Johnson scores 31 to help Hawks beat Bucks 104-96

[April 20, 2010]  MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Joe Johnson scored 31 points to help the Atlanta Hawks beat the Milwaukee Bucks 104-96 in a matchup between potential first-round playoff opponents Monday night.

Marvin Williams added 18 points for the Hawks, who had six players score in double figures and continued to solidify their spot as the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference.

John Salmons scored 28 and Brandon Jennings added 21 in the regular-season home finale for the Bucks. Jennings was 2 for 11 from 3-point range.

It was the second straight matchup with a potential first-round opponent for the Bucks, who lost to Boston on Saturday. Milwaukee dropped into sixth place in the East, a game behind fifth-place Miami, which beat Philadelphia 107-105.

The Bucks and Heat each have one game remaining -- and Milwaukee holds the tiebreaker.

Hawks forward Josh Smith pulled a groin muscle in the first quarter but returned midway through the second and finished with 11 points.

Johnson had 18 points in the first half on 8-for-12 shooting.

Trailing 78-70 going into the fourth quarter, Milwaukee made a late surge.

A steal set up a fast-break layup by Salmons, cutting Atlanta's lead to 96-91 with 2:30 left. Williams made a layup for Atlanta, putting the Hawks up with seven with 1:52 to play.

Milwaukee's Luke Ridnour -- whose solid play helped the Bucks get back in the game -- missed a jumper, but Milwaukee got the ball back on a loose ball foul.

Salmons went to the line and hit the first but missed the second. Jennings grabbed the loose ball on the rebound, but Salmons missed from 3-point range, leaving the Hawks ahead by six.

With the loss, the Bucks are 3-2 since center Andrew Bogut broke his hand, dislocated his elbow and sprained his wrist in a hard fall to the court that wrenched his right arm in an April 3 game against Phoenix. He will miss the rest of the season after having surgery on his hand.

With his hand in a cast and brace underneath his sport coat, Bogut addressed the crowd before the game, thanking fans for their support and saying he intended to come back stronger next season.

Bogut spoke briefly to reporters earlier in the evening, saying that he had been fitted with a new, smaller cast -- covered by a bulky black brace -- earlier in the day and acknowledging that his broken right hand feels like "garbage."

NOTES: Jamal Crawford did not play for Atlanta. Hawks coach Mike Woodson said before the game that he was considering giving Crawford the night off because of nagging injuries. ... Milwaukee's Jerry Stackhouse had all 13 of his points in the first half, going 3 for 4 from 3-point range.

[Associated Press; By CHRIS JENKINS]

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