” Hawks coach Larry Drew said. “He’s been playing a lot of minutes and doing it at both ends of the floor. He’s playing absolutely super.”

The shooting of Smith was instrumental in helping Atlanta assume the lead for good with a strong third quarter. And the Hawks never trailed again in avoiding a third straight loss.

In the fourth quarter, it was Smith again hitting open shots. He followed a 3-pointer from Hinrich with a pair of jumpers and a free throw, putting the Hawks in front 88-76 with just over nine minutes left.

Deciding to play a smaller lineup, the Hawks inserted Kirk Hinrich as a starter, slid Smith to power forward, yet still managed to outrebound the Kings and also get out on the break for some easy baskets, evidenced by their 21 fastbreak points.

“I’m big on matchups, and one of my fears is they start three guards,” Drew said. “We elected to go with a three-guard lineup and it had some value for us.”

DeMarcus Cousins fouled out late in the game, but not before tying a season high with 28 and adding 12 rebounds for the Kings, who had their modest two-game winning streak snapped. John Salmons had 14 points, while both Marcus Thornton and Jimmer Fredette had 12.

Although Cousins was a major factor against a smaller Atlanta lineup, Kings coach Keith Smart credited Smith with being a major factor at both ends of the court.

“Offensively, he’s a small forward who is too quick sometimes for a power forward,” Smart said. “And he changes things on defense because he’s a shot blocker. Anytime he sees someone going to the basket, he tries to control the paint. What you saw him doing in the game puts other teams in a bind.”

Joe Johnson scored 21 points and Jeff Teague had 16 points and seven assists for the Hawks, who play the Kings just once this season. Kirk Hinrich and Marvin Williams both had 12 points and Zaza Pachulia added 10 points and 13 rebounds before fouling out in the fourth quarter.

“In the third quarter, we had great ball moment and were picking up the intensity at both ends of the court,” Johnson said. “We got out for some easy baskets and finally were making some stops on defense.”

Trailing by 12 with just over five minutes to play, the Kings ran off seven straight points, pulling to within 94-89 on a 3 by Thornton. But several costly turnovers and several missed 3s in the final two minutes prevented the Kings from getting any closer than five points.

The loss to Atlanta came two nights after the Kings had dismantled the defending champion Dallas Mavericks in a convincing 110-97 victory. However, that same energy that was so evident against Dallas seemed lacking against the Hawks.

“That’s kind of what immature teams do,” Kings rookie guard Isaiah Thomas said. “The energy wasn’t there like it was because we were playing the world champions. We have to get better and get up for every day.”

The Hawks are on a season-high six-game road trip that began with a win over Indiana. However, Atlanta suffered a three-point loss in Miami and fell to Detroit 86-85 on Friday night. The road trip concludes with consecutive games, Tuesday against Denver and Wednesday vs. the Los Angeles Clippers.

Smith’s shooting ignited the Hawks in the third quarter when they outscored the Kings 29-22 in taking an 80-74 lead into the fourth.

The Hawks had no answer for Cousins in the opening half when the Kings led 52-51. He scored from inside and out in getting 18 points. Pachulia had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Hawks.
 

CBSSports.com wire reports
March 11, 2012

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After publicly asking management to trade him a few days ago, Josh Smith gave the Atlanta Hawks too many reasons not to on Sunday night against the Sacramento Kings.

A disgruntled veteran who has played all eight seasons with Atlanta, Smith scored 19 of his 28 points in the second half for the Hawks, who defeated the Sacramento Kings for the eighth straight time with a 106-99 victory.

Angered after failing to make the Eastern Conference All-Star team and blaming it on no backing from the team, Smith told the Hawks he would like to be on another team when the trade deadline arrives on Thursday.

Smith had plenty to say about leaving the Hawks previously, but didn’t want to discuss it after another excellent overall game. He made 13 of 23 shots and added six rebounds, three rebounds, three assists and three blocks in 39 minutes.

“I’m here. I have one more year on my contract. We’ll see what happens,” Smith said, refusing to elaborate. “I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing.”

And that may be fine with the Hawks, who have been benefiting from Smith’s strong play in March as they try to pick up wins despite continuing to be beset with injuries. Smith is averaging just under 26 points in six games in March. For the season, he’s averaging 17 points and nearly 10 rebounds a game.

“Josh has really been Superman for us,” Hawks coach Larry Drew said. “He’s been playing a lot of minutes and doing it at both ends of the floor. He’s playing absolutely super.”

The shooting of Smith was instrumental in helping Atlanta assume the lead for good with a strong third quarter. And the Hawks never trailed again in avoiding a third straight loss.

