NBA: DALLAS at ATLANTA <div class="pre">NBA FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL --- --- --- --- ----- DALLAS 19 20 30 25 94 ATLANTA 29 17 22 33 101 FINAL HIGH SCORERS: DAL - DIRK NOWITZKI 28, JASON TERRY 20, JOSE BAREA 14 ATL - ANTHONY JOHNSON 28, JOSH SMITH 18, MARVIN WILLIAMS 16</div>
By Phil Foley PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer ATLANTA (Ticker) -- The Atlanta Hawks accomplished something<div class="pre">they haven't done in eight years win their opening game.</div> Joe Johnson scored 28 points to power the Hawks to a 101-94 winover the Dallas Mavericks in their home opener on Friday. The Hawks have struggled this side of the millennium, not makingthe playoffs since the end of the strike-shortened 1998-99campaign - the longest streak of futility in the NBA. But buoyed by a strong draft, in which the club nabbed forwardAl Horford and point guard Acie Law IV, Atlanta posted theleague's best preseason record at 7-1 - its best mark since the1983 preseason. The beleaguered club, which had not won a season opener sincethe last time the club made the playoffs, entered with a toughassignment in its opener. The Hawks faced the Mavericks, whoposted the NBA's sixth-best all-time record at 67-15 lastseason. Atlanta, which trailed by one point entering the fourth,outscored Dallas by eight in the final period to secure thevictory. The Hawks started the game strong, shooting 52 percent from thefield in the first quarter to build a 29-19 advantage. Horfordset the tone for the Hawks, scoring six of his nine points andgrabbing six rebounds in the opening period. Johnson launched a 3-pointer to give the Hawks a 39-23 lead with7:39 remaining in the second before Dirk Nowitzki and theMavericks fought back. The reigning MVP scored seven of hisnine first-half points in a 16-7 run to cut the Hawks' advantageto 46-39 at halftime. After Horford opened the second half with two free throws togive the Hawks a nine-point lead, Dallas embarked on a 16-8 runto give the Mavericks a 57-56 lead on Nowitzki's 3-pointer with6:58 remaining in the third. Dallas played the second half without starting guard DevinHarris, who left the game with a left thigh contusion aftercolliding with Josh Smith with 3:35 remaining in the first half. Juwan Howard did not score in seven minutes in his debut for theMavericks, who snapped a four-game winning streak against theHawks.
NBA: DALLAS at ATLANTA <div class="pre">DALLAS (94) AT ATLANTA (101) DALLAS REBOUNDS PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS ====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == === J STACKHOUSE F 33:07 2-10 0-0 2 5 7 2 4 0 1 5 D NOWITZKI F 38:04 10-22 6-7 0 8 8 2 2 1 3 28 D DIOP C 32:41 2-3 0-0 1 4 5 0 6 0 1 4 E JONES G 23:36 1-7 0-0 0 2 2 3 1 0 0 2 D HARRIS G 14:26 5-8 1-4 0 3 3 0 0 0 2 11 J TERRY 32:53 7-13 5-6 0 2 2 6 3 3 0 20 B BASS 27:22 3-6 4-4 4 3 7 1 3 0 1 10 T HASSELL 21:59 0-4 0-0 0 2 2 0 2 0 0 0 J BAREA 8:50 5-6 4-4 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 14 J HOWARD 7:02 0-1 0-0 0 1 1 0 3 0 1 0 J HOWARD DNP - SUSPENDED BY LEAGUE M AGER DNP - COACH'S DECISION