(Sports Network) - If the Miami Heat needed any motivation in their Eastern Conference quarterfinals series with Atlanta, Josh Smith gave them plenty.

Already facing elimination in tonight's contest, the Heat's blood starting boiling after Smith's wild showboating dunk attempt in the final minutes of the Hawks blowout in Game 5.

The unnecessary act of "pouring it on" seemed to light a fire under what had been a moribund Miami club.

"I'll go back to something my high school coach always told me: Act like you've done something before," Heat superstar Dwayne Wade said of Smith's immature act. "He used to hate when I would dunk and pound my chest all the time. He told me act like I've been there, bee classy. Win, lose or draw, you're supposed to be classy."

Classy or not, the Hawks seized control of the series on Wednesday in Atlanta when Joe Johnson finished with 25 points, six rebounds and six assists to help the Hawks crush the Heat, 106- 91, and take a 3-2 lead in the matchup.

Atlanta is now a Game 6 victory away from winning its first playoff series since 1999.

"Tied up 2-2, it was a must-win for both teams," Smith said after the game. "We were just able to do the right things in order to be able to win."

Flip Murray came off the bench to score 23 points for fourth-seeded Atlanta, which also got 20 points and eight boards from Smith.

However, the Hawks lost center Al Horford to a first-half ankle sprain. Horford, who ended with four rebounds and three points, landed on his right leg and dropped to the floor before going to the locker room. He did not return, and will be a game-time decision for tonight's contest. Atlanta is already without fellow big man Marvin Williams, who is on the shelf with a sprained right wrist.

If Horford can't go, Atlanta coach Mike Woodson is expected to start the little-used Solomon Jones and continue to bring Zaza Pachulia, who has been playing very well in the series, off the bench.

Wade, who battled back spasms in Game 4 and temporarily left Wednesday's contest in the first quarter after hitting his head on the court, had 29 points to pace fifth-seeded Miami. Michael Beasley added 18 points and Jermaine O'Neal had 14 for the Heat, who had only six offensive rebounds.

"They kicked our butts in pretty much every way possible," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "It turned into a highlight show after a while. They were trying to embarrass us, but they did what they had to do."

With the 15-point differential in Wednesday's contest, all five games in this series so far have been decided by double digits. Game 4, an 81-71 Hawks win, has been the closest margin.

On the injury front for Miami, forward Jamario Moon is sidelined for the rest of the postseason with a sports hernia. Moon, who was acquired by the Heat in the February trade that also brought them O'Neal from Toronto, is a crafty defender that could have helped against the high-scoring Johnson.

The Hawks, who finished the regular season at 47-35, their best mark since recording 50 victories in the 1997-98 season, are in the postseason for the second consecutive year. Atlanta put quite a scare into the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics last season before faltering in the seventh game during the first round.

The Heat, meanwhile, haven't done much postseason-wise since winning their first NBA title in 2006. They were swept in four games in the first round the following year by the Chicago Bulls, then missed out last season after a lowly 15-67 campaign which was marred by injuries to Wade, who led the NBA in scoring this past season with 30.2 points per game.

These two teams have met in the postseason one time previously and the Hawks won that set, 3-2, in 1994.

Game 7 in the series, if necessary, is set for Sunday back in Atlanta.







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