• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Hawks hammer Cavs

Jan 22, 2012 - 3:44 AM Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Joe Johnson finished with 25 points and the hot-shooting Atlanta Hawks routed the Cleveland Cavaliers, 121-94, on Saturday.

Jeff Teague and Jannero Pargo both scored 14 points for the Hawks, who dropped a 90-76 decision in Philadelphia on Friday, but returned home to shoot 55.4 percent.

Atlanta made 11-of-24 shots from beyond the arc in its fifth win in six games, and will now head on the road for five games, starting Monday in Milwaukee.

"It's always great to get a win, regardless of who you're playing," Johnson said. "We've just got to try and build on it, try to go out on the road and do the best we can."

Kyrie Irving scored 18 points to pace the Cavaliers, who have dropped three in a row. They were coming off Friday's loss against Chicago.

"That's just a learning experience for us," Irving said. "Play two great teams and just seeing things they do offensively and defensively, I think we all can learn something from it."

Cleveland led by two just past the midway point of the first quarter, but the Hawks followed with an 11-0 run to take control. Johnson knocked down a three during the rally, which he ended with a dunk for a 25-16 advantage.

The Cavaliers faced a 27-19 deficit moving into the second quarter and stayed close for most of the period. With 5:49 left, Irving's long-distance make had them within 43-36.

But the Hawks followed with the next eight points, and a pair of threes by Johnson later in the half helped Atlanta carry a 61-42 lead into the break.

Atlanta removed any doubt about the outcome by beginning the third quarter with a 14-4 run. Zaza Pachulia closed the burst with a dunk to extend his team's lead to 75-46.

The Hawks made 10-of-19 shots in the third quarter, held an 89-63 lead moving into the fourth, and led comfortably throughout the final period.

Game Notes

Cleveland shot 48.6 percent, but had 20 turnovers...Atlanta's Josh Smith finished with a game-high 11 rebounds...Tristan Thompson scored 16 points off the Cavaliers' bench...The Hawks have won the last five meetings.