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Bibby, Horford lead Hawks past Wizards

Nov 30, 2008 - 4:33 AM By Tim Hipps PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- The Atlanta Hawks simply needed to visit the nation's capital to end their season high five-game road losing streak.

Mike Bibby scored 21 points to lead five starters in double figures as the Hawks posted a 102-98 victory over the Washington Wizards on Saturday.

Al Horford scored 19 points and converted a three-point play that gave the Hawks a 101-98 lead with 12.4 seconds left. Horford finished with 13 rebounds and six assists. DeShawn Stevenson missed two free throws with 6.9 seconds left, and Maurice Evans made one of two at the other end for the final margin.

"If you're talking about winning at a high level, you've got to win your fair share of games out on the road," Hawks coach Mike Woodson said.

"If you can just play .500 ball on the road and then handle your business at home, then you're going to win your fair share of games and that's all we're trying to do. We're 5-5 out on the road this year, and I'm pleased with our ballclub."

In a back-and-forth final period, Caron Butler's 3-pointer from the right wing tied the game at 98-98 with 1:10 remaining. The play was reviewed and ruled a 3-pointer.

Evans had 19 points and Joe Johnson added 18 for the Hawks, who shot 50 percent from the floor (37-of-74).

"We look at the big picture and we're back to .500 on the road," Horford said. "If possible, we want to keep that record above .500 on the road. If you're able to do that, you can put yourself right up there with the top teams in the league."

Antawn Jamison had 26 points and 13 rebounds for the Wizards. Butler added 21 points and 10 boards for Washington, which fell to 1-2 under interim head coach Ed Tapscott.

"You've got a job," Jamison said. "Your job is to continue to play hard. If you're struggling offensively, you've got to do other things. You've got to help out your teammates in other aspects of the game. We had the opportunity to win the game. We've been through this before."

Washington trailed by 17 in the third quarter before rallying. The Wizards tied it at 89-89 on a pair of free throws from Stevenson with 4:53 remaining, but could not get over the hump.

"We spent so much energy trying to get back from (17), that you're just fatigued at the end," Tapscott said. "A number of things that you do normally, you're unable to do."

"They're one of those teams that can do that at any point," Horford said of the Wizards' fourth-quarter comeback. "They have those type of players. I felt like we played good throughout, they just took it to another level towards the end of the game."

Horford and Evans sandwiched two free throws apiece around Antonio Daniels' missed layup that gave Atlanta a 93-89 lead with 3:31 left.

Jamison and Daniels hit consecutive 3-pointers to pull the Wizards within 80-77 with 10:17 left in the final period. That was the closest Washington had been since early in the first quarter.

Bibby was perfect on six field goals and two free throws in leading the Hawks to a 55-45 lead at the break.

"When Mike is on, he's a tough player to stop," Horford said. "He was taking it to the basket and he was taking three's. When he's playing at that level, we're a pretty good team."