Atlanta Hawks Tickets - Hawks Defeat 76ers 100-86

Jamal Crawford scored 24 points, Mike Bibby added 21 points and the Atlanta Hawks defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 100-86

. Get Atlanta Hawks tickets and see Bibby hit a jumper with 1:00 left in the game. Josh Smith scored 20 points and Al Horford had 15 for the Hawks, who snapped a two-game losing streak with a victory over Philadelphia.

After the game, Bibby acknowledged he felt fresh and wanted to play "as soon as possible after that loss."

The point guard was referring to the Hawks' 93-76 loss to the Orlando Magic. He claimed he was a little angry and carried it over into the 76ers game. The 12-year veteran point guard hit his first five shots, which included three three-pointers, and also finished the game with five assists and four rebounds. Atlanta coach Mike Woodson said, "He's a real pro."

Thaddeus Young scored 22 points, Andre Iguodala had 16 and Jason Smith added 14 for the slumping Sixers, who lost five straight games. Guard Rodney Carney came off the bench and recorded 13 points. Injuries have plagued the 76ers. Elton Brand missed his second straight game due to a sore right hamstring. Lou Williams was also out of the lineup because of a fractured jaw and forward Marreese Speights was sidelined with a torn medical collateral ligament in his left knee. Philadelphia coach Eddie Jordan admitted that his team "didn't have enough scoring pieces to stay with" the Hawks.

Jason Smith started for Brand while rookie Jrue Holiday played in his second consecutive game in place of Williams. Holiday was 1 for 8 shooting from the field and registered two points and had five assist in 25 minutes.

Bibby said Holiday played well even though his shots weren't falling in. The point guard continued to say that Holiday was taller than he remembered and "plays good defense." Philadelphia allowed Atlanta to shoot 51 percent from the field and hit an astonishing 9 of 18 3-pointers. Jason Smith stated that his team was banged up and had to fight through their injuries.

The forward, who tied his career high in points, added that the Sixers "will get better. We have to work through this stretch." Atlanta led 84-74 with 7:34 left of the game. Iguodala made a difficult bank shot from the foul line, which pulled Philadelphia within 88-82 with 4:59 remaining.

The Hawks answered back with Crawford and Smith's consecutive jumpers, which gave Atlanta a 92-82 lead with 4:01 left. Josh Smith was glad that the Hawks "put the game away at the end." He proclaimed that it displayed "a sign of a team which is maturing all the time." After the 76ers took a 41-37 advantage, the Hawks finished the first half on a 9-0 run to take a 46-41 lead. Josh Smith scored six of the nine points. Willie Green's half-court shot right before the first-quarter buzzer was the highlight of the night for the Sixers. Philadelphia center Samuel Dalembert blocked a season-high six shots for his team. But Philadelphia's injuries combined with Atlanta's strong finish in the fourth quarter was enough to beat the Sixers.

by: Brent Warnken

POST COMMENT