(The Sports Xchange) – The Atlanta Hawks survived a frantic finish to eliminate the Washington Wizards with a 94-91 win in Game Six of their Eastern Conference semi-final playoff series on Friday.
DeMarre Carroll had 25 points and 10 rebounds, Paul Millsap added 20 points and 13 rebounds, and guard Jeff Teague scored 20 points for the Hawks, who advanced despite blowing a 15-point lead in the second half.
Wizards forward Paul Pierce hit a three-pointer that would have tied the game but it came just after the final buzzer.
The Hawks reached the conference finals for the first time since 1970 and will face the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers.
The top seed in the East, the Hawks host Game One on Wednesday.
Bradley Beal and John Wall fueled Washington’s comeback.
Beal scored 29 points, including the final six during a 9-0 spurt to put the Wizards up 88-87 with 3:50 remaining after trailing the entire second half.
Atlanta’s Carroll countered with consecutive baskets for a 93-89 led with 31 seconds left.
Wall had 20 points and 13 assists. The All Star guard played the entire second half without any apparent hesitation in his second game back after suffering five fractures in his left hand and wrist during in the series opener.
The difference in the score in each of the previous three games in the series was three points or less inside the final four seconds.
Horford’s putback with under a second remaining gave Atlanta an 82-81 victory on Wednesday. He scored 13 points in the series clincher.