TOTALS 240:00 35-80 20-25 7 31 38 14 25 4 10 94 (.438) (.800) TEAM REBS: 5 TOTAL TO: 10 (12 PTS) ATLANTA REBOUNDS PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS ====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == === M WILLIAMS F 36:44 5-10 6-8 2 3 5 3 3 0 0 16 J SMITH F 36:51 5-16 8-8 1 10 11 4 3 3 6 18 A HOFORD C 22:50 3-4 3-4 1 9 10 1 5 0 0 9 J JOHNSON G 46:27 12-22 3-3 0 7 7 4 0 1 4 28 A JOHNSON G 7:55 0-1 0-0 0 1 1 1 3 0 1 0 A LAW 14:19 3-4 2-2 0 0 0 3 4 0 2 8 T LUE 26:02 5-10 1-2 2 1 3 4 0 1 0 14 J CHILDRESS 18:47 1-6 0-0 6 0 6 0 2 0 2 2 S WILLIAMS 29:30 2-6 2-4 2 7 9 0 3 1 0 6 M WEST 0:35 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 S STOUDAMIRE DNP - COACH'S DECISION S JONES DNP - COACH'S DECISION TOTALS 240:00 36-79 25-31 14 38 52 20 23 6 15 101 (.456) (.806) TEAM REBS: 4 TOTAL TO: 15 (18 PTS) DALLAS 19 20 30 25 - 94 ATLANTA 29 17 22 33 - 101 BLOCKED SHOTS: DALLAS - D DIOP 6, B BASS 2, J STACKHOUSE, J TERRY. ATLANTA - J SMITH 2, M WILLIAMS, A HOFORD. 3-PT. FIELD GOALS: DALLAS 4-24 (.167), J STACKHOUSE 1-7, D NOWITZKI 2- 7, E JONES 0-5, D HARRIS 0-1, J TERRY 1-3, T HASSELL 0-1. ATLANTA 4- 15 (.267), J SMITH 0-4, J JOHNSON 1-7, T LUE 3-4. TECHNICAL FOULS: NONE. FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE. OFFICIALS: DERRICK COLLINS, JOE FORTE, PHIL ROBINSON. A - 19,767. T - 2:23.</div>
NBA: DALLAS at ATLANTA <div class="pre">DALLAS (94) fg ft rb min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp J Stackhouse 33:07 2-10 0-0 2-7 2 4 5 D Nowitzki 38:04 10-22 6-7 0-8 2 2 28 D Diop 32:41 2-3 0-0 1-5 0 6 4 E Jones 23:36 1-7 0-0 0-2 3 1 2 D Harris 14:26 5-8 1-4 0-3 0 0 11 J Terry 32:53 7-13 5-6 0-2 6 3 20 B Bass 27:22 3-6 4-4 4-7 1 3 10 T Hassell 21:59 0-4 0-0 0-2 0 2 0 J Barea 8:50 5-6 4-4 0-1 0 1 14 J Howard 7:02 0-1 0-0 0-1 0 3 0 J Howard DNP - SUSPENDED BY LEAGUE M Ager DNP - COACH'S DECISION ______________________________________________________ TOTALS 240:00 35-80 20-25 7-38 14 25 94 ______________________________________________________ Percentages: FG-.438, FT-.800. 3-Point Goals: 4-24, .167 (J Stackhouse 1-7, D Nowitzki 2-7, E Jones 0-5, D Harris 0-1, J Terry 1-3, T Hassell 0-1). Team Rebounds: 5. Blocked Shots:10 (D Diop 6, B Bass 2, J Stackhouse, J Terry). Turnovers:10 (D Nowitzki 3, D Harris 2, J Stackhouse, J Howard, B Bass, J Barea, D Diop). Steals: 4 (J Terry 3, D Nowitzki). ATLANTA (101) fg ft rb min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp M Williams 36:44 5-10 6-8 2-5 3 3 16 J Smith 36:51 5-16 8-8 1-11 4 3 18 A Hoford 22:50 3-4 3-4 1-10 1 5 9 J Johnson 46:27 12-22 3-3 0-7 4 0 28 A Johnson 7:55 0-1 0-0 0-1 1 3 0 A Law 14:19 3-4 2-2 0-0 3 4 8 T Lue 26:02 5-10 1-2 2-3 4 0 14 J Childress 18:47 1-6 0-0 6-6 0 2 2 S Williams 29:30 2-6 2-4 2-9 0 3 6 M West 0:35 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 S Stoudamire DNP - COACH'S DECISION S Jones DNP - COACH'S DECISION ______________________________________________________ TOTALS 240:00 36-79 25-31 14-52 20 23 101 ______________________________________________________ Percentages: FG-.456, FT-.806. 