Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks

Wizards 103, Hawks 101

Washington Wizards players mob Paul Pierce on the floor after his game winning shot as time expired after Game 3 of the second round of the NBA basketball playoffs Saturday, May 9, 2015, in Washington. The Wizards won 103-101. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com
Washington Wizards players mob Paul Pierce on the floor after his game winning shot as time expired after Game 3 of the second round of the NBA basketball playoffs Saturday, May 9, 2015, in Washington. The Wizards won 103-101. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com
By Chris Vivlamore
May 10, 2015

Wizards 103, Hawks 101

How the game was won: Paul Pierce drained a buzzer-beating 21-foot jump shot to lift the Wizards to a dramatic victory in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinal playoff series. The Hawks trailed by as many as 21 points in the fourth quarter before a rally led by the reserves, including a 17-0 run, made it close. Mike Muscala hit a 3-pointer with 14.1 seconds left to tie the game at 101-101 before Pierce's heroics.

Turning point: The Hawks rallied with a reserve-lead charge with Dennis Schroder, Mike Scott, Shelvin Mack and Muscala nearly completing the impossible. Schroder scored 18 points for the Hawks, 16 in the fourth quarter.

Number: 17. Points for the Wizards' Nene. The forward entered the game with a total of two points after shooting 0 of 9 in Games 1 and 2. He had 13 first-half points as the Wizards built a significant lead.

Next: The series continues in Washington with Game 4 on Monday night.

About the Author

Chris Vivlamore is the sports editor at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He has served as reporter and editor at the AJC since 2003.

Follow Chris Vivlamore on twitter
More Stories

Keep Reading

Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson had a triple-double by the end of the first half, but it wasn't enough as the Hawks couldn't hang on to a 9-point fourth-quarter lead against the Denver Nuggets. (Erik Rank/AP)

Credit: AP

Jalen Johnson’s first-half triple-double not enough to lift Hawks past Nuggets

The Hawks led the Nuggets by 9 to start the fourth quarter, but the Nuggets went on a 26-7 run to take the lead for good.

Well-traveled Hawks lose to Clippers in return to State Farm Arena

The Atlanta Hawks fell to the Clippers Wednesday night but Atlanta was without Jalen Johnson, Trae Young and Kristas Porzingis.

Former Hawks sharpshooter Danilo Gallinari announces retirement

Gallinari suited up for the Hawks for two seasons and 117 games, where he averaged 12.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists per game.

The Latest

Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson had a triple-double by the end of the first half, but it wasn't enough as the Hawks couldn't hang on to a 9-point fourth-quarter lead against the Denver Nuggets. (Erik Rank/AP)

Credit: AP

Jalen Johnson’s first-half triple-double not enough to lift Hawks past Nuggets

Well-traveled Hawks lose to Clippers in return to State Farm Arena

Former Hawks sharpshooter Danilo Gallinari announces retirement

Featured

Former Fulton County election worker Ruby Freeman talks to her daughter, Wandrea ArShaye "Shaye" Moss, a former Georgia election worker, after she testified before the U.S. House Select Committee at its fourth hearing on its Jan. 6 investigation on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, June 21, 2022. (Yuri Gripas/Abaca Press/TNS)

Credit: TNS

OPINION

The 2020 election interference case is gone, but it can’t be forgotten

The decision by a Georgia prosecutor not to pursue the massive Trump election interference case leaves some bad deeds unpunished.

Officials to install opioid reversal kits in Georgia’s public schools

The kits will contain Narcan, which can temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose and restore breathing.

Odom-led comeback nets Conference USA championship for Kennesaw State

The Owls continue to be one of the most intriguing stories of the season, going from a two-win season to a conference title and beating the defending league champions.