Josh Smith scores 29 with 16 boards in Hawks' win
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Josh Smith scored 29 points and added a season-high 16 rebounds to lead the Atlanta Hawks to a 99-92 win against the Washington Wizards Saturday night.
Atlanta has won the last 12 meetings. Overall, the loss extended the Wizards' losing streak to eight, a season high.
Washington hasn't beaten the Hawks since an overtime win in Atlanta on Jan. 11, 2008.
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Joe Johnson scored 21 points and Marvin Williams added 15 and 12 rebounds — his second double-double this season — for Atlanta, who has won three in a row.
Nick Young led the Wizards with 21 points and Andray Blatche scored 14.
Washington's star rookie point guard John Wall scored 18 points but was 2 of 7 from the free throw line. He also had a scary moment in the third quarter, when Jason Collins fell on his left ankle in a tangle for a loose ball. Wall briefly stayed on the ground, clutching his ankle with a grimace. He was tended to by trainers during a time-out but remained in the game.
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Atlanta led the entire first half, building the lead to 13 early in the second quarter. The Hawks were up 52-46 at the half before the Wizards clawed back.
Washington briefly took the lead late in the third quarter before the Hawks closed the period on a 12-4 run, the final six scored by Jamal Crawford, and Atlanta never relinquished the lead in the fourth quarter.
The last serious threat from the Wizards came when Kirk Hinrich's 3-pointer drew Washington within three points, 80-77, with eight minutes to play. Atlanta held Washington scoreless for the next three minutes as the Hawks scored six straight points, including a dunk by Damien Wilkins, to open up a comfortable lead.
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Atlanta outrebounded the Wizards 45-33.
NOTES: Hawks All-Star C Al Horford sat out with a back bruise he got Friday, when he had a hard fall after a flagrant foul by the Clippers' Blake Griffin. Horford made two free throws in the final second of Atlanta's 101-100 win, but coach Larry Drew said he was still sore Saturday. ... Washington F Yi Jianlian left the game in the fourth quarter with a sprained left ankle. Yi jumped to defend a shot and his leg buckled after his ankle landed awkwardly on Wall's foot. Yi stayed on the ground before being helped to the locker room and did not return. ... The Wizards' losing streak is their longest since a 16-game skid last March. ... Atlanta is 12-4 in the second game when playing back-to-back this season.