Hawks 105, Mavericks 101
DALLAS -- Josh Smith scored 26 points, the last two on free throws with 22 seconds left, and the Atlanta Hawks held on to beat the Dallas Mavericks 105-101 Monday night at American Airlines Center.
The Hawks led for most of the game, but they needed a charge late in fourth quarter to outlast the Mavericks. Atlanta (28-22) finishes up a two-game road trip Wednesday at Orlando before the league breaks for All-Star Weekend.
The Mavericks (22-29) had won the first two games on a four-game homestand leading into the festivities in Houston. The homestand ends Wednesday against the Sacramento Kings.
Smith, the subject of much trade speculation, made 10 of 15 shots, including four of five from beyond the 3-point arc. His biggest 3-pointer capped a 12-3 run that gave Atlanta a 99-94 lead with 1:20 remaining. Smith also had 13 rebounds and six assists.
Al Horford contributed to Atlanta's strong play inside with 21 points and 10 boards. Jeff Teague added 20 points and nine assists. Devin Harris scored 15 and had a huge steal in the last minute against his former club.
Dirk Nowitzki scored a team-high 24 points for Dallas. O.J. Mayo had 19, and Darren Collison added 14 points and 10 assists.
Dallas didn't take its first lead of the game until early in the fourth quarter, as Jae Crowder nailed an 18-footer for 84-82 edge. The Mavs struggled with shooting and turnovers down the stretch, and Smith came up big for the visitors.
Collison's three-point play midway through third forged the game's first deadlock (64-64) before Harris answered with a 3-pointer. The Hawks pushed out to an eight-point lead but settled for an 82-81 edge going into the fourth after Dallas closed the quarter with a 7-0 spurt.
The Hawks opened the game with a 10-0 run, prompting two timeouts from Dallas coach Rick Carlisle. Teague was a pest, either breaking down the defense to get to the rim or zipping the ball inside to his teammate for easy looks.
On the verge of being blown out, the Mavericks found their footing and methodically got back into the game. Mayo began to heat up, and Dallas finished with second period with an 18-8 run to trail just 49-48 at the break.
Horford had 11 points at the half for Atlanta, with Teague scoring 10 and Zaza Pachulia adding eight off the bench. Dallas was got 13 first-half points from Mayo and nine from Nowitzki.
NOTES: Despite trade speculation surrounding veterans Shawn Marion and Vince Carter, Carlisle said he doesn't expect any deals before the Feb. 21 deadline. "I don't think we're going to trade anybody," Carlisle said. "That's my opinion." Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said the team is willing to make a move but has been unable to find a willing partner. The billionaire added the team needs to get back a player it can build around in the future. ... Regarding the Smith trade rumors, Atlanta coach Larry Drew said, "He has been able to keep his focus, and he's been professional about it." ... Hawks guard Kyle Korver, the league's leading 3-point shooter, played despite missing practice Sunday with shin and ankle injuries. He scored 10 points ... Dallas came into the game averaging about 107 points over the previous 14 games.