In the fourth quarter, it was Smith again hitting open shots. He followed a 3-pointer from Kirk Hinrich with a pair of jumpers and a free throw, putting the Hawks in front 88-76 with just over nine minutes left.

Deciding to play a smaller lineup, the Hawks inserted Hinrich as a starter, slid Smith to power forward, yet still managed to outrebound the Kings and also get out on the break for some easy baskets, evidenced by their 21 fastbreak points.

“I’m big on matchups, and one of my fears is they start three guards,” Drew said. “We elected to go with a three-guard lineup and it had some value for us.”

DeMarcus Cousins fouled out late in the game, but not before tying a season high with 28 and adding 12 rebounds for the Kings, who had their modest two-game winning streak snapped. John Salmons had 14 points, while both Marcus Thornton and Jimmer Fredette had 12.

Although Cousins was a major factor against a smaller Atlanta lineup, Kings coach Keith Smart credited Smith with being a major factor at both ends of the court.

“Offensively, he’s a small forward who is too quick sometimes for a power forward,” Smart said. “And he changes things on defense because he’s a shot blocker. Anytime he sees someone going to the basket, he tries to control the paint. What you saw him doing in the game puts other teams in a bind.”

Joe Johnson scored 21 points and Jeff Teague had 16 points and seven assists for the Hawks, who play the Kings just once this season. Hinrich and Marvin Williams both had 12 points and Zaza Pachulia added 10 points and 13 rebounds before fouling out in the fourth quarter.

“In the third quarter, we had great ball moment and were picking up the intensity at both ends of the court,” Johnson said. “We got out for some easy baskets and finally were making some stops on defense.”

Trailing by 12 with just over five minutes to play, the Kings ran off seven straight points, pulling to within 94-89 on a 3 by Thornton. But several costly turnovers and several missed 3s in the final two minutes prevented the Kings from getting any closer than five points.

The loss to Atlanta came two nights after the Kings had dismantled the defending champion Dallas Mavericks in a convincing 110-97 victory. However, that same energy that was so evident against Dallas seemed lacking against the Hawks.

“That’s kind of what immature teams do,” Kings rookie guard Isaiah Thomas said. “The energy wasn’t there like it was because we were playing the world champions. We have to get better and get up for every day.”

The Hawks are on a season-high six-game road trip that began with a win over Indiana. However, Atlanta suffered a three-point loss in Miami and fell to Detroit 86-85 on Friday night. The road trip concludes with consecutive games, Tuesday against Denver and Wednesday vs. the Los Angeles Clippers.

Smith’s shooting ignited the Hawks in the third quarter when they outscored the Kings 29-22 in taking an 80-74 lead into the fourth.

The Hawks had no answer for Cousins in the opening half when the Kings led 52-51. He scored from inside and out in getting 18 points. Pachulia had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Hawks.

Notes

• Fredette hit a long 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the first quarter to give Sacramento a 24-23 lead.
• Johnson, who returned to the lineup Friday after missing four straight games with tendinitis in his left knee, missed all three first-quarter shots and didn’t score.
• Drew was a member of the Kings in 1985-86, the franchise’s first year in Sacramento.
• Kings reserve forward J.J. Hickson missed his fifth straight game with a hip pointer.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)—After publicly asking management to trade him a
few days ago, Josh Smith gave the Atlanta Hawks too many reasons not to on
Sunday night against the Sacramento Kings.

A disgruntled veteran who has played all eight seasons with Atlanta, Smith
scored 19 of his 28 points in the second half for the Hawks, who defeated the
Sacramento Kings for the eighth straight time with a 106-99 victory.

Angered after failing to make the Eastern Conference All-Star team and
blaming it on no backing from the team, Smith told the Hawks he would like to be
on another team when the trade deadline arrives on Thursday.

Smith had plenty to say about leaving the Hawks previously, but didn’t want
to discuss it after another excellent overall game. He made 13 of 23 shots and
added six rebounds, three rebounds, three assists and three blocks in 39
minutes.

“I’m here. I have one more year on my contract. We’ll see what happens,”
Smith said, refusing to elaborate. “I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing.”

And that may be fine with the Hawks, who have been benefiting from Smith’s
strong play in March as they try to pick up wins despite continuing to be beset
with injuries. Smith is averaging just under 26 points in six games in March.
For the season, he’s averaging 17 points and nearly 10 rebounds a game.

“Josh has really been Superman for us,” Hawks coach Larry Drew said.
“He’s been playing a lot of minutes and doing it at both ends of the floor.
He’s playing absolutely super.”

The shooting of Smith was instrumental in helping Atlanta assume the lead
for good with a strong third quarter. And the Hawks never trailed again in
avoiding a third straight loss.

