Shareef Abdur-Rahim scored 29 points and the Atlanta Hawks built a big lead over San Antonio, then held on for a surprising 86-77 victory Tuesday night.

San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan (C) drives past Atlanta Hawks defense including Theo Ratliff (L) and forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim (R) in first half NBA action in Atlanta, Georgia on January 13, 2004. [Reuters]

The defending NBA champion Spurs lost for only the second time in their last 19 games.

The Hawks' season has been just the opposite. They were coming off a 1-5 road trip that ended with three straight losses in embarrassing fashion — a 16-point defeat in Sacramento, a 46-point rout by the Los Angeles Lakers and a 21-point setback to Utah.

Atlanta took control against the Spurs with a 14-0 run, encompassing the final basket of the first quarter and the first 12 points of the second. The Hawks led by as many as 21 points before settling for a 49-32 lead at halftime.

But Atlanta went cold in the fourth quarter, managing only two points in the first 5 minutes to let San Antonio make a game of it. Abdur-Rahim picked up his fifth foul with 8:52 remaining and had to go to the bench, taking away the Hawks' primary offensive threat.

The Spurs got as close as 75-73 when Tony Parker put back an offensive rebound in the lane with 2:23 left.

Jason Terry responded with a clutch 3-pointer out of the corner, giving the Hawks some breathing room. Stephen Jackson finished off his former team by hitting a long jumper with 34 seconds remaining, just beating the shot clock.

Atlanta avenged one of its more dismal losses in another forgettable season — a 114-75 rout by the Spurs on Nov. 21.

Abdur-Rahim had 10 rebounds and kept working his way to the foul line, where he was 11-of-12.

Jackson, who left San Antonio after last season and wound up with a lesser contract for the lowly Hawks, was inspired by a chance to get back at his ex-team. He had 16 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.

Terry added 18 points.

Tim Duncan carried much of the load for the Spurs, going 11-of-22 from the field for 28 points. The rest of the team was only 15-of-57, leaving the Spurs at 26-of-79 (32.9 per cent) overall.

Notes:@ Spurs G Manu Ginobili is expected to return for Wednesday's home game against Minnesota. He has missed five games with a strained back. ... San Antonio's four-game winning streak ended, along with an 8-0 run on the road. ... After handling the ball well the first three quarters, the Hawks were plagued by eight turnovers in the final period. They finished with 20.

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