Hornets 81 - 111 Hawks
Final
  for this game

Hawks crush Bobcats sans Horford

Jan 13, 2012 - 5:57 AM Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - No Horford, no problem.

The Atlanta Hawks learned they would be without starting center Al Horford for 3-to-4 months Thursday, then responded with a 111-81 dismantling of the Charlotte Bobcats.

Josh Smith had game-highs of 30 points and 13 rebounds, while Joe Johnson added 23 points in the win. Zaza Pachulia played over 31 minutes, scored 10 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the absence of Horford, who suffered a torn pectoral muscle during Wednesday's loss at Indiana.

"I heard it actually on the way to the game," Smith said of the Horford news. "It was really devastating."

Byron Mullens had a career-high 21 points, while Gerald Henderson added 16 for the Bobcats, losers of five straight.

In addition to Pachulia, 27-year-old rookie Ivan Johnson added assistance on the front line, scoring 12 points and grabbing seven boards in a little over 20 minutes.

"Guys came in and played terrific," continued Smith. "Ivan has been giving us a [heck] of a performance thus far."

Still, it was the Atlanta mainstays who picked up most of the slack. Smith had 16 first-half points and Johnson added 15 en route to a 57-47 lead at the break.

Atlanta was not threatened in the second half and led by as many as 30 in the dominating win.

"We have to learn from our losses," said Bobcats coach Paul Silas. "It doesn't seem like it's coming that quickly. We just have to turn it around some kind of way."

Game Notes

Atlanta held a 55-30 advantage on the glass...An MRI on Thursday revealed a torn pectoral muscle in Horford's left shoulder. He was averaging 12.4 points and 7.0 rebounds in 11 games this season.






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