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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, January 30, 2010

Hawks sweep Celtics, 100-91


Associated Press

ATLANTA — Joe Johnson was already looking ahead to the playoffs as he sought perspective on the Atlanta Hawks' first season sweep of the Celtics in 11 years.

Johnson scored 16 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter to help the Hawks beat Boston, 100-91, last night to complete the four-game sweep.

The Hawks (30-15) completed the four-game sweep of the regular-season series to move one-half game ahead of Boston (29-15) for second place in the Eastern Conference.

Johnson says the Hawks will have to prove it again in the postseason.

"It means nothing, to be honest," Johnson said. "It just means we swept them in the regular season; the postseason is a totally different game."

Jamal Crawford had 28 points as the Hawks recovered after Boston cut a 14-point deficit to one in the third quarter.

Paul Pierce led Boston with a season-high 35 points.

The Celtics have lost five of seven, including losses to Orlando and Atlanta in back-to-back days.

THUNDER 101, NUGGETS 84

Kevin Durant scored 30 points and host Oklahoma City snapped Denver's nine-game winning streak. The Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony missed his third straight game with a right ankle injury.

CAVALIERS 94, PACERS 73

LeBron James finished with 22 points, a season-high 13 assists and nine rebounds as visiting Cleveland rolled past Indiana for its seventh straight victory.

WIZARDS 81, NETS 79

Earl Boykins hit a jumper with 0.4 to play as Washington prevented New Jersey from posting consecutive victories for the first time this season.

TIMBERWOLVES 111, CLIPPERS 97

Two nights after losing to the worst team in the East, visiting Los Angeles lost to the team with the Western Conference's worst record, falling to Minnesota.

BULLS 108, HORNETS 106

Luol Deng scored a 26 points, including a putback with 0.2 left in regulation to force overtime, and visiting Chicago outlasted New Orleans for its fifth consecutive victory.

HEAT 92, PISTONS 65

Dwyane Wade scored 22 points and Jermaine O'Neal added 10 points and 11 rebounds as visiting Miami routed Detroit to end its two-game losing streak.

SPURS 104, GRIZZLIES 97

Tim Duncan scored 19 points as host San Antonio, playing without Tony Parker (mild left ankle sprain) held off Memphis, which came in with a three-game winning streak.

ROCKETS 104, TRAIL BLAZERS 100

Aaron Brooks scored 33 points, Carl Landry added 21 and Houston held off Portland, which was without leading scorer Brandon Roy (right hamstring injury) for the fifth straight game.

JAZZ 101, KINGS 94

Paul Millsap tied his career high with 32 points in his first start of the season and added 14 rebounds and seven assists as host Utah won its fifth straight.

BOBCATS 121, WARRIORS 110

Stephen Jackson scored 30 points in his return to Oracle Arena, Gerald Wallace had 30 points and 13 rebounds and visiting Charlotte beat Golden State. Jackson was traded to Charlotte.

LAKERS 99, 76ERS 91

Kobe Bryant roused the 20,000 fans who came to jeer him as much as they did to root for him, scoring 24 points to lead visiting Los Angeles over Philadelphia.