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Smith, Hawks take out Bobcats

Jan 24, 2013 - 4:52 AM 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.

"We just started the last couple of games to turn it around again," said Korver. "So for us, we're just kind of trying to rebuild habits, trying to get our rhthym back. When you got some guys out and you got new guys stepping up, you're going to play with a lot of energy."

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.

"It's bad because we want to win in front of the fans," said Sessions on the team's poor stretch at home. "Overall, its not an 18-game losing streak, we have a couple of wins on the road. We just have to get it together here at home."

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.