ATLANTA -- Atlanta guard Kyle Korver fueled an electric atmosphere inside Philips Arena with a 21-point performance, lifting the Hawks past the Brooklyn Nets 99-92 on Sunday in Game 1 of an Eastern Conference playoff series.

The Hawks controlled the game and were dominant in stretches, but couldn't put away the scrappy Nets until the final minute. Brooklyn forward Thaddeus Young cut the Atlanta lead to 93-89 on a floater in the lane with two minutes to play. But Hawks point guard Jeff Teague scored his team's final six points to secure the win for top-seeded Atlanta.

Teague finished with 17 points, as did forward DeMarre Carroll for the Hawks, who improved to 36-6 at home. Korver hit five 3-pointers, almost always sparking Atlanta runs.

Brooklyn forward Joe Johnson and center Brook Lopez each led the Nets with 17 points. Johnson spent seven seasons in Atlanta and was bombarded by boos every time he touched the ball.

The Nets trailed by double-digits for the majority of the first half and were in danger of getting run out of the building on several occasions. But they mounted a rally early in the second half, opening the third quarter with a 9-2 run that cut Atlanta lead to 57-54.

The Hawks answered with a 10-0 spurt, capped by another Korver 3-pointer and a driving layup from backup point guard Dennis Schroder that pushed the lead back to double figures.

The Hawks won a franchise-record 60 games during a surprising regular season that featured a 19-game win streak. They're the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs for the first time since 1994, but are in the postseason for an eighth straight year. Coach Mike Budenholzer's squad boasts four All-Stars, but lacks a marquee name and a playoff track record to make some pundits believe the Hawks are legitimate championship contenders.

While the majority of the final month of the season mattered little to the Hawks, the Nets were forced to battle to the final game to make the playoffs. Brooklyn came from behind to defeat the Orlando Magic in the regular-season finale to clinch the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Nets lost all four games to the Hawks during the regular season and are considered heavy underdogs in the series that resumes Wednesday.

The Hawks got off to the kind of start the Nets were hoping to avoid. Atlanta pushed the pace and got the crowd involved with deep 3-pointers from crowd favorite Kyle Korver. The Hawks jumped out to a 32-20 lead in the first quarter and extended the lead to 16 in the second quarter. They led 55-45 at halftime. Atlanta outscored Brooklyn 15-4 in fast-break points.

While the Hawks took care of business Sunday, but there are multiple concerns as the series heads to Game 2. Forward Al Horford dislocated his pinkie finger on his right shooting hand and left the floor early in the fourth quarter. Horford returned to the game four minutes later. Forward Paul Millsap, the Hawks' leader in scoring and rebounding, has not looked comfortable since returning from a five-game absence due to a shoulder sprain. Millsap went 2 of 11 from the floor and is a combined 4 of 20 in his two games back.

NOTES: Nets G Joe Johnson played seven seasons for the Hawks, leading Atlanta to five consecutive playoff appearances and cashing in with a six-year, $119 million contract in 2010. He failed to win over the Atlanta fans, though, and left with some two-way animosity, after being traded to the Nets before the 2012-2013 season. ... The NBA and NBPA are investigating the arrest of Atlanta forward Thabo Sefolosha two weeks ago in Manhattan. Sefolosha was charged with resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. The nine-year veteran sustained a broken fibula and ligament damage in his right leg during the arrest and will miss the playoffs. ... Atlanta F Mike Scott, a key reserve, returned to action after missing the season finale against the Chicag