3-Point Goals: 4-15, .267 (J Smith 0-4, J Johnson 1-7, T Lue 3-4). Team Rebounds: 4. Blocked Shots:4 (J Smith 2, M Williams, A Hoford). Turnovers:15 (J Smith 6, J Johnson 4, J Childress 2, A Law 2, A Johnson). Steals: 6 (J Smith 3, T Lue, J Johnson, S Williams). ------------------------------------------- DALLAS 19 20 30 25 - 94 ATLANTA 29 17 22 33 - 101 ------------------------------------------- Technical fouls: None. Flagrant fouls: None. A: 19,767. T: 2:23. Officials: Derrick Collins, Joe Forte, Phil Robinson.</div>
NBA: DALLAS at ATLANTA <div class="pre">NBA FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL --- --- --- --- ----- DALLAS 19 20 30 25 94 ATLANTA 29 17 22 33 101 FINAL HIGH SCORERS: DAL - DIRK NOWITZKI 28, JASON TERRY 20, JOSE BAREA 14 ATL - JOE JOHNSON 28, JOSH SMITH 18, MARVIN WILLIAMS 16 HIGH REBOUND: DAL - DIRK NOWITZKI 8, JERRY STACKHOUSE 7, BRANDON BASS 7 ATL - JOSH SMITH 11, AL HORFORD 10, SHELDEN WILLIAMS 9 HIGH ASSISTS: DAL - JASON TERRY 6, EDDIE JONES 3, TWO PLAYERS WITH 2 ATL - TYRONN LUE 4, JOE JOHNSON 4, JOSH SMITH 4 ATT: 19,767</div>
By Phil Foley PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer ATLANTA (Ticker) -- The Atlanta Hawks accomplished somethingthey haven't done in eight years - win their opening game. Joe Johnson scored 28 points to power the Hawks to a 101-94 winover the Dallas Mavericks in their home opener on Friday. The Hawks have struggled this side of the millennium, not makingthe playoffs since the end of the strike-shortened 1998-99campaign - the longest streak of futility in the NBA. But buoyed by a strong draft, in which the club nabbed forwardAl Horford and point guard Acie Law IV, Atlanta posted theleague's best preseason record at 7-1 - its best mark since the1983 preseason. The beleaguered club, which had not won a season opener sincethe last time the club made the playoffs, entered with a toughassignment in its opener. The Hawks faced the Mavericks, whoposted the NBA's sixth-best all-time record at 67-15 lastseason. Atlanta, which trailed by one point entering the fourth,outscored Dallas by eight in the final period to secure thevictory. The Hawks started the game strong, shooting 52 percent from thefield in the first quarter to build a 29-19 advantage. Horfordset the tone for the Hawks, scoring six of his nine points andgrabbing six rebounds in the opening period. Johnson launched a 3-pointer to give the Hawks a 39-23 lead with7:39 remaining in the second before Dirk Nowitzki and theMavericks fought back. The reigning MVP scored seven of hisnine first-half points in a 16-7 run to cut the Hawks' advantageto 46-39 at halftime. After Horford opened the second half with two free throws togive the Hawks a nine-point lead, Dallas embarked on a 16-8 runto give the Mavericks a 57-56 lead on Nowitzki's 3-pointer with6:58 remaining in the third. Dallas played the second half without starting guard DevinHarris, who left the game with a left thigh contusion aftercolliding with Josh Smith with 3:35 remaining in the first half. Juwan Howard did not score in seven minutes in his debut for theMavericks, who snapped a four-game winning streak against theHawks.
