• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Ivan Johnson's clutch play helps Hawks overcome Timberwolves

Jan 15, 2012 - 3:11 AM Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Who needs Al Horford when you have Ivan Johnson?

Horford is out 3-to-4 months with a torn pectoral muscle, but Johnson continues to impress in the All-Star big man's stead.

On Saturday, the 27-year-old rookie scored his team's final four points, including the game-winning free throw with 4.6 seconds remaining, as the Hawks overcame an 18-point third-quarter deficit to down the Timberwolves, 93-91.

Johnson finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds off the bench while Joe Johnson poured in a team-high 25 points and Jeff Teague added 20, as Atlanta downed Minnesota for the 11th consecutive time.

"Guys stepped up," said Teague. "Ivan Johnson, Willie Green, Jason Collins, all those guys on the bench came up big for us."

The Timberwolves were paced by Kevin Love's 30 points and 13 boards while Ricky Rubio added 18 points and 12 assists.

"I don't have anything to say," said Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman. "There's something wrong. I don't have anything to say. Our guys did everything they could to win that game, it just didn't happen."

With the game tied at 86, Love drove to the basket but was blocked by Ivan Johnson as he fell to the baseline. Joe Johnson calmly buried an open three on the other end, giving the Hawks an 89-86 lead with 1:26 left.

Rubio and Ivan Johnson then traded buckets before Rubio knocked down a game- tying trey with 27 seconds left. Josh Smith hoisted an ill-advised three on the other end, but Ivan Johnson gathered the miss and was fouled as he went back up. He knocked down both free throws and Love's trey was left wanting as time expired.

In the third, Rubio's fadeaway jumper gave the Timberwolves and 18-point lead, but the Hawks closed the quarter with a 10-0 run to make it 71-63.

They began the fourth on a 13-2 run, sparked by two Willie Green treys. Vladimir Radmanovic and Teague were also good from beyond the arc during the surge, as the Hawks grabbed a 76-73 lead.

Teague then hit a free throw, but Wayne Ellington answered with a pair of jumpers, tying the game and triggering the back-and-forth finish.

Game Notes

Horford was diagnosed on Thursday after suffering the injury during Wednesday's loss at Indiana...Johnson had 12 points and seven boards in Thursday's win over the Bobcats...The Timberwolves haven't topped the Hawks since an 84-83 win in the Twin Cities back on April 9, 2006.