Game 1, In Progress: Hawks Begin Quest To Deliver On High Hopes Vs. Bucks

For more on these teams, visit our Atlanta blog at Peachtree Hoops and our Milwaukee blog at Brew Hoop.

Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Joe Johnson led a balanced scoring effort with 22 points, as the Hawks jumped on the Bucks early and came away with a 102-92 decision in the opener of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.

Mike Bibby shot 8-of-9 from the field for 19 points for Atlanta, which won the final four games of its regular season slate to capture the No. 3 seed. Josh Smith tallied 12 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks.

Jamal Crawford, playing in the playoffs for the first time in his 10-year career, netted 17 points for the Hawks, who shot a scorching 61.9 percent in the first half en route to a 22-point lead.

Brandon Jennings led a valiant comeback for Milwaukee, helping cut the deficit to seven before the fourth quarter. Jennings, though, scored just two of his game-high 34 points in the final stanza.

John Salmons, the catalyst behind Milwaukee's first postseason appearance in four seasons, ended with 16 points on 6-of-18 shooting in the loss.

Without center Andrew Bogut, who is out with a broken hand and dislocated elbow suffered in a gruesome fall two weeks ago, the Bucks recorded just one block to Atlanta's 11.

Game 2 of this set is scheduled for Tuesday at Philips Arena.

Atlanta led wire-to-wire, jumping out to a 15-6 lead less than five minutes in when Bibby culminated a 9-0 spurt with a three-pointer.

Smith's alley-oop slam off a toss from Johnson jump-started a late 11-point burst that ended with a Crawford free throw for a 32-12 lead.

"They made some open shots early in the first quarter and we missed some...We got a little shell-shocked," Bucks head coach Scott Skiles said.

It was 34-17 after 12 minutes, and Atlanta eased into the break by shooting 57.9 percent from the field in the second frame.

Jennings was the lone bright spot for the Bucks in the first half, scoring 20 points, but Atlanta still held a seemingly comfortable 62-40 lead.

The Rookie of the Year candidate sparked Milwaukee in the third, scoring 10 points during a 16-4 flurry. Salmons' step-back jumper capped the rally to cut the deficit to 70-58.

An Ersan Ilyasova layup made it a single-digit game, 77-68, and Salmons followed with two free throws in the final minute to get the margin down to seven.

Bibby then drained a big three from the right corner and Crawford added a free throw for an 81-70 game with 12 minutes remaining.

The Hawks led by double digits until an Ilyasova three made it 87-80 four minutes in. That was as close as the visitors got, however, with Crawford answering with a deep make of his own.

Down 92-84, Jennings missed an open three with just over five minutes to play. After a timeout, Al Horfordmuscled his way in for a bucket in the lane, and Johnson followed with a jumper from just above the left elbow for a 96-84 lead with 3 1/2 minutes left.

The differential was at least eight points the rest of the way.

"When you get into playoff basketball you can build big leads, but teams are going to make runs. You're going to see that throughout the playoffs," Hawks head coach Mike Woodson said. "Milwaukee made a heck of a run in the third quarter, and we countered the run."

Atlanta won its first postseason series last year before falling to Cleveland in the second round...The Hawks won the season series against the Hawks, 2-1...Horford ended with 15 points and seven rebounds for the Hawks...Johnson also had seven assists for Atlanta, which received 12 points from Marvin Williams...Ilyasova chipped in 11 points for Milwaukee...Kurt Thomas, Bogut's replacement in the starting lineup, had four points and nine rebounds in the loss...Milwaukee shot 45.1 percent from the field, compared to 53.9 percent for Atlanta, which has won 13 straight at home dating back to the regular season.