ATLANTA, Feb. 7 (Ticker) -- What a difference four weeks has made for Joe Johnson and the Atlanta Hawks.

Johnson scored 29 points, including a go-ahead runner with 7.6 seconds remaining as the Hawks posted a 99-98 victory over the Detroit Pistons, who have lost consecutive games for the first time this season.

NBA TV highlights from Pistons-Hawks: Play

Tayshaun Prince scored a season-high 29 points for the Pistons, who embarrassed the Hawks in Atlanta, 117-89, on January 18 for their fourth straight win in the series and sixth in a row at Philips Arena.

"I think tonight, we came into this game a little too overconfident," Detroit point guard Chauncey Billups admitted. "It was just one of those games. We came into this game feeling they couldn't beat us. Those are the games that are the most dangerous."

Detroit appeared to be in position for another easy victory Tuesday, shooting a blistering 70 percent (14-of-20) in the first quarter to take a 10-point lead.

Atlanta remained within striking distance over the next two quarters before using a 10-2 run in the final period to take an 89-87 lead with just under six minutes left.

"It's a great victory," Hawks forward Al Harrington said. "They're the best team in basketball. They came in and thought they were going to blow us out of the arena. We stood up for ourselves."

Prince responded by scoring eight points in a 10-4 spurt to give the Pistons a 97-93 edge with 1:23 remaining. Harrington answered with a jumper and Ben Wallace split a pair of free throws before Zaza Pachulia made two from the line to cut the deficit to 98-97.

Billups missed a 3-pointer and Hawks coach Mike Woodson called timeout to set the stage for Johnson, who used Harrington's pick to create a mismatch with Rasheed Wallace.

Johnson drove past Rasheed Wallace and lofted a runner over Ben Wallace and off the backboard for his second late go-ahead bucket in three games.

"I knew I wasn't going to settle for a jump shot," said Johnson, whose jumper with seven-tenths of a second left Friday was the difference in a 96-94 triumph over Orlando. "Rasheed came out and I didn't really want to play with the ball. I just kind of tried to go by him and took the crack he gave me. I knew Ben was in the lane, so I tried to get it high off the glass."

"Joe came up big again tonight," Woodson said. "You have to tip your cap to him, he made the biggest shot of the night."

Richard Hamilton missed a potential game-winning jumper at the other end, but the rebound went out of bounds off Atlanta, giving Detroit one last chance with eight-tenths of a second left.

But Billups did not catch the inbounds pass cleanly, sending the Hawks to their fourth win in five games.

"I know what Chauncey likes to do when he comes off the pick," said Prince, who threw the errant pass. "I tried to throw the ball inside in case he was curling in, and he was popping out."

"It was kind of a misread," Billups said. "I was trying to get over there as quickly as I could and get a shot."

Billups scored 20 points and Hamilton 16 for the Pistons, who last lost here on December 7, 2002.

"They made plays, we didn't," said Pistons coach Flip Saunders, whose team has lost three of five after winning 37 of its first 42. "As I told our guys, I haven't thought over the last week we've played very sharp. We've let teams hang around. This is a confidence league. Teams like this have the ability to beat you any given night. We kind of let them hang in and they made big shots down the stretch."

Prince scored 10 points in the first quarter, including a 3-pointer at the buzzer that gave Detroit a 34-24 lead. Atlanta rallied behind Johnson, who scored 12 in the second period to cut the deficit to 60-57 at the break.