NBA Roundup 16th March: Atlanta Hawks and Indiana Pacers win (Part-1)
Atlanta Hawks 110 – Milwaukee Bucks 85
The staring guard Joe Johnson, wearing a black headband, clinched a blistering game-high 36 points as the Atlanta Hawks romped to a 110-85 blowout victory over the visiting Milwaukee Bucks at Philips Arena on Tuesday night.
Johnson used the headband as a protection after enduring a treatment for skin infection on the back of his head. The fortification turned out to be fortunate for the veteran as he buried six scorching lands from downtown that formed
the part of the highest first half score (28 points) by an Atlanta player.
Johnson said after the game, breaking into a grin.
"It worked. I was supposed to change headbands at halftime, but everybody jumped up saying, 'No. No. No.' I don't know. I'm not a headband-kind of guy, but for right now I have to wear it.”
Josh Smith joined the action with the scoring machine of the night aka Joe and added 17 points and 14 rebounds to thrash the Bucks out of the game. Andrew Bogut and Carlos Delfino led the visiting team by combining for 34 points.
A night after being reduced to 56 points against the mighty Boston Celtics, the shooting woes of the Bucks continues though as they surrendered the game by 25 points.
With Johnson in full flow during the first half, the home team romped with 20-0 run that bridged the ending minutes of the first quarter and preliminary moments of the second. Johnson landed 5 of six 3-pointers in the second quarter,
entirely diminishing all hopes for Bucks to mount a comeback.
The home team continued their domination in the second half leaving few options for the visitors to gain any sort of momentum. Marvin Williams took the charge off the bench in the final quarter with two successive lands beyond
the arc. He ended the night with 16 points as Atlanta Hawks cherished an effortless 110-85 win in the end.
Indiana Pacers 119 – New York Knicks 117
Danny Granger’s game-winning step-back jumper over Shawne Williams with 0.3 seconds left, propelled the Indiana Pacers to an enthralling 119-117 victory over the offensively potent New York Knicks at the Philips Arena. Granger
ended with 26 points and nipped a six-game losing streak for his franchise. Knicks meanwhile faced their second defeat by Pacers in three days.
Tyler Hansbrough had another milestone night clinching a career-high 30 points, breaking his previous best 29 which he achieved on Sunday against New York. Hansbrough who was averaging 10 points exploded outstandingly against
the two offensive powers Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire. He landed 59 points in two games, supplying an absolute shock to the Knicks.
Anthony and Stoudemire combined for 50 points as their formidable exertion was overshadowed once again by Indiana. Darren Collision also had a major impact on the opposition who clutched 24 points and 9 assists to keep Pacers intact.
The game depicted some spectacular wavering moments however the home team succeeded in snatching the victory eventually.
The battle between the two most explosive offensive powerhouses in the league lived up to its reputation. Stoudemire and Anthony combined for two jumpers as the Knicks rolled onto a 7-2 start. The Pacers however soon started to
control the flow of the game and an 8-1 surge saw them romp to a 25-20 lead late in the first quarter. The Knicks knocked down the deficit in the last three minutes though as the teams headed to the second half with a 29-27 score line.
The tipsy-turvy trend ensued in the second quarter as neither team managed to take a decisive lead. Starting the third quarter at 53-50, Indiana romped to a 30-18 run to grab a huge advantage. However, the Knicks bounced back
stoutly in the last couple of minutes of the frame to cut down the deficit 87-82.
The fourth quarter was filled with sheer excitement as the visiting team managed to escalate a tie 117-117 after enormous confrontation with 7 seconds reaming in the final buzzer. Granger cropped up with a decisive jumper in the
defining moments to snatch a riveting victory 119-117 from New York.
With the Charlotte Bobcats breathing below their necks, this win was a big boost for the play-off run of the Indiana Pacers.
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