Hawks still can't clinch playoffs, lose to Bucks

By Michael Cunningham

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

MILWAUKEE —Clinching a playoff berth is turning out to be a lot of hard work for the Hawks.

A night after they believed they had secured a spot in the playoffs with a victory over the Spurs, the Hawks came up short in their second try with a 98-95 loss to the Bucks Monday night at the Bradley Center.

With the Bulls beating Houston on Monday, the Hawks still need a victory or a Bulls loss to qualify for the postseason for the third straight year. They had a 12-point lead in the second half against Milwaukee but were doomed by the Bucks' 31-point fourth quarter.

The Elias Sports Bureau informed the Hawks on Friday that they would clinch a playoff berth with a victory over the Spurs. But Elias, the league’s official statistical service, subsequently notified the league Monday it had miscalculated and that the Hawks would need another victory or Chicago loss to make it official.

So the Hawks tried again at Milwaukee. They led 95-93 after Joe Johnson’s basket with 1:20 to play but succumbed after a Bucks offensive rebound and a key foul called on Johnson.

“It was a good effort, considering we had an overtime game and then got in late [Sunday night],” Hawks coach Mike Woodson said. “We had our chances but we had a bad fourth quarter defensively. We were solid on defense up until then.”

Johnson scored 27 points for the Hawks but was also involved in a key play that turned the game in Milwaukee’s favor.

Johnson missed a shot after John Salmons made two free throws to tie it at 95-95 with 1:05 left. Bucks guard Luke Ridnour missed but got his own rebound after a scramble.

The Bucks were inbounding the ball when official Dick Bavetta called Johnson for grabbing Salmons near midcourt with 21.8 seconds left.

“I was just being aggressive and trying to deny him the ball,” Johnson said. “But he called a foul. That was at a crucial part of the game. That’s a tough call.”

Salmons made both free throws for a 97-95 lead. Johnson missed at the other end and Al Horford fouled Ridnour, who missed the second free throw. The Hawks rebounded but Jamal Crawford’s shot at the buzzer came up way short.

The game turned into a duel between Salmons and Johnson in the fourth quarter. Johnson scored 14 and Salmons 16 in the period with each making tough shots.

The Bucks led 91-86 when Josh Smith scored on consecutive possessions with hook shots in the lane. He then was fouled after rebounding Johnson’s miss and made one of two free throws to tie it at 91-91.

After Carlos Delfino scored, Johnson answered by making yet another jump shot under pressure to tie it at 93-93. He scored again to give the Hawks a 95-93 lead but missed the jump shot with the game tied 95-95 and 47.8 seconds to go.

The Hawks led 74-62 with two minutes left in the third. Milwaukee got within 74-67 to end the period and 3-pointers by Salmons and Ridnour early in the fourth quarter made it 76-73 and Salmons’ layup gave the Bucks an 86-84 lead, their first since 27-26.

The Hawks showed few signs of tired legs early despite playing the late and intense game against the Spurs the night before. They raced out to a 7-0 lead and, after the Bucks forged a 23-23 tie to end the quarter, outscored the Bucks 34-22 in the second quarter.

Woodson was able to use his bench liberally in the second period. In addition to Crawford, he got strong minutes from Joe Smith, Mo Evans and Zaza Pachulia.