Hawks Level Pacers, Nets Gain on Bulls
The Atlanta Hawks withstood an Indiana comeback over the final two quarters to even their first round playoff series with a 102-91 victory over the Pacers in Game 4 on Monday, while the Brooklyn Nets cut the Chicago Bulls' lead to 3-2 with a 110-91 win in their series.
The Houston Rockets avoided a series sweep to the Oklahoma City Thunder with a 105-103 win.
Josh Smith scored 29 points for the Hawks, who built a 17-point lead at halftime before the Pacers' comeback.
After struggling much of the second half, Smith made every big play down the stretch. He swished a rare 3-pointer, came up with an offensive rebound to set up a 3 by Kyle Korver, then finished off a fast break with a right-handed dunk.
Paul George scored 18 of his 21 points in the second half as the Pacers made a game of it but couldn't come back from a 57-40 deficit at the break.
Level at 2-2, the series returns to Indianapolis for Game 5 on Wednesday night.
At New York, Brook Lopez had 28 points and 10 rebounds, and Deron Williams added 23 points and 10 assists for the Nets.
Andray Blatche scored 10 of his 13 points in the fourth quarter and Gerald Wallace had consecutive baskets down the stretch as the Nets finally pulled away in a game they led most of the way, but never by too much.
Two days after rallying for a 142-134 triple-overtime victory, the Bulls were outscored 15-1 down the stretch and failed to set up a second-round series with Miami. Instead they will host Game 6 on Thursday.
Chandler Parsons scored 27 points for the Rockets and Patrick Beverley added 16 as point guard Jeremy Lin sat out with a bruised chest muscle.
The Rockets led in the fourth quarter of each of the last two games only to end up losing. And it almost happened again Monday.
Kevin Durant scored five quick points to cut the Rockets' lead to two. James Harden missed two shots for Houston after that and the Thunder had a last chance.
Reggie Jackson missed a jump shot and Serge Ibaka grabbed the rebound, but missed a layup at the buzzer.
A stunned Ibaka fell to the court after the miss.
Durant scored 38 points in Oklahoma City's second game without injured All-Star guard Russell Westbrook.
Source: Associated Press
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