By Phil Foley PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer ATLANTA (Ticker) -- The Atlanta Hawks accomplished something forthe first time since Joe Johnson was a senior in high school andJosh Smith was in middle school - winning their opening game. Johnson scored 28 points and Smith added 18 and 11 rebounds topower the Hawks to a 101-94 victory over the Dallas Mavericks intheir home opener on Friday. The Hawks have struggled this side of the millennium, not makingthe playoffs since the end of the lockout-shortened 1998-99campaign - the longest streak of futility in the NBA. But buoyed by a strong draft, in which the club nabbed forwardAl Horford and point guard Acie Law IV, Atlanta posted theleague's best preseason record at 7-1 - its best mark since the1983 preseason. "They've been hungry to get out on the floor and play," Hawkscoach Mike Woodson said. "We've had seven or eight days off,coming into this game. It seemed like everything we worked onin camp, it kind of rolled over to our game tonight. It wasreally nice to see." "I think a lot of people take preseason for granted," Johnsonsaid. "We developed a good chemistry during the preseason andyou could see tonight, it carried over to the game." The beleaguered Atlanta club, which had not won a season openersince the last time the squad made the playoffs, entered with atough assignment in its opener. The Hawks faced the Mavericks,who posted the NBA's sixth-best all-time record at 67-15 lastseason. Atlanta, which trailed by one point entering the fourth,outscored Dallas by eight in the final period to secure thevictory. "It was great to win this game," said the 26-year-old Johnson,who was 18 when the Hawks last won their opener by defeating theCavaliers, 100-83, on February 5, 1999. "Down the stretch, weexecuted and got stops. That's a sign of maturity." For a while it looked like the Hawks might not prevail in thisone, squandering a 16-point second-quarter lead. But after Dirk Nowitzki tied the game at 90-90 with a drivinglayup with 2:34 remaining, the young Hawks - with one more yearof experience under their belt - actually may have learned howto put a game away. "Our team is growing up now," Woodson said. "That's thedifference. These guys are third- and fourth-year guys, andthey're starting to figure out what it's all about." "The Hawks made hustle plays all night," Dallas coach AveryJohnson said. "They really played hard and wanted this game." Johnson answered with a layup with 2:09 remaining to give theHawks the lead for good. And after 2006 first-round pick SheldenWilliams grabbed a crucial defensive rebound, Tyronn Lue hitthe first of two free throws to give Atlanta a 93-90 edge. A 10-year veteran, Lue scored 14 points but missed on the secondfree throw, setting up the high-flying Smith's impressiverebound. Third-year standout Marvin Williams then penetratedfor a layup with 41.7 seconds remaining to put the game away. "(The rebound by Smith) was huge there," said Williams, whonetted 16 points. "The dude's all over the place. I thinkwe've all grown up." "We played really well down the stretch," Johnson said. "Theymissed a few shots, and we were able to secure the ball, comedown and create offense." The Hawks started the game strong, shooting 52 percent from thefield in the first quarter to build a 29-19 advantage. Horfordset the tone for the Hawks, scoring six of his nine points andgrabbing six rebounds in the opening period. Johnson launched a 3-pointer to give the Hawks a 39-23 lead with7:39 remaining in the second before Nowitzki and the Mavericksfought back. The reigning MVP scored seven of his ninefirst-half points in a 16-7 run to cut the Hawks' advantage to46-39 at halftime. After Horford opened the second half with two free throws togive the Hawks a nine-point lead, Dallas embarked on a 16-8 runto give the Mavericks a 57-56 lead on Nowitzki's 3-pointer with6:58 remaining in the third. Dallas played the second half without starting guard DevinHarris, who left the game with a left thigh contusion aftercolliding with Smith with 3:35 remaining in the first half. Juwan Howard did not score in seven minutes in his debut for theMavericks, who snapped a four-game winning streak against theHawks. "The Hawks got off to a good start," former Hawk Jason Terrysaid. "Give Atlanta a lot of credit. They came out and outplayed us on both ends of the floor tonight, and that's why theywon the game."
