Hawks hold on for double-overtime win over Pistons

ATLANTA, Georgia (AFP) –

Josh Smith of the Atlanta Hawks dunks against the Washington Wizards on December 7, 2012. On Wednesday, Smith scored 31 points and Al Horford added 22 as the Hawks held on for a 126-119 double-overtime NBA victory over the Detroit Pistons.

Josh Smith scored 31 points and Al Horford added 22 as the Atlanta Hawks held on for a 126-119 double-overtime NBA victory over the Detroit Pistons.

Smith added 10 rebounds, six assists and two blocked shots and Horford grabbed 10 rebounds for the Hawks, who squandered a 22-point fourth-quarter lead before managing to win their second straight.

Lou Williams added 18 points with eight rebounds and seven assists and Jeff Teague scored 17 points for Atlanta, who overcame 31 points from Detroit reserve Will Bynum.

“I thought the second unit showed great resolve after being down 22 and to fight their tails off,” Detroit head coach Lawrence Frank said.

“Obviously we had some great opportunities to win the game. At the end of regulation we just couldn’t come up with the one stop we needed.”

In the first overtime period, both teams struggled offensively. Detroit edged ahead 108-104 with 1:40 remaining. Horford made a layup to cut the gap to two points, and Teague made two free throws to tie it up at 108-108 and from there they went to the second overtime.

The Hawks used a 9-4 scoring run to take a 117-112 lead but a Bynum basket trimmed the deficit to 117-114.

Kyle Korver then drained a three-pointer with 1:40 remaining to stretch the Hawks’ lead to 120-114. Williams’ jump shot gave the Hawks an eight-point lead and they held on for the win.