Hawks swoop for series lead

Al Horford's putback layup with 1.9 seconds left lifted the Atlanta Hawks to an 82-81 victory over Washington and within one win of advancing in the NBA playoffs.

The Hawks, the top seeds in the Eastern Conference, lead the best-of-seven second-round series three games to two.

The Wizards will try to stay alive when they host game six in Washington on Friday.

The contest was tied with less than 30 seconds remaining when Paul Pierce -- whose buzzer-beating jump shot gave Washington the game-three win -- tried to drive to the basket but saw the ball poked away by Atlanta's Kyle Korver.

That set up a breakaway for the Hawks, with Horford and DeMarre Carroll exchanging three passes before Carroll's layup gave Atlanta an 80-78 lead.

Pierce responded. Out of a timeout, Bradley Beal drove baseline and tossed the ball to an open Pierce who drained a three-pointer from the corner that put Washington ahead.

With the game on the line, Atlanta went to 21-year-old back-up point guard Dennis Schroder, who drove right for a layup that bounced off the backboard.

Horford timed his jump perfectly, securing the loose ball and landing before firing up the game-winner.

"Al Horford made a play at the end of the game," Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. "It's a winning play -- we talk about those. He went and got it, found a way to put it back in."

Wizards point guard John Wall was back in the lineup after missing three games with broken bones in his left hand and wrist.

He finished with 15 points, seven assists and four steals, but his desperation heave from halfcourt at the buzzer was off-target.

The two teams combined for 44 turnovers and 9-for-39 shooting from three-point range in the lowest scoring game so far this post-season.

Budenholzer said that was partly a product of the two teams getting to know each other.

"It's getting harder and harder," he said. "Defense is going to the next level."

But he was pleased that his players kept their composure when trailing late.

"We have to take the same mental focus to Washington for game six," he said.

In Western Conference action, the top-seeded Golden State Warriors hosted the Memphis Grizzlies, each team fighting for an advantage in a series tied at two games apiece.
Source: AFP