ATLANTA (AP) ― Joe Johnson was exhausted by the time the Hawks and Utah Jazz had dragged each other into a fourth overtime ― in Atlanta’s third game in three nights, no less.
“It was unbelievable,” he said. “I just had to laugh it off. I’ve never played in a game like that.”
Johnson scored 37 points, Josh Smith added 22 and the Hawks ended Utah’s six-game winning streak with a 139-133 victory Sunday night in the NBA’s first quadruple-overtime game since 1997.
The four overtimes tied for the third-longest game in NBA history. It was the ninth NBA game to go four OTs and the first since Phoenix beat Portland 140-139 on Nov. 14, 1997.
Al Jefferson finished with 28 points and 17 rebounds, and Paul Millsap had 25 points and 13 boards for the Jazz before both players fouled out in the final overtime.
“We’ll take a moral victory out of this one,” Millsap said. “This was a good ball team we played tonight. They played excellent defense. We just didn’t get it done.”
Atlanta has won four straight and six of seven. The Hawks improved to 30-20 and moved one-half game ahead of Indiana for fifth place in the Eastern Conference.
“It would happen on the third (straight night), but it shows the toughness of this ballclub to be able to push through that many overtimes and come out victorious,” said Smith.
Phoenix 108, Cleveland 83
Minnesota 117, Denver 100
Boston 88, Washington 76
San Antonio 93, Philadelphia 76
Okla. City 103, Miami 87
Portland 90, Golden St. 87
Memphis 102, LA Lakers 96
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