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Atlanta Hawks Game RecopHawk Player NoteshOmEzZz
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| Atlanta Hawks Game Recop |
| CHARLOTTE 119, ATLANTA 87 CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Ticker) -- In the third quarter, it became clear that the Charlotte Hornets were playing for postseason position and the Atlanta Hawks were playing out the string. Eddie Jones and David Wesley each scored nine points in separate second-half runs as the Hornets awoke and trounced the woeful Hawks, 119-87, for their 10th win in 12 games. "Sometimes you get overanxious in the beginning of games," Jones said. "The good teams always make corrections in the second half." "When you play teams below .500, you have to play with more intensity than we did in the first half," Wesley said. "It's just one of those things. Sometimes the game goes that way. We did have a good second half and we finished well." Facing an Atlanta squad that came in with a franchise-record 12-game road losing streak, Charlotte led just 49-45 at halftime and appeared lethargic. But the Hornets snapped out of it, holding the Hawks to 16 points in the third quarter and scoring 70 in the second half. "I thought it was important to try to put them away," Hornets coach Paul Silas said. "We struggled in the first half but played well in the second. ... I wish we played the way we did in the second half all the time." Wesley scored 29 points to lead the Hornets (45-33), who kept pace with the Philadelphia 76ers in the race for fourth place in the Eastern Conference and home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. The 76ers hold a one-game lead with four games remaining. "When the lights are on, it's time to shine," said Jones, who did not score other than his third-period outburst. "This is the time of year to be playing well. Hopefully, we can keep getting it done." Dion Glover scored 14 points and fellow rookie Cal Bowdler added 13 for the Hawks (26-52), who have lost eight straight overall and have not won on the road since February 25 at Seattle. "There were times when we didn't turn our heads on defense and didn't rotate," Hawks coach Lenny Wilkens said. "We had way too many turnovers in the second half. ... We're going to have to keep playing and improve for next year. Games like tonight are painful lessons but we have to learn." Two free throws by 7-2 center Dikembe Mutombo -- who did not attempt a shot -- gave Atlanta a 49-49 tie with 10:25 left in the third quarter. Jones scored all the points in a 9-1 burst that gave Charlotte the lead for good at 58-50 with 6:47 to go. The Hawks still were within 70-61 on a basket by LaPhonso Ellis with 1:55 remaining when the Hornets rattled off 11 straight points. Wesley, who made 12-of-17 shots, scored nine, including a free throw that made it 81-61 with 10:54 left in the fourth quarter. "David Wesley was cooking in the second half," Hawks guard Jason Terry said. The Hawks got no closer than 17 points thereafter. The Hornets opened their largest lead at 119-81 on a basket by Todd Fuller in the final minute. "We stopped running in the second half and that's why we lost," said Hawks swingman Jimmy Jackson, who scored 13 points. "In the first half, we ran and things happened. We got very stagnant. We are a lot better team when we run. In the first half, we did a good job spacing and getting baskets in transition. I wish I knew why we couldn't continue that in the second half." Brad Miller scored 15 points and Anthony Mason handed out 10 assists for the Hornets, who shot 54 percent (44-of-81) and made 25-of-31 free throws. Charlotte had five players in double figures and held a 42-31 rebounding advantage. Bimbo Coles scored 12 points for the Hawks, who shot 44 percent (36-of-82). Atlanta has lost three in a row to Charlotte after winning eight straight in the series. |
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