Hawks 106, Kings 99
HAWKS 106, KINGS 99: Josh Smith scored 19 of his 28 points in the second half to lead all five starters in double figures as Atlanta snapped a two-game slide at Sacramento's expense.
Zaza Pachulia had his double-double secured at the half and finished with 10 points and 13 rebounds while Joe Johnson scored 21 points for the Hawks, who had averaged 85.5 points in dropping its last two contests.
Atlanta, which moves into a virtual tie for fifth place in the Eastern Conference with the Indiana Pacers, took control at the end of the third quarter.
Smith, who totaled 12 points in the frame, knotted it at 68-68 with a runner in the lane at the 4:31 mark, kicking off a 14-6 burst to close the third. Vladimir Radmanovic and Jeff Teague each hit a 3-pointer during the run.
Johnson’s 3-pointer with 5:31 left in the game made it 94-82 before Sacramento attempted to make a run.
The Hawks went 8-for-9 at the free throw line in the final 33 seconds to seal it.
GAME NOTEBOOK: DeMarcus Cousins collected 28 points and 12 rebounds for the Kings … Smith is averaging 25.5 points in six games this month … Sacramento, which saw its two-game winning streak come to an end, has six games remaining on a season-high nine-game homestand.