ATLANTA – Joe Johnson’s floating one-hander in the lane put Atlanta ahead with 55.4 seconds remaining and Orlando’s Jameer Nelson missed two chances to tie it, allowing the Hawks to escape with an 85-82 victory Wednesday night in a likely playoff preview.
Josh Smith led the Hawks with 26 points, and Johnson added 18.
Nelson paced Orlando with 20 points, but he missed a jumper with 38 seconds remaining, then badly on a drive with 6 seconds left.
Jason Collins hit one free throw, giving the Magic one last chance to send the game to overtime. But Atlanta played tight defense, and the best Orlando could do was a long 3-point attempt by Hedo Turkoglu that didn’t come close.
Atlanta won its third in a row and took the season series 3-1.
The Hawks, who seem to be getting themselves together after a dismal stretch in which they lost 14 of 21 games, will likely face Orlando again in a couple of weeks.
The Magic seem assured of the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference, while the Hawks are headed for the fifth seed. Last year, the teams met in the second round of the postseason, which turned into a monumental mismatch. Orlando won four straight
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