Bibby, Johnson carry Hawks over Wizards

Mike Bibby scored 23 points and Joe Johnson added 18 points and 10 assists to lead the Atlanta Hawks over the Washington Wizards, 105-96 on Monday night.

It was the Hawks' third straight win, moving them one-half game ahead of idle New Jersey for eighth place in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks haven't made the playoffs since the 1998-99 season.

Josh Smith had 17 points for Atlanta, which made 55.4 percent of its shots. Josh Childress scored 16 points and rookie center Al Horford added 12 points, 15 rebounds and a career-high six assists.

Washington, which had its three-game winning streak end, had won 12 of 15 games against the Hawks. The Wizards fell to 33-33.

Antawn Jamison led the Wizards with 25 points. Brendan Haywood had 16 points — none in the final 23:20.

The Hawks never trailed in the first half, shooting 58.3 percent, but Haywood made two free throws at the start of the second to give the Wizards their first lead.

Atlanta took a 58-57 lead on Marvin Williams' jump shot with 10:30 remaining in the third quarter, and despite having to play much of the second half without Smith, who sat with four fouls, they held the lead for the rest of the quarter and led 84-77 after three.

Childress replaced Smith and scored 16 points. His 3-pointer with 10:09 to play gave Atlanta its largest lead — 87-77.

Notes:@ Washington G Gilbert Arenas, who had left knee surgery on March 21, had an MRI on Monday and will increase the intensity of his workouts in an attempt to hasten his return. ... Wizards C Haywood returned after missing one game with a strain of his left patella tendon. ...Washington F Jamison was named the Eastern Conference's Player of the Week. ... Atlanta has won twice in a row on the road — for just the second time this season.