NBA – Hawks, Mavs and Lakers punch tickets for second round [video]

ATLANTA (NBA) - The Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and surprise package Atlanta Hawks all advanced to the next stage of the NBA play-offs with wins on Thursday evening.

Atlanta finished off the Orlando Magic with an 84-81 home triumph to wrap up a 4-2 victory in their first round series.

The Hawks, who were swept 4-0 by the Magic in the same round last season, got 23 points from Joe Johnson and 19 from Jamal Crawford.

They now have an Eastern Conference Semi-Final showdown with the Chicago Bulls.

Orlando got 25 points and 15 rebounds from Atlanta native and NBA Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard, a center with Team USA.

But the Hawks won the battle of the boards 38-31 and grabbed 14 of theirs on the offensive glass.

After the game, the Hawks players talked like they have chips on their shoulders.

"They never give us a chance," Hawks forward Josh Smith said.

"They never talk about the Hawks. They talk about Orlando, Chicago, Boston and Miami. We're always sneaking under the radar."

Orlando had finished fourth in the Eastern Conference regular season and Atlanta fifth.

Chicago beat Indiana 4-1 in their first-round tie.

The Lakers finally saw off the New Orleans Hornets, winning Game 6, 98-80.

Team USA's Kobe Bryant had 24 points as the Lakers, who lost Games 1 and 4 in the series, ultimately prevailed.

"We're good at making adjustments and learning," Bryant said.

"So the more a series goes on, the more we learn. That comes from our coaching staff. That comes from us and the amount of experience we have, being able to pick teams apart the later we go in a series."

LA center Andrew Bynum, an injury concern before the post-season, had another big game with 18 points, 12 boards and two blocks.

Spain's Pau Gasol contributed 16 points and eight rebounds and Lamar Odom, a Team USA co-captain, weighed in with 14 points and eight boards off the bench.

Next up for LA are Dallas, who defeated the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 6 at the Rose Garden, 103-96.

Dirk Nowitzki finished with 33 points, 11 rebounds and four assists for the Mavs.

Jason Terry came off the bench and poured in 22 points while also dishing out eight assists.

The Blazers had opened up a 27-19 advantage by the end of the first quarter but Dallas then outscored the hosts 33-16 in the second.

Portland reduced the arrears to 77-71 early in the fourth period but got no closer.

Gerald Wallace had 32 points and 12 rebounds for the Blazers.

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