Take a deep breath. It was not easy.
Lou Williams scored eight straight points late in the fourth quarter to give the Hawks a 103-95 come-from-behind victory over the lowly 76ers Monday night at Philips Arena.
Williams helped the Hawks snap a six-game losing streak and keep their fading playoff hopes alive.
Williams broke a 92-92 tie with a floating layup with 2:24 left and then buried a corner 3-pointer with 1:49 left for a five-point advantage. After the Sixers got a James Anderson 3-pointer, Williams hit another 3-pointer from the same corner with 1:12 left for a 100-95 advantage.
“My impact on the game is to score,” said Williams, who finished with 22 points. “That is what has gotten me this far. I’ve always had confidence in my shot-making ability. … I was just open (on the game-clinching 3-pointers). I think I was 0-for-5 before that from the 3-point line. You just continue to shoot. Again, that is what I bring to the table. If I stop shooting I have no impact on the court.”
Paul Millsap and Kyle Korver converted free throws in the closing seconds for an eight-point cushion.
The Hawks (32-41) won for the just the seventh time in the past 27 games. They swept the season series with the Sixers, 3-0.
With nine games remaining in the regular season, six at home, the Hawks have a one-game lead over the Knicks for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks defeated the Jazz, 92-83, Monday night.
“We didn’t play well in the first quarter,” said Korver of the Hawks’ early 13-point deficit. “We all just looked at each other. There was no big speech. We just looked at each other and we knew. We all knew.
“We all know what is on the line right now. I thought as a team we didn’t play great going forward but we played harder. We played with more purpose. That covered up some of our mistakes and bad shooting that we had tonight.”
Millsap had a double-double with 28 points, including 15 in the first half, and 17 rebounds, 10 in the second half. Jeff Teague finished with 12 points and Korver had 11 in his first game back after missing six games with back spasms.
The 76ers (16-58) lost after snapping a 26-game losing streak Saturday with a win over the Pistons. Thaddeus Young led the Sixers with 23 points.
“We all feel like every game here and out is a must win,” Millsap said. “We need these games. It’s as simple as that.”
The Hawks stormed out of the intermission as Korver and Millsap hit back-to-back 3-pointers to cut a double-digit deficit to four points. The Sixers rallied but it would be short-lived.
The Hawks ended the third quarter on a 19-5 run to take a 75-73 lead into the final quarter. For the period, the Hawks outscored the Sixers 32-20.
“Defensively, the second half we were significantly better,” coach Mike Budenholzer said. “But I really think it started in the second quarter. We held them to 22 (points). In the first quarter, I think you give them a lot of credit too. They were hitting shots.”
The Sixers led by as many as 14 points in the first half and took a 53-43 halftime advantage. Young finished with 14 first-half points, including making 4-of-5 from 3-point range. The Hawks, by stark contrast, were miserable from long-range. They missed their first 10 attempts, including all nine in the first quarter. Shelvin Mack finally connected with 5:15 left in the second quarter and the Hawks were 2 of 15 in the first half from 3-point range.
The Hawks next host the Bulls Wednesday.
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