Paul Millsap had 25 points, nine rebounds and six assists and the Atlanta Hawks finally finished off the Brooklyn Netsin six games, advancing to the Eastern Conference semifinals with a 111-87 victory Friday night.
Kyle Korver added 20 points and hit three of his six 3-pointers during a series-deciding run to open the third quarter as the Hawks turned a six-point lead into the only blowout of the series. The East’s No. 1 seed has a quick turnaround before facing Washington on Sunday in its second-round opener.
The Wizards, the No. 5 seed, swept Toronto in the first round. Atlanta won the final two games and left no doubt about this one after beginning the second half with a 23-3 blitz that made it 74-48, opening as big a gap on the scoreboard as there was between the teams in the standings. The Hawks were 60-22 in the regular season and the Nets were only 38-44 as the last team to qualify for the postseason, but Atlanta has outscored Brooklyn by just nine points through the first five games.