Hawks 101, Pacers 96
HAWKS 101, PACERS 96: Josh Smith had another strong game with 27 points and nine boards as Atlanta picked up its third consecutive win while sending Indiana to back-to-back losses.
Jannero Pargo hit a pair of key 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and finished with 16 points off the bench for the Hawks, who got 39 points from the reserves.
Indiana, which has not beaten a wining team since Feb. 3, made it exciting at the end before Jerry Stackhouse and Marvin Williams each hit a pair of free throws in the final 22 seconds to seal the win.
The Pacers crept within a basket six different times in the fourth quarter but never managed to take the lead. Pargo kept the Hawks clear twice, burying a 3-pointer after Indiana had cut it to 79-78 and hitting again from long range two minutes later to make it 85-81.
Zaza Pachulia recorded a pair of three-point plays later in the fourth, with the second pushing the lead to 95-87 with 5:20 to play.
Atlanta settled for a series of long missed jumpers in the final minutes but the Pacers could not take advantage, going without a field goal for 3:35 before Danny Granger’s three-point play cut it to 97-96 with 23 seconds left.
GAME NOTEBOOK: David West led Indiana with 24 points on 10-for-13 shooting … Smith came up one rebound shy of his fifth straight double-double. He is averaging 27 points over the last three games … The Pacers went 29 for 40 (72.5 percent) from the free throw line.