Gwinnett Daily Post

ATLANTA - Josh Smith had 19 points, nine assists and nine blocks, and the Atlanta Hawks overcame an abysmal first quarter in a 96-91 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night.

Josh Childress scored 21 points and Joe Johnson added 18 for the Hawks, who trailed by 20 in the first quarter.

Atlanta led 91-88 before turning the ball over on an offensive foul by rookie Al Horford with 1:20 left. Philadelphia rookie Thaddeus Young, a Georgia Tech product making his first return to Atlanta, missed on the other end, and a basket by Horford pushed the Hawks' lead to five.

Horford then blocked a shot by Andre Miller, who scored 29 points.

Andre Iguodala's three-point play with 19.5 seconds to go cut Atlanta's lead to 94-91, but Smith answered with two free throws.

Iguodala had 22 points. Young added 11 and Willie Green had 10. Samuel Dalembert had nine points and 13 rebounds.

Smith matched the Hawks' record with eight blocks in the first half. He also had four steals and six rebounds in the game.

The 76ers led by 20 late in the opening quarter and was up 32-14 after one. The 76ers outscored the sluggish Hawks 15-0 on fastbreak points in the period.

The rest before the second period seemed to invigorate Smith and the Hawks. Smith equaled a team record with six blocks in the quarter as the Hawks cut it to 50-44 at halftime.

Johnson's 3-pointer with 4 seconds left in the third put Atlanta in front 72-70 heading into the final quarter.

The Hawks led 87-79 in the fourth but the Sixers answered with two baskets by Miller and a 3-pointer by Iguodala to close the lead to 87-86 with 3:45 left.

A drive by Johnson with 1:53 left pushed Atlanta's lead to 91-88.

Notes: Wayne 'Tree' Rollins blocked eight shots in a half for Atlanta against Cleveland on March 29, 1983, setting the record matched by Smith. ... 76ers executive vice president Larry Brown, who normally doesn't travel, attended the game. He said he made the trip to visit his brother Herb Brown, a Hawks assistant. Herb Brown and Hawks coach Mike Woodson were assistants on Larry Brown's 2003-04 NBA championship Detroit team. ... Philadelphia F Jason Smith (left ankle sprain) did not play after testing the ankle before the game. ... Young made his third start, all in the last four games.