In the fourth quarter, it was Smith again hitting open shots. He followed a
3-pointer from Hinrich with a pair of jumpers and a free throw, putting the
Hawks in front 88-76 with just over nine minutes left.

Deciding to play a smaller lineup, the Hawks inserted Kirk Hinrich as a
starter, slid Smith to power forward, yet still managed to outrebound the Kings
and also get out on the break for some easy baskets, evidenced by their 21
fastbreak points.

“I’m big on matchups, and one of my fears is they start three guards,”
Drew said. “We elected to go with a three-guard lineup and it had some value
for us.”

DeMarcus Cousins fouled out late in the game, but not before tying a season
high with 28 and adding 12 rebounds for the Kings, who had their modest two-game
winning streak snapped. John Salmons had 14 points, while both Marcus Thornton
and Jimmer Fredette had 12.

Although Cousins was a major factor against a smaller Atlanta lineup, Kings
coach Keith Smart credited Smith with being a major factor at both ends of the
court.

“Offensively, he’s a small forward who is too quick sometimes for a power
forward,” Smart said. “And he changes things on defense because he’s a shot
blocker. Anytime he sees someone going to the basket, he tries to control the
paint. What you saw him doing in the game puts other teams in a bind.”

Joe Johnson scored 21 points and Jeff Teague had 16 points and seven assists
for the Hawks, who play the Kings just once this season. Kirk Hinrich and Marvin
Williams both had 12 points and Zaza Pachulia added 10 points and 13 rebounds
before fouling out in the fourth quarter.

“In the third quarter, we had great ball moment and were picking up the
intensity at both ends of the court,” Johnson said. “We got out for some easy
baskets and finally were making some stops on defense.”

Trailing by 12 with just over five minutes to play, the Kings ran off seven
straight points, pulling to within 94-89 on a 3 by Thornton. But several costly
turnovers and several missed 3s in the final two minutes prevented the Kings
from getting any closer than five points.

The loss to Atlanta came two nights after the Kings had dismantled the
defending champion Dallas Mavericks in a convincing 110-97 victory. However,
that same energy that was so evident against Dallas seemed lacking against the
Hawks.

“That’s kind of what immature teams do,” Kings rookie guard Isaiah Thomas
said. “The energy wasn’t there like it was because we were playing the world
champions. We have to get better and get up for every day.”

The Hawks are on a season-high six-game road trip that began with a win over
Indiana. However, Atlanta suffered a three-point loss in Miami and fell to
Detroit 86-85 on Friday night. The road trip concludes with consecutive games,
Tuesday against Denver and Wednesday vs. the Los Angeles Clippers.

Smith’s shooting ignited the Hawks in the third quarter when they outscored
the Kings 29-22 in taking an 80-74 lead into the fourth.

The Hawks had no answer for Cousins in the opening half when the Kings led
52-51. He scored from inside and out in getting 18 points. Pachulia had 10
points and 10 rebounds for the Hawks.

Notes: Fredette hit a long 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the first
quarter to give Sacramento a 24-23 lead. … Johnson, who returned to the lineup
Friday after missing four straight games with tendinitis in his left knee,
missed all three first-quarter shots and didn’t score. … Drew was a member of
the Kings in 1985-86, the franchise’s first year in Sacramento. … Kings
reserve forward J.J. Hickson missed his fifth straight game with a hip pointer.

SACRAMENTO (AP) – After publicly asking management to trade him a few days ago, Josh Smith gave the Atlanta Hawks too many reasons not to on Sunday night against the Sacramento Kings.

A disgruntled veteran who has played all eight seasons with Atlanta, Smith scored 19 of his 28 points in the second half for the Hawks, who defeated the Sacramento Kings for the eighth straight time with a 106-99 victory.

Angered after failing to make the Eastern Conference All-Star team and blaming it on no backing from the team, Smith told the Hawks he would like to be on another team when the trade deadline arrives on Thursday.

Smith had plenty to say about leaving the Hawks previously but didn’t want to discuss it after another excellent overall game. He made 13 of 23 shots and added six rebounds, three assists and three blocks in 39 minutes.

“I’m here. I have one more year on my contract. We’ll see what happens,” Smith said, refusing to elaborate. “I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing.”

And that may be fine with the Hawks, who have been benefiting from Smith’s strong play in March as they try to pick up wins despite continuing to be beset with injuries. Smith is averaging just under 26 points in six games in March. For the season, he’s averaging 17 points and nearly 10 rebounds a game.

“Josh has really been Superman for us,” Hawks coach Larry Drew said. “He’s been playing a lot of minutes and doing it at both ends of the floor. He’s playing absolutely super.”

