Josh Smith scores 28, Hawks beat Pacers 97-87

Josh Smith scored 28 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, leading the Hawks to a 97-87 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night that snapped Atlanta's three-game home losing streak.

The Hawks, who had fallen behind by big margins in each game on the homestand, finally got off to a good start. Atlanta built a 21-point lead in the first half and withstood a charge by Indiana over the final two quarters.

Joe Johnson added 20 points for the Hawks, while Kirk Hinrich (17) and Tracy McGrady (13) contributed valuable minutes off the bench.

Danny Granger scored 21 points to lead the Pacers, who couldn't overcome the big deficit after winning the night before at home. Indiana has lost nine straight in Atlanta, a streak dating to 2006.