Hawks sweep season series from Celtics
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Joe Johnson scored 16 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter and the Atlanta Hawks beat Boston 100-91 on Friday night to complete their first season sweep of the Celtics in 11 years.
Jamal Crawford had 28 points as the Hawks recovered after Boston cut a 14-point deficit to one in the third quarter.
The Hawks (30-15) completed the four-game sweep of the regular-season series to move one-half game ahead of Boston (29-15) for second place in the Eastern Conference.
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Paul Pierce led Boston with a season-high 35 points. Kevin Garnett had 15 as Boston's only other scorer in double figures.
The Celtics have lost five of seven, including losses to Orlando and Atlanta in back-to-back days.
The Hawks were celebrating with their sellout crowd and most Boston players were already off the court as the final seconds ticked off the clock.
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Johnson, named to his fourth straight All-Star team on Thursday, made only 3 of 13 shots from the field in the first three quarters before finding his touch to help the Hawks fend off the Celtics' comeback. Atlanta led 74-73 at the start of the fourth before pushing the advantage to 11 points.
The Hawks' last season sweep of the Celtics came with three wins in 1998-99. Their last 4-0 sweep was in the 1995-96 season.
The Hawks completed the sweep one day after having two players - Johnson and Al Horford - named to the All-Star team for the first time since 1998.
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Emotions rose in the third period soon after Hawks coach Mike Woodson began complaining that his team had been called for five fouls while Boston had none.
With 7:42 remaining in the period, Atlanta's Josh Smith was called for a flagrant foul and Boston's Kendrick Perkins drew a technical after Smith grabbed Perkins from behind to stop a shot. Players from both teams swarmed around the two.
Woodson drew a technical foul from official Tony Brothers after complaining about the flagrant foul on Smith. Zaza Pachulia drew another technical for protesting after he was called for a foul with 2:50 remaining in the period.
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The Celtics made 19 of 20 free throws in the third to cut into Atlanta's lead.
The Hawks led 53-41 at halftime despite a slow start from Johnson, who made only one of eight shots in the half.
Crawford's halfcourt shot to end the first period gave Atlanta a 23-22 lead - its only lead of the period.
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NOTES: The reported attendance of 18,732 was the Hawks' fourth home sellout of the season. ... Rasheed Wallace was called for his NBA-leading 13th technical foul in the second period. ... G J.R. Giddens, now with Maine of the NBA Development League, saw a doctor on Friday and is facing surgery on his left knee. The Celtics assigned Giddens to Maine on Jan. 21. ... The Celtics swept the 2008-09 season series 4-0.