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Smith, Hawks edge Magic

Dec 7, 2010 - 5:53 AM Orlando, FL (Sports Network) - Josh Smith posted 19 points and 13 rebounds and Al Horford chipped in 16 and 10 to lead the Atlanta Hawks over the Orlando Magic, 80-74, at Amway Center.

Jamal Crawford and Mike Bibby netted 15 and 13 points, respectively, for Atlanta, which was coming off an 89-77 loss to Miami on Saturday.

The Hawks again had trouble scoring but held Orlando to 37.8 percent shooting to pull out the win, their sixth in seven games.

The Magic were without four of their regulars the previous two games due to a stomach virus. They got three back Monday, including Dwight Howard, whose 14 points and 13 rebounds weren't enough.

Vince Carter scored a team-high 18 points in the loss, the second time this season Orlando has dropped back-to-back games.

"We had open shots that we missed. They hit shots down the stretch...and that decided the game," Carter said.

Atlanta never trailed in the fourth, though a Carter bucket at 5:51 pulled the Magic within, 64-62. But it took the hosts over four minutes to score again.

J.J. Redick, who came the NBA's top free-throw shooter (96.8 percent), missed a technical foul shot during Atlanta's subsequent 7-0 run, which was capped by Bibby's three-pointer with 2:45 remaining.

"We were able to control the tempo from start to finish," Crawford said. "I can only remember their fans getting into the game one time."

That time came when Carter cut the margin to 73-70 on a three-point play with 40.2 seconds to go.

Bibby answered with a another trey the next time down, however, and Horford and Crawford each made two free throws in the final 19.3 seconds to seal the outcome.

The teams played to a 19-19 tie after 12 minutes, and neither team got going in the second, as Atlanta crawled to a 36-34 halftime advantage.

There were seven lead changes in an equally offense-starved third stanza. The first field goal came three minutes in -- on a Horford jumper -- and the Hawks took a slim 54-53 lead into the fourth.

Game Notes

Redick and Mickael Pietrus were back in action, while All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson continued to sit with an illness. Redick scored 11 points while Pietrus went scoreless in 14-plus minutes...Bibby also dished out seven assists...The Magic had won seven of the last eight regular season meetings between the clubs.