Hawks 109, Pacers 100
ATLANTA -- Al Horford was a perfect 5 for 5 from the field in the first quarter and finished with 20 points on a 10-for-13 shooting night as the Atlanta Hawks beat the Indiana Pacers 109-100 Saturday night at Philips Arena.
The Hawks (19-9) were without Josh Smith, out with a strained right hip flexor. They didn't miss him, though, as they shot 61.5 percent in the first half, their highest field goal percentage in a half this season.
Lou Williams, making his fourth start for the Hawks, scored 21 points and had a career-high 12 assists. Kyle Korver scored 16 points, hitting 4 of 5 3-point shots. Horford also had six rebounds and six assists.
In Smith's absence, coach Larry Drew started Zaza Pachulia to counter Indiana center Roy Hibbert, and Pachulia responded with 17 points and 14 rebounds.
David West's 29 points led the Pacers (17-13). Paul George added 18 points and nine rebounds; George Hill scored 15 points. Lance Stephenson had 13 points and five rebounds before colliding with teammate Tyler Hansbrough late in the fourth quarter; he was taken to the locker room.
Hibbert had a nightmarish game; he was scoreless in 21 minutes on the court and had only one rebound. Ian Mahinmi partially took up the slack, scoring 13 points.
Both teams were on the back end of back-to-backs and coming off wins. The Pacers had won four straight and seven of their last eight while the Hawks had won three consecutive games.
The Pacers have lost four straight games to the Hawks and have won only two of their last 15 games against them. Indiana's last win over the Hawks in Atlanta was 100-90 on Dec. 22, 2006.
NOTES: The Hawks are the walking wounded right now with five players listed with injuries. Smith went through the pregame walk-through but wasn't moving well, thanks to a strained right hip flexor sustained in Friday's win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Also missing the game were Anthony Morrow (strained right hip) and Devin Harris, who missed his sixth game with a sore left foot. Horford suffered a right hip contusion in the Cavaliers game but started Saturday. Ivan Johnson, who missed that game with a stomach illness, played Saturday. ... Drew laughed when asked before the game whether, given the rash of injuries, rookies John Jenkins and Mike Scott might see some playing time. "I think they're champing at the bit," he said. Jenkins played 17 minutes and scored 10 points. ... Pacers coach Frank Vogel was waiting to see how George Hill (right thigh contusion) warmed up before setting his lineup. Hill was able to start. ... Sam Young, suffering from the flu, did not make the trip to Atlanta.