Coming in as heavy underdogs, Atlanta turned some heads today with a solid 106-101 win over Detroit. Said one broadcaster, "I didn't know Atlanta were that good, quite frankly. They really haven't done much all season, but the way they came in and handled Detroit showed what they're capable of."

The thoughts were echoed by Detroit coach David Smith. "We had pretty thorough film sessions coming into the game, and we never saw them execute that well. [Atlanta coach] Bob did a great job getting them ready, and we'll have to see if this was a one-time performance or if they can maintain that level of play."

Atlanta was led by Jackson (29 points, 15 boards, 0 assists, a steal, a block), Hamilton (27 points, 1 assists, 2 steals), Williams (12 points, 16 boards, 0 assists, a block). Detroit was led by Fox (22 points, a steal, 3 blocks), Newman (20 points, 10 boards, 2 assists, a block), Armstrong (14 points, 2 assists, 2 steals).

Atlanta improve to 22-23 and 9-12 at home with this victory. They advance to #3 in the Southeast and advance to #7 overall in the Eastern Conference. Detroit are now 25-18 with the loss. They remain at #1 in the Central and stay at #3 overall in the Eastern Conference.

box score Atlanta roster Detroit* roster