ATLANTA — Kyle Korver was concerned that the Atlanta Hawks were about to squander another chance to beat a struggling opponent.
“We easily could have hung our heads there, but we kept fighting, got some good looks and we knocked them down,” he said. “The momentum switched our way and we could just feel it. The game turned really quickly.”
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Jeff Teague scored 19 points, Korver added 17 and the Hawks helped their playoff chances Wednesday night with a 105-97 victory against the Boston Celtics.
With four games remaining in the regular season, Atlanta increased its lead to two games over the New York Knicks for the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot.
Avery Bradley finished with 24 points, and Rajon Rondo had 19 points with 12 assists for Boston, which has lost nine straight games.
The Celtics dropped their 13th in a row on the road, breaking the franchise mark set during the final 13 games of 1978-79.
The Hawks, who never trailed after Korver hit his second straight 3-pointer to make it 93-92 with 3:09 remaining, avoided losing at home for the second straight night to a team eliminated from playoff contention.
Teague and Korver combined for 18 points, three assists, two rebounds and two steals in the fourth quarter.
Boston, which blew a 19-point, third-quarter lead and lost at Detroit in its most recent game Saturday, couldn’t hold a nine-point advantage with 5:44 remaining.
“In the second half we had a big lead and we let them back in it,” Rondo said. “We have to get stops, and I start with myself and turning the ball over. They turned up the pressure in the fourth quarter and took us out of our offense.”
NUGGETS 123, ROCKETS 116: Randy Foye scored 24 of his 30 points in the second half, and Denver hung on at home.
RAPTORS 125, 76ERS 114: Jonas Valanciunas had 26 points and 12 rebounds to lift Toronto at home.
BOBCATS 94, WIZARDS 88: Kemba Walker made the only field goal for either team in overtime, and Charlotte won at Washington for its fifth straight victory, moving into position for the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference.
MAGIC 115, NETS 111: Arron Afflalo scored 25 points, E’Twaun Moore added 17 and Orlando held off a late rally at home.
GRIZZLIES 107, HEAT 102: Zach Randolph had 25 points and 11 rebounds, Marc Gasol added 20 points and 14 rebounds and Memphis won at home to keep its playoff hopes alive.
BULLS 102, TIMBERWOLVES 87: D.J. Augustin scored 21 points and Joakim Noah posted his league-leading fourth triple-double of the season, leading Chicago at Minneapolis.
PACERS 104, BUCKS 102: Chris Copeland’s driving layup with 1.2 seconds remaining gave Indiana a victory at Milwaukee that moved it back into first place in the Eastern Conference.
SUNS 94, PELICANS 88: Gerald Green scored 21 points at New Orleans and Phoenix won its third straight game.
NOTES
PACERS: The team rested all five starters against Milwaukee.
HEAT: Guard Dwyane Wade didn’t play against Memphis but Coach Erik Spoelstra indicated Wade was close to returning from a strained left hamstring.
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