Charlotte, NC (Sports Network) - Josh Smith stepped up for the injury-ravaged
Hawks, tallying 30 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists, as Atlanta downed
the Charlotte Bobcats, 104-92, to complete a four-game season sweep.
Kyle Korver connected on 5-of-6 from 3-point-range en route to 21 points and
Ivan Johnson finished with 12 points and 15 rebounds in the victory for the
Hawks.
Despite missing Al Horford, Devin Harris and Zaza Pachulia, who all sat due to
various ailments, Atlanta was able to capture its second straight win and
eighth consecutive over Charlotte.
The Bobcats continued their miserable play at home, with their starters only
managing a combined 31 points in the team's 16th consecutive loss at Time
Warner Cable Arena.
Ramon Sessions and Ben Gordon scored 27 and 15 points, respectively, off the
bench in the Bobcats' third straight defeat.
The Hawks were aided by timely three-point shooting, especially in the second
quarter, where Korver knocked down a trio of triples late in the stanza to
help Atlanta to a 53-46 halftime lead.
Smith then helped the Hawks take full control of the game in the third,
scoring eight of his team's first 10 points of the period. After Korver
knocked down his second jumper of the quarter, Jeff Teague nailed a triple to
give the Hawks a commanding 70-53 advantage with 4:42 to play in the quarter.
Charlotte responded with a 12-6 push, as Gordon buried a pair of triples to
pull the Bobcats within nine, but John Jenkins answered with a 3-pointer of
his own, giving Atlanta a 79-67 lead after three quarters.
Another triple by Korver early in the fourth swelled Atlanta's lead to 15 at
84-69. Using a 10-2 push, the Bobcats came within seven near the midway point
on Jeff Adrien's putback dunk. However, Jennero Pargo quelled any thought of a
comeback by draining a deep trey to put the Hawks back on top by double-
digits, allowing Atlanta to cruise to victory from there.
The contest was sloppy throughout, with both clubs setting the tone in the
first with a combined 14 turnovers. Atlanta would finish with 18 for the game,
but took a 28-20 lead into the second quarter thanks to Smith, who tallied 10
points in the first.
Game Notes
For the fourth time this season, the Bobcats have a losing streak of at least
three games ... Kemba Walker scored 11 points for the Bobcats, but committed
five of the team's 19 turnovers, which Atlanta converted into 25 points ...
The Hawks shot 12-for-25 from 3-point range for the night ... Charlotte has
only beaten Atlanta five times since the 2008-09 season.
The Sports Network