The shooting of Smith was instrumental in helping Atlanta assume the lead for good with a strong third quarter. And the Hawks never trailed again in avoiding a third straight loss.

In the fourth quarter, it was Smith again hitting open shots. He followed a 3-pointer from Hinrich with a pair of jumpers and a free throw, putting the Hawks in front 88-76 with just over nine minutes left.

Deciding to play a smaller lineup, the Hawks inserted Kirk Hinrich as a starter, slid Smith to power forward, yet still managed to outrebound the Kings and also get out on the break for some easy baskets, evidenced by their 21 fastbreak points.

“I’m big on matchups, and one of my fears is they start three guards,” Drew said. “We elected to go with a three-guard lineup and it had some value for us.”

DeMarcus Cousins fouled out late in the game, but not before tying a season high with 28 and adding 12 rebounds for the Kings, who had their modest two-game winning streak snapped. John Salmons had 14 points, while both Marcus Thornton and Jimmer Fredette had 12.

Although Cousins was a major factor against a smaller Atlanta lineup, Kings coach Keith Smart credited Smith with being a major factor at both ends of the court.

“Offensively, he’s a small forward who is too quick sometimes for a power forward,” Smart said. “And he changes things on defense because he’s a shot blocker. Anytime he sees someone going to the basket, he tries to control the paint. What you saw him doing in the game puts other teams in a bind.”

Joe Johnson scored 21 points and Jeff Teague had 16 points and seven assists for the Hawks, who play the Kings just once this season. Hinrich and Marvin Williams both had 12 points and Zaza Pachulia added 10 points and 13 rebounds before fouling out in the fourth quarter.

“In the third quarter, we had great ball moment and were picking up the intensity at both ends of the court,” Johnson said. “We got out for some easy baskets and finally were making some stops on defense.”

Trailing by 12 with just over five minutes to play, the Kings ran off seven straight points, pulling to within 94-89 on a 3 by Thornton. But several costly turnovers and several missed 3s in the final two minutes prevented the Kings from getting any closer than five points.

The loss to Atlanta came two nights after the Kings had dismantled the defending champion Dallas Mavericks in a convincing 110-97 victory. However, that same energy that was so evident against Dallas seemed lacking against the Hawks.

“That’s kind of what immature teams do,” Kings rookie guard Isaiah Thomas said. “The energy wasn’t there like it was because we were playing the world champions. We have to get better and get up for every day.”

The Hawks are on a season-high six-game road trip that began with a win over Indiana. However, Atlanta suffered a three-point loss in Miami and fell to Detroit 86-85 on Friday night. The road trip concludes with consecutive games, Tuesday against Denver and Wednesday vs. the Los Angeles Clippers.

Smith’s shooting ignited the Hawks in the third quarter when they outscored the Kings 29-22 in taking an 80-74 lead into the fourth.

The Hawks had no answer for Cousins in the opening half when the Kings led 52-51. He scored from inside and out in getting 18 points. Pachulia had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Hawks.

AUBURN HILLS – The Detroit
Pistons are working to make a trade, while their opponent tonight has
a player who reportedly wants to be traded.

Josh Smith of the Atlanta Hawks
would like to be dealt away from the team, according to a report in
the Atlanta Journal Constitution, citing an interview with an
individual close to Smith.

Asked by Hawks beat reporter
Michael Cunningham if he indeed wants to be traded, Smith replied
that he doesn’t pay any attention to trade rumors.

“I just go out there and play
the way I play and not worry about anything else,” Smith told the
newspaper. “I know this is a business. Whatever happens, happens
in the long run. But I know as long as I’m with the Hawks, I have
to put my best foot forward.”

The Pistons play the Hawks in a
7:30 p.m. game at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

Smith enters the game in the midst
of his best scoring surge of the season for a Hawks team which has
played without Joe Johnson recently. Johnson returns and starts for
the Hawks tonight.

Smith has had four consecutive
20-point scoring games for the first time this year. He has averaged
26 points and 11.5 rebounds during that stretch.

E-mail David Mayo at dmayo@mlive.com
and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/David_Mayo

Another NBA player is unhappy with his current situation, as Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith wants to be traded, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

The report indicates that Smith has not been happy in Atlanta for some time and feels like he has been unfairly criticized by coaches and media. A source said that Smith has a desire to play for a franchise he believes is more committed to winning a championship.

Smith was born and raised near Atlanta and has spent his entire eight-year NBA career with the Hawks. He was drafted 17th-overall by the team in the 2004 draft.

The 26-year-old has put up solid numbers this season, averaging 17.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.5 steals per game.

If the Hawks decide to move Smith they must do so by March 15, which is the NBA trade deadline.