ATLANTA, Georgia: The Boston Celtics, who posted the best regular-season record in the National Basketball Association, was upset for the second game in a row by Atlanta, the worst team to make the playoffs.

Joe Johnson scored 20 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter to spark the Hawks past Boston 97-92 here on Monday, leveling their Eastern Conference first round best-of-seven series at two wins each.

"I just wanted to try to be the aggressor," Johnson said. "I knew that we were down by 10. Somebody had to step up. If I'm going to be the all-star on this team, I have to step up. And I did."

Josh Smith had 28 points and seven blocks while Mike Bibby scored 18 points for the Hawks, who answered an 11-0 Boston run with a 19-6 burst to reclaim the lead at 84-79, a Johnson 3-pointer ending the key run on the way to victory.

"Everybody said we were going to get swept," Atlanta's Marvin Williams said. "When nobody expects you to win, it's easy. We knew what we could do. We've got the best team in the NBA at 2-2."

Orlando became the first team to reach the second round of the NBA playoffs, with Dwight Howard scoring 21 points and grabbing 21 rebounds to lead the Magic past Toronto 102-92 for a four games to one victory in their series.

Howard lifted the Magic into the second round for the first time since 1996 when Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway were stars for the club.

"It feels great," Howard said. "We have worked extremely hard this year and to finally get over the hump and out of the first round means a lot to us."

But the East stunner came in Atlanta, where the Hawks trailed 75-65 entering the fourth quarter but outscored the Celtics 32-17 in the final 12 minutes thanks to Johnson and Smith, who combined for Atlanta's last 34 points.

Orlando will next face the winner between Detroit and Philadelphia in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Philadelphia and Detroit are level at 2-2 in their series with Game 5 on Tuesday at Detroit.

The Lakers later joined Orlando in the next round as Kobe Bryant scored 31 points and Pau Gasol added 21 to spark the Los Angeles past Denver 107-101, completing a first-round n playoff sweep.

Bryant hit 12-of-24 from the field, including scoring nine consecutive Laker points in a key stretch late in the fourth quarter, and Lamar Odom added 14 points for the Lakers, the top seeds in the West.

"They did a good job in the third quarter denying me," Bryant said. "We made our adjustments, they made theirs and we made them pay in the fourth."

The Nuggets became the first 50-win team ever swept out of the playoffs in the first round, the Lakers taking the best-of-seven series in four games to book a second-round Western Conference date with either Utah or Houston.

"In the West there are no easy matchups," Bryant said. "We're looking forward to whoever we face."

The Lakers were also looking forward to a rest before the next round.

"It's extremely important to relax, get home, rest a little bit, get some treatment and get ready for the second round," Bryant said.

J.R. Smith scored a playoff career-high 26 points to lead the Nuggets while Allen Iverson added 22 points and Carmelo Anthony scored 21.

AFP

(China Daily 04/30/2008 page22)