Smith scores 22 to lead Hawks over Magic 83-78

[February 24, 2012]  ATLANTA, Ga. (AP) -- Josh Smith scored 22 points and pulled down 12 rebounds to help the Atlanta Hawks snap a three-game skid with an 83-78 victory over the Orlando Magic on Thursday night.

J.J. Redick finished with 13 points and Dwight Howard had 12 for the Magic, who had won two straight and six of seven.

Hawks leading scorer Joe Johnson missed his second straight game with left knee tendinitis, but Atlanta got 36 points from their reserves, including Jannero Pargo with 15 and Willie Green with 14.

The Magic recovered from a 10-point second quarter by scoring 25 in the third to pull within three heading into the final period.

Howard's lay-in cut the lead to 69-68 with 4:42 left, but the Magic never got any closer.

Green hit a 3-pointer from the left wing with 3:16 remaining and followed with a fast-break runner over Redick to make it 74-68.

Pargo scored 12 points in the second quarter, including consecutive possessions that made it 41-28 after he hit a 3-pointer and a 16-footer on assists from Tracy McGrady.

The Hawks led 47-30 at halftime, thanks in part to a 21-2 advantage on fast-break points and a 28-18 edge in rebounds.

Atlanta missed its first five shots of the first quarter and last six of the second, but hit 58.3 percent of 36 attempts in between.

Pargo's 19-footer with 3:21 left in the second ended the first-half scoring, but he bent over in pain after running into Howard's screen late in the third quarter and was never again a factor.

Smith missed nine of his last 11 shots after scoring 14 points in the first.

Atlanta had lost five of six and eight of 11 overall, but the Hawks took their sixth straight win at Philips Arena over the Magic.

After Howard's three-point play with 1:26 remaining made it 74-71, Green scored a wild runner from the left baseline over Howard's outstretched arm to give the Hawks a 76-71 lead.

Atlanta guard Jeff Teague finished with 13 points, while Magic forwards Hedo Turkoglu and Ryan Anderson combined for 22 points.

NOTES: The Magic were without PG Jameer Nelson, who missed the game with a strained left knee. Chris Duhon, who started in his place, finished with six points, four assists and five fouls. .... Smith had 23 points and 19 rebounds in the Hawks' 89-87 overtime win at Orlando on Feb. 10. ... Atlanta outscored the Magic 25-12 in fast-break points and 38-36 in the paint. ... Orlando reserve F Quentin Richardson scored a team-high five points in the second, but did not return to the game because of a strained left Achilles tendon. ... Atlanta improved to 4-8 this month.

[Associated Press; By GEORGE HENRY]

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