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Hawks begin road trip with win over Pistons

Feb 15, 2011 - 5:11 AM Auburn Hills, MI (Sports Network) - Josh Smith scored 27 points and pulled down 14 rebounds, as the Atlanta Hawks started a seven-game road trip with a 94-79 victory over the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

Mike Bibby added 17 points, seven assists and six boards for the Hawks, who snapped a two-game skid. Marvin Williams donated 15 points and eight rebounds.

"It was a win we needed," Bibby said. "We did what we had to do."

Tracy McGrady finished with 14 points for the Pistons, who have lost the first three games of a five-game homestand. Charlie Villanueva and Rodney Stuckey tallied 13 and 12 points, respectively.

Detroit was without guard Richard Hamilton (groin).

A Bibby three-pointer had the Hawks in front by six, 15-9, with 6:25 left in the first quarter. But the Pistons scored the next nine points to grab an 18-15 edge. Detroit held a 27-20 margin after 12 minutes.

The Pistons got the second period started with four straight three-pointers to make it 39-24.

Down by 10, 48-38, with 3:49 remaining, Atlanta ended the half on a 15-3 run to go in front. Smith capped the burst with a pair of jumpers to give the Hawks a 53-51 edge at the break.

Atlanta scored the first eight points of the third quarter to build a 10-point cushion. Bibby and Joe Johnson each made three-pointers before Smith made two from the line to make it 61-51.

The Pistons kept it close and trailed by six, 74-68, after three.

Holding an 86-75 lead with 6 1/2 minutes to play, the Hawks put the game away with a 6-0 flurry.

"I would have booed, too," Villanueva said. "Having a lead like that and letting it slip away and losing by so many points I would have booed, too."

Game Notes

The Hawks lead the season series with the Pistons, 2-1. Detroit had won three straight as the host in this series...Johnson had 14 points and six assists...Atlanta shot 56.5 percent from the field, while the Pistons made 38.6 percent of their shots.