ATLANTA - Tracy McGrady led six players in double figures and the playoff-bound Atlanta Hawks built a 37-point lead in the first half on the way to a 116-84 rout of the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night.
With their highest-scoring half of the season, the Hawks were up 72-42 at the break in the first of five straight home games to close the regular season. Atlanta is battling with Boston and Orlando to be the final Eastern Conference team with home-court advantage.
The Hawks sure played like it mattered in this one, getting contributions from everyone in what was essentially a mirror image of the 116-77 beatdown that the Pistons handed Cleveland the previous night. Detroit had nothing left for the Hawks, who got a season-high 72 points from their bench.
