Jackson, Pacers clip Hawks

Al Harrington tallied 20 points, while Jermaine O’Neal ended with 16 points and 11 boards for the Pacers, who won for the fourth time in five games overall and snapped a four-game skid versus the Hawks.

"We were able to get a lead and keep them down for the rest of the game," said Harrington, a former Hawk. "I miss those guys. I really do. I left Indiana. I felt I had something to prove. I felt disrespected and when I left here it was a business thing. It was hard for me to feel any ill-will toward them."

Joe Johnson scored 22 of his game-high 31 points in the opening half for Atlanta, which has dropped three in a row and seven of its last eight. Marvin Williams ended with 18 points for the Hawks.

"We didn’t come out with the energy like we wanted to win this ball game," Johnson said. "We got down and really never came back."

Atlanta’s only lead of the night was at 2-0 on Johnson’s layup. The Pacers scored the next 13 points, with O’Neal’s jumper capping the rally. O’Neal had six of those points and the Pacers were on top, 27-21, going into the second.

The Hawks closed within 42-41 with 3:43 left in the first half on a Zaza Pachulia tip-in, but Indiana widened the margin with six in a row.

Trailing 52-47 at the half, the Hawks stayed within striking distance early in the third, until the Pacers used a 7-0 run to pull away. Harrington’s layup extended the lead to 66-56 midway through the third and it was 80-69 going into the fourth.

Indiana maintained a double-digit lead for almost the entire final period.

Game Notes

Atlanta had won all four meetings last season after losing seven in a row to the Pacers...Jeff Foster had 16 rebounds for Indiana, while teammate Jamaal Tinsley had 10 points and nine assists...Pachulia had 10 points and 14 boards, while Salim Stoudamire scored 13 for Atlanta...O’Neal had an IV inserted at halftime, but came back midway through the third